On a recent camping trip, we took Bartendro out to make drinks for our friends in the fine outdoors. Each bottle had a single tube draped down into its liquid with no bottle topper to keep the bugs out. A small swarm of bees got wind of the sweet scent and in no time, regular sized bees were negotiating themselves down the crowded bottle neck. Unfortunately, the exit seemed to be much more elusive than the entrance, and they found themselves drinking and swimming in what must be the most decadent way for a bee to go. Unfortunately, the camp-goers weren't quite as happy as the bees. After a few hours the bees were bobbing in the sweet stuff. Off-putting, I know, but this was inspiration to refine a component of Bartendro that needed some attention.
Before Bartendro made its debut, the first comments that people made were about the exposure of booze to the open air. We understood the concern. Even with the tubing hanging down into the bottle, there was still plenty of space for fruit flies (even bees) to find their way to the delightful nectar. Commercial environments, especially bars and restaurants take this very seriously and every night the bottles are capped with plastic wrap or some other type of closure. It's a real sanitation concern and we made sure that we would address it before shipping any of our Kickstarter orders.
Our solution was these plastic bottle toppers that could allow the input tube and level sensor tube to pass through the bottle top and not allow any fruit flies in.
While effective, there were a couple of problems with this design. Sometimes, when catering a small get-together or out of sheer laziness, using the liquid sensor tubing wouldn't be desirable. We often run the bot without the second tube because we're usually standing next to the bot and monitoring it anyway, and we don't want to clean a second tube for every bottle at the end of an event. If we were to use the bottle toppers, we would still be left with a gaping hole for pests to get into. The second problem was more of a logistical and manufacturing one. These parts were quite difficult to source, expensive, and slow to modify.
We needed a better way to close up the bottles whether using one or two tubes. After much experimentation, here's what we came up with:
We found that it was nearly impossible to make a one-size-fits-all type of solution. There was simply too large of a range to make an elegant solution. We created a large spreadsheet and measured as many bottle openings as we could get our hands on. The data showed us that there were four distinct groupings of opening sizes so we decided to design for those. This covered everything from a narrow dessert wine to a wide-mouth cranberry juice bottle. There was a limitation in that some bottles could not accept two tubes to begin with, so we did not design for bottles that were that narrow.
The plugs are slit in a similar way as fountain drink covers, but instead of poking a straw through, you poke your tubing through. We tried many variations of slit length, number of slits and distance between both slit patterns before we reached the optimal design. The hole in the center is the biggest opening at 0.010" and about 0.002" when a tube is inserted. The average fruit fly body is about 0.030". The part is made of food-grade silicone, it is soft and flexible, and will allow the passage of the tubes in either direction hundreds of times without tearing.
We will now be including these new caps with all new bot purchases. In the near term we will likely make them available for purchase individually, and they should range from $3-$5 depending on size.
You just got your Bartendro 3 and turned it on, now what? What should you load it up with to get the best possible combinations of drinks? I spent some quality time with a cocktail recipe book writing down all the drinks which had three ingredients or less. I combined this new set of data with the drinks already available in our database and have come up with 12 different combinations for your Bartendro 3. We haven’t added all of these drinks to the database yet, but plan on debugging and testing soon.
I’ve also included a bunch of cocktail recipes at the end of the post. Know there are a lot more options out there! What other possible Bartendro 3 combinations can you come up with?
