Milwaukee’s first “Hybrid Bar” offers cocktails with or without booze

MILWAUKEE, WI – Discourse, the experiential drink makers behind some of Milwaukee’s most creative coffee and tea beverages, announced today their plans to open Equal Parts – the city’s first “hybrid cocktail bar” that will offer classic and contemporary cocktails available both with and without alcohol. Set to open in January 2024 in Discourse’s downtown cafe, Equal Parts aims to pioneer the conscious drinking movement and create an inclusive space for all guests regardless of their decision to consume alcohol.

“Our mission at Equal Parts is to create a social movement of conscious drinking empowered by choice: with all of the sophistication, comfort and charm of a world-class cocktail bar,” said Robert Colletta, Equal Parts partner and director of photography for Equal Parts.

The bar will transform Discourse’s 1020 N. Broadway cafe location every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening starting January 5th, 2024. Doors open at 6 pm, with service continuing late into the night. Reservations will not be accepted to preserve the intimate experience.

Types of Cocktails

Offering over a dozen cocktails like twists on classics such as margaritas, negronis, and espresso martinis, the opening menu “A Journey Through Time,” also features experimental drinks such as the Interstellar, made with rum, wine, tea, and acidified pineapple to mimic the rum-and-raspberry taste and smell of space. The Jurassic features mezcal and rain-scented geosmin, while the New Frontier offers a hot whiskey cider.

“Every component has been meticulously considered. We’re simply a group of drink makers obsessed with what liquid has been and what it can be,” said Operating Partner Kat Doughty.

Menu and Team

The bar will serve all drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, in the same glassware with identical garnishes to create an equivalent experience for all guests. Table service will also help facilitate a safe and memorable night out. Wine, beer, house-made sodas, and other affordable non-alcoholic options will also be available.

“There’s no room for pretension in our space, but we’re always going to ask you if you’re done enjoying before we swipe your glass and your water will never be empty,” said Ryan Castelaz, Equal Parts’ service director. “Our entire focus is on creating truly magical moments, equal parts whimsy and wonder.”

The team brings over 20 years of collective experience in hospitality roles at esteemed local restaurants like Morel and Shanghai as well as the best-selling book “The New Art of Coffee” by Castelaz. They share a passion for experimental drink-making and crafting memorable guest experiences.

Equal Parts represents a pioneering business model that aims to make drinking spaces more inclusive to non-drinkers while expanding options for conscious consumers. The bar’s hybrid concept enables patrons who abstain from alcohol temporarily or permanently to rejoin friends and family for a night out without compromising quality or experience.

As demand increases for more immersive retail concepts, Equal Parts’ intricate attention to detail aims to exceed expectations and foster a dynamic partnership between the growing alcohol-free market and seasoned cocktail fans. The team believes they’ve achieved the impossible – an unmatched tasting experience in Milwaukee that delivers sophistication, comfort, and charm regardless of one’s desire for alcohol.

Equal Parts will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting January 5 at Discourse’s downtown cafe located at 1020 N. Broadway Milwaukee. For more information, visit @equal.parts_ on Instagram.