The bartender

Samuel Cocks

Re - (NSW)

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A BARTENDER?

The places I’ve worked have always reflected my personal interests at the time. My first ever job I was very into craft beer hence working at
a craft beer bar. Fast forward a few years and now working at Re, a bar with a heavy focus on sustainable practices paired with more technique-focused drinks, two things that greatly inspire me the way I create drinks currently.

WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE?

Jason White. He was the former head of fermentation at Noma and is currently building his own lab. His approach to creativity while respecting the history and process behind different types of fermentation is something that I take a lot of inspiration from.

The hero cocktail

Gone in 60 Seconds

A fruity and slightly savoury non-alcoholic cocktail that tastes as good as any cocktail you would find at Re.

The brand that I’m utilising in my drink is ALTD Spirits located in Marrickville, Sydney. Their goal is to create non-alcoholic spirits that can stand up as a quality alternative to consuming alcohol. The collection is inspired by the Australian bush so I thought I would channel this by using Illawarra Plum in my serve, a native Australian ingredient. I wanted to honour ALTD’s goal and create a non-alcoholic serve that had as much effort put into it as a cocktail at Re. I think non-alcoholic options are an important part of any bar’s offering as it is a way to make a more inclusive experience for everyone.

Ingredients

• ALTD Spirits

• Cascara Syrup

• Carrot Flower

• Strawberry and Illawarra Plum Soda

Like this cocktail? The full recipe can be found in this year’s copy of the Top 25 Bartenders. Get your copy by clicking the button below.

The bar

Re

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Many take steps to minimize their environmental footprint, but very few embody sustainability like Re. Touted as the worlds first zero-waste cocktail bar, the team behind the counter has taken every step to decrease their environmental impact without letting it affect quality. In fact, it is the care and love for every single item that defines their food and drink: quality produce is always at centre-stage.

The bar rocks an industrial modern-chic theme and is located in the repurposed old Eveleigh Locomotive Workshop. The faux-leather seating is made of pineapple leaf fibre, while the tabletops, staircase and bar are made from recycled milk bottles. 

Opening Hours:

Tuesday-Saturday,

4pm-9pm