Possible Bartendro 3 Combinations
Vodka, Kahlua, Baileys
- Mudslide (1 Vodka, 1 Kahlua, 1 Baileys)
- Baby Guinness (1 Kahlua, 2 Baileys)
- Black Russian (1 Vodka, 1 Kahlua)
- Girl Scout Cookie (1 Kahlua, 1 Baileys)
- Pure Ecstasy (1 Vodka, 4 Kahlua, 2 Baileys)
- Screaming Orgasm (2 Vodka, 1 Kahlua, 3 Baileys)
Vodka, Cranberry Juice, Grapefruit Juice
- Greyhound (2 Vodka, 5 Grapefruit Juice)
- Sea Breeze (2 Vodka, 2 Grapefruit Juice, 3 Cranberry Juice)
- Cape Cod (2 Vodka, 4 Cranberry Juice)
Vodka, Kahlua, Orange Juice
- Black Russian (1 Vodka, 1 Kahlua)
- Screwdriver (2 Vodka, 4 Orange Juice)
- Blenheim (6 Vodka, 3 Kahlua, 3 Orange Juice)
Red Wine, Red Port, Cognac
- Glass of red wine
- Glass of red Port
- Port in a Storm (20 Red Wine, 15 Red Port, 5 Cognac)
- Port Cocktail (32 Red Port, 1 Cognac)
Dry Vermouth, Gin, Vodka
- Gibson (20 Dry Vermouth, 35 Gin)
- Vodkatini (20 Dry Vermouth, 35 Vodka)
Dry White Wine, Apricot Brandy, Lemon Juice
- Fantaisie (16 Dry White Wine, 3 Apricot Brandy)
- Bullfrog (1 Apricot Brandy, 1 Lemon Juice)
- Glass of White wine
Gold Tequila, Orange Juice, Grenadine
-Tequila Sunrise (4 Gold Tequila, 8 Orange Juice, 1 Grenadine)
- Tequila Screwdriver (2 Gold Tequila, 4 Orange Juice)
Peach Schnapps, Orange Juice, Vodka
- Fuzzy Navel (2 Peach Schnapps, 4 Orange Juice)
- Screwdriver (2 Vodka, 4 Orange Juice)
- Hairy Navel (3 Vodka, 3 Peach Schnapps, 20 Orange Juice)
Sour Mix, Amaretto, Midori
- Amaretto Sour (8 Amaretto, 1 Sour Mix)
- Midori Sour (8 Midori, 1 Sour Mix)
Dry Sherry, Gin, Tequila
- Straight Law (2 Dry Sherry, 1 Gin)
- Parkeroo (2 Dry Sherry, 1 Tequila)
- Glass of Sherry
Milk, Butterscotch Schnapps, Baileys
- Buttermilk (1 Butterscotch, 1 Milk)
- Buttery Nipple (1 Butterscotch, 1 Baileys)
White Rum, Orange Juice, Sweet Vermouth
- Poker (24 White Rum, 12 Sweet Vermouth, 1 Orange Juice)
- Rum Screwdriver (2 White Rum, 4 Orange Juice)
Drink Recipes
Beach Bum (1 Dark Rum, 2 Pineapple Juice)
Big Red (1 Cinnamon Schnapps, 1 Baileys)
Black Unicorn (1 Kahlua, 1 Butterscotch Schnapps, 1 Baileys)
Brown Cow (1 Milk, 1 Kahlua)
Butter Kahlua Bliss (1 Butterscotch Schnapps, 2 Milk, 1 Kahlua)
Calypso Baby (8 Pineapple Juice, 4 White Rum, 1 Grenadine)
Caramel Apple (4 Sour Apple Pucker, 3 Butterscotch Schnapps)
Carrot Cake (1 Cinnamon Schnapps, 4 Kahlua, 4 Baileys)
Dirty Martini (20 Vodka, 2 Dry Vermouth, 2 Olive Juice)
Emerald Martini (8 Midori, 4 Vodka, 1 Triple Sec)
Firecracker (1 Tequila, 1 Cinnamon Schnapps)
Gin Gimlet (8 Gin, 2 Lime Juice, 2 Simple Syrup)
Hot Scott (1 Cinnamon Schnapps, 1 Kahlua)
Iguana (1 Vodka, 1 Tequila, 1 Kahlua)
Golden Apple (8 Sour Apple Pucker, 1 Cinnamon Schnapps)
Kamikaze (7 Triple Sec, 8 Vodka, 5 Lime Juice)
Lemon Drop (3 Lemon Juice, 7 Simple Syrup, 6 Vodka)
Low Carb Vodka Lemon (2 Vodka, 1 Lemon Juice)
Piña Colada (2 Coconut Milk, 3 Pineapple Juice, 1 White Rum)
Pure Ecstasy (1 Vodka, 1 Baileys, 1 Kahlua)
Adam & Eve (1 Vodka, 1 Sour Apple Pucker, 1 Cranberry Juice)
Amaretto Sour (15 Amaretto, 4 Lemon, 2 Simple Syrup)
