The background
The Viscosity journey first started when Brisbane local Kinsey Johnson and his family moved to Stanthorpe to take over and renovate a bar in a 100-year old hotel. The tree change gave Kinsey a chance to further his brand of offbeat hospitality that revolved around creativity and experimentation. Before the Viscosity name was coined, Kinsey was wowing patrons with his left-field creations, lovingly crafting out-of-this-world cocktails and shots made with various combinations of spirits, liqueurs and scientific lab equipment. As this is the age of social media, Kinsey’s work didn’t stay secret for long, and soon videos of his jaw-dropping creations were being shared and going viral. To help further a worldwide understanding of his chosen niche, Kinsey named the bar Viscosity and continued to refine his separation, binding and mixing practice and started putting thought towards a return to Brisbane. January 2018 saw the family relocate back home to begin converting a corner space at M&A Lane in Fortitude Valley into a mad scientist’s lab, custom building a new bar (with built-in LED lights for the bar theatre), TV screens showcasing the dynamic menu, and a secondary prep space where some of the most intensive experimentation takes place. Now, Viscosity is officially open to the public.
The drinks
If you haven’t already clicked off this page to find YouTube videos of the cocktails in action, allow us to try and put the experience into words. Kinsey has developed a range of various spirit and liqueur combinations of various colours and consistencies, carefully documenting how each combination reacts when incorporated into a drink. Juicy or fizzy, sweet or dry – Kinsey has got it all. At the time of writing, Viscosity boasts more than a dozen cocktails – from the green jelly-filled Acid Rain and the ice-cold Shark Bite to the animated Hadron Collider and serene Zen Garden. Viscosity also serves upwards of 24 shots, with favourites such as the 18-layer Solar System (boasting 30 different alcohols and liqueurs) and the nine-layer Unicorn shot to come soon. Finally, those keen to sample a range of tastes can get a shooter rack, with five of the most popular flavours and one seasonal addition up for grabs. Although the concoctions might look alien to some, the flavours are all fruit based with something to appeal to most tastes.
The extras
The coming weeks will see Viscosity reintroduce its popular range of handmade alcoholic soft serve ice-cream, offering such flavours and bubble gum and holiday-themed choices. Designated drivers can take advantage of some free parking on-site at M&A if they validate at Viscosity.
For more information on Viscosity, check out the Stumble Guide.
