We go behind the bar with one of Melbourne’s very best.
If knowledge is power, make Cara Devine prime minister right now. As a bartender and drinks communicator, Cara has a deep understanding of drinks, which you can discover for yourself at Melbourne’s Bomba Tapas Bar and Rooftop, where she is bar manager, and her new venue, Northcote’s American whiskey-focused bar Goodwater.
Don’t take our word for it, though – Cara’s passion has been rewarded with a gong as one of Drinks International’s Top 25 Australian Bartenders, a Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards nomination and a spot on Bartender Magazine’s Most Influential List. The Goodwater crew have also won Bar Team of the Year at the Australian Bar Awards and Best New Bar Victoria at the Boothby Awards. Absolutely deserved, the lot of them.
Even when she’s not dominating Melbourne’s hospitality scene, Cara is making our drinks world better. The passionate educator has built a 160,000-strong following on YouTube with her Behind the Bar series and has a cocktail book under her belt – Strong, Sweet and Bitter – with follow-up Behind the Home Bar due out soon.
With generosity and knowledge like that, there are few brains we’d rather pick than that of Cara. Just don’t order a Bloody Mary from her on a busy Friday, okay?
This or that
- Q.1. Wet or Dry Martini?
“Always wet – honestly I probably like vermouth more than gin! I think people are scared that the opposite of dry is sweet, but that’s not the case – it's just even more flavour.”
- Q.2. Table service or ordering at the bar?
“My motto in life is never stand if you can sit, never sit if you can lie down, but lying down tends to be frowned upon in bars, so in this case I’ll go with sitting. I love making myself comfortable and getting drinks brought to me; it also lets you develop a rapport with your server, which can enhance the overall experience.”
- Q.3. Scotch whisky or American whiskey?
“Ooooh, this is a dangerous question for me being a Scottish co-owner of a bar with lots of American whiskey! Goodwater has definitely opened my eyes to the depth, breadth and quality of the American whiskey category, but Scotch will always have my heart.”
- Q.4. Big night out or quiet night in?
“The older I get, the more I lean towards a quiet night in, but I still love to get my dancing – or karaoke – shoes on occasionally.”
- Q.5. Short and strong or long and fresh?
“My all-time favourites are all short and strong, but you can’t beat a Rebujito in summer.”
Myths or musts
- Q.6. The Bloody Mary is for daytime only
“Yes. There is a special place for people who order a Bloody Mary in a busy bar at 7pm on a Friday.”
- Q.7. You need premium ingredients to make good cocktails
“Yes, to a certain extent – you don’t need to break the bank, but my cocktails are usually quite simple so need a solid base. Premium to me doesn’t mean flashy, but quality is important.”
- Q.8. Melbourne has a better bar scene than Glasgow
“I guess there is a reason I’ve chosen to settle here… There is a great scene in Glasgow, but the sheer number of excellent bars in Melbourne means it has to win out (sorry!).”
- Q.9. Shaken, not stirred
“Each has a time and place.”
- Q.10. Food pairing is for wine only
“Food pairing with wine, while still a skill, is easier. I’ve seen great cocktail pairings, but it takes a really good bartender with a strong understanding of flavour and nuance to manage it and make sure they don’t overtake the flavours of the food.”
Finish this sentence
- Q.11. A home bar must have…
“A jigger. I’m happy to slapdash literally everything else, but balance is important. Plus, while you may think you’re doing your friends a favour by free pouring, they won’t feel that way the next morning!”
- Q.12. The cocktail fad that needs to die is…
“Minimalism. Cocktails are fun, and especially these days we all need a little escapism in our glass.”
- Q.13. The best bar I ever visited was…
“This isn’t fair! Bars are about a time and place, the company you’re with, the memories… The bar where I fell in love with bartending was Pourhouse in Vancouver. That’s where I had my first Manhattan and Negroni, and the first time I saw bar professionals at the top of their game, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. Nowadays, Bar Bellamy is pretty close to the perfect bar for me, especially as it is just around the corner from my house.”
- Q.14. My party soundtrack must include…
“Belinda Carlisle. No explanation needed.”
- Q.15. The perfect cocktail book is…
“Well, while I don’t think it's perfect, I am very proud of Strong, Sweet & Bitter – I’m all for the democratisation of great drinks, so wanted to show that whatever you have to hand, you can still make something delicious. I also love All Day Cocktails from Shaun Byrne and Nick Tesar. We have such great produce in Australia and this gives all sorts of techniques to get them into your glass.”