Baileys & Amaretto (1 Baileys, 1 Amaretto)
2nd Period (1 Kahlua, 1 Baileys, 1 Milk)
Saoco (3 White Rum, 7 Coconut Milk)
Snakebite (3 Whiskey, 1 Lemon Juice)
Whiskey Lemonade (6 Whiskey, 4 Simple Syrup, 6 Lemon Juice)
Whiskey Sour (3 Whiskey, 2 Sour Mix)
Werther’s Original (3 Butterscotch Schnapps, 1 Baileys)
Washington Apple (5 Sour Apple Pucker, 4 Whiskey, 4 Cranberry Juice)
Vodka Lemon (4 Vodka, 2 Lemon Juice, 1 Triple Sec)
Vodka Gimlet (8 Vodka, 2 Lime Juice, 2 Simple Syrup)
Toasted Almond (1 Amaretto, 1 Kahlua, 1 Milk)
Sour Apple Martini (1 Vodka, 1 Sour Apple Pucker)
Sour Apple Jolly Rancher (3 Sour Apple Pucker, 1 Vodka, 1 Margarita Mix)
Screaming Orgasm (2 Vodka, 3 Baileys, 1 Kahlua)
Gipsy (64 Vodka, 32 Benedictine, 1 Angostura Bitters)
Harvey Wallbanger (8 Vodka, 3 Galliano, 20 Orange Juice)
Barbara (2 Vodka, 2 Creme de Cacao, 1 Cream)
Katinka (3 Vodka, 2 Apricot Brandy, 2 Lime Juice)
Cooch Behar (2 Pepper Vodka, 4 Tomato Juice)
Balalaika (6 Vodka, 3 Cointreau, 3 Lemon Juice)
French Horn (4 Vodka, 3 Chambord, 2 Lemon Juice)
Woo Woo (2 Vodka, 3 Peach Schnapps, 8 Cranberry Juice)
Blackhawk (3 Vodka, 1 Creme de Mure, 1 Lime Juice)
Green Dragon (2 Vodka, 1 Green Chartreuse)
Blue Shark (2 Vodka, 2 Tequila, 1 Blue Curacao)
Genoa (6 Vodka, 8 Orange Juice, 3 Campari)
Borodino (1 Vodka, 1 Gin, 1 Cointreau)
Boyar (8 Vodka, 2 Dry Vermouth, 1 Kümmel)
Soviet Cocktail (3 Vodka, .1 Dry Vermouth, 1 Medium-Dry Sherry)
Golden Russian (6 Vodka, 4 Galliano, 1 Lime Juice)
White Russian (1 Vodka, 1 Kahlua, 1 Cream)
Black Russian (1 Vodka, 1 Kahlua)
Screwdriver (2 Vodka, 4 Orange Juice)
Blenheim (6 Vodka, 3 Kahlua, 3 Orange Juice)
Baileys Comet (1 Vodka, 1 Baileys)
Ti Punch (7 Lime Juice, 8 White Rum, 1 Simple Syrup)
Saoco (2 White Rum, 4 coconut Milk)
Columbus (6 White Rum, 3 Apricot Brandy, 4 Lime Juice)
Mulata (7 White Rum, 1 Brown Creme de Cacao, 2 Lime Juice)
Petite Fleur (1 White Rum, 1 Cointreau, 1 Grapefruit Juice)
Poker (24 White Rum, 12 Sweet Vermouth, 1 Orange Juice)
Continental (3 White Rum, 1 Green Creme de Menthe, 1 Lime Juice)
Rob Roy (1 Scotch, 1 Sweet Red Vermouth)
Manhattan (8 Rye Whiskey, 1 Dry Vermouth, 1 Sweet Vermouth)
Bobby Burns (6 Scotch, 3 Sweet Vermouth, 1 Benedictine)
Rusty Nail (1 Scotch, 1 Drambuie)
Loch Lomond (6 Scotch, 1 Simple Syrup, 2 dashes Angostura bitters)
Loch Ness (3 Scotch, 2 Pernod, 2 Sweet Vermouth)
Tequila Sunrise (4 Gold Tequila, 8 Orange, 1 Grenadine)
Pinata ( 3 Gold Tequila, 2 Creme de Banane, 2 Lime)
Mockingbird (6 silver Tequila, 3 White Creme de menthe, 2 Lime)
Bonnie Prince Charlie (2 Cognac, 1 Drambuie, 2 Lemon Juice)
Brandy Alexander (1 Cognac, 1 Brown Creme de Cacao, 1 Cream)
Corpse Reviver (1 Cognac, 1 Fernet Branca, 1 White Creme de Menthe)
Corpse Reviver 2 (6 Cognac, 3 Calvados, 3 Sweet Vermouth)
Connoisseur’s Treat (3 Cognac, 1 Grand Marnier, 1 Galliano)
Hard Case (6 Cognac, 2 Creme de Cassis, 1 Lemon Juice)
Brandy Fino (6 Cognac, 2 Pale Dry Sherry, 1Glayva)
Arago (3 Cognac, 2 Creme de Banane, 2 Cream)
Incredible (2 Cognac, 1 Green Chartreuse, 1 Cherry Brandy)
Port Side (3 Cognac, 1 Ruby Port, 1 Creme de Mure)
Captain Kidd (3 Cognac, 2 Dark Rum, 2 Brown Creme de Cacao)
Sidecar (6 Cognac, 3 Cointreau, 3 Lemon Juice)
Rum Sidecar (6 Light Rum, 3 Cointreau, 3 Lemon Juice)
Stinger (2 Cognac, 1 White Creme de Menthe)
Grasshopper (1 Green Creme de Menthe, 1 White Creme de Menthe, 1 Cream)
Hooded Claw (5 Prune Juice, 2 Amaretto, 1 Cointreau)
Las Hadas (1 Sambuca, 1 Kahlua)
Alaska (3 Gin, 1 Yellow Chartreuse)
Fuzzy Navel (2 Peach Schnapps, 4 Orange Juice)
Godfather (1 Amaretto, 1 Scotch)
Godmother (1 Amaretto, 1 Vodka)
Bunny Hug (1 Gin, 1 scotch, 1 Pernod)
Silver Jubilee (1 Gin, 1 Creme de Banane, 1 Cream)
Olympic (1 Cognac, 1 Orange Curacao, 1 Orange Juice)
Wally (1 Calvados, 1 Peach Brandy, 1 Lime Juice)
Angel face (1 Gin, 1 Apricot Brandy, 1 Calvados)
Yellow Parrot (1 Absinthe, 1 Yellow Chartreuse, 1 Apricot Brandy)
Duchess (1 Absinthe, 1 Dry Vermouth, 1 Sweet Vermouth)
Amsterdammer (1 Advocaat, 1 Cherry Brandy)
Cafe Kahlua (6 Kahlua, 3 light Rum, 4 Cream)
Tuaca Cocktail (2 Vodka, 2 Tuaca, 1 Lime)
Chrysanthemum (4 Benedictine, 8 Dry Vermouth, 1 Absinthe)
Cara Sposa (2 Kahlua, 2 Cointreau, 1 Cream)
Peugeot (6 Cointreau, 3 Calvados, 8 Orange Juice)
Kowloon (1 Grand Marnier, 1 Kahlua, 3 Orange Juice)
Blue Lady (3 curacao, 1 White Creme de Cacao, 1 Cream)
Il Paradiso (1 Tuaca, 1 Orange Curacao, 1 Cream)
Bordeaux Cocktail (8 Red Bordeaux, 4 Cognac, 3 Creme de cassis)
Gin and It (2 Gin, 1 Sweet Vermouth)
Midsummer Night (2 Gin, 2 Punt e Mes, 1 Creme de cassis)
Perfect Cocktail (1 Gin, 1 Dry Vermouth, 1 Sweet Vermouth)
Sherry Cocktail (8 Pale Dry Sherry, 1 Dry Vermouth, 1 Orange Bitters or Curacao)
Dubonnet Cocktail (1 Gin, 1 Dubonnet)
Adonis (2 Pale Dry Sherry, 1 Sweet Vermouth, 1 Orange Bitters or curacao)
Straight Law (2 Pale Dry Sherry, 1 Gin)
Parkeroo (2 Pale Dry Sherry, 1 Tequila)
Port in a storm (4 red wine, 3 red Port, 1 Cognac)
Tinton (2 Calvados, 1 Red Port)
Devon Gin (12 cider, 3 Gin, 1 Cointreau)
Highland Morning (4 Scotch, 3 Cointreau, 12 Grapefruit Juice)
Orange Blossom (1 Gin, 1 Orange Juice)
White Lady (1 Gin, 1 Cointreau, 1 Lemon Juice)
Space (3 Gin, 2 Frangelico, 1 Lemon Juice)
Caruso (1 Gin, 1 Dry Vermouth, 1 Green Creme de Menthe)
Derby (8 Gin, 1 Peach Bitters)
Maiden’s Blush (8 Gin, 4 Absinthe, 1 Grenadine)
Princeton (6 Gin, 3 Ruby Port, 1 Orange Bitters)
Whiteout (3 Gin, 2 White Creme de Cacao, 2 Cream)
At the end of the event we stayed up late into the night rehashing all the things that could have gone better; a post-mortem analysis if you will. We agreed that upside down bottles were not the way to go. The upside down bottle concept carried over from our original desires to have a gravity-fed machine. The aesthetic is really cool. It seems like it would be a simple, no-fuss no-brainer; you can see the bottles and just swap them out when they run out. The problem arises when catering to larger crowds, not being able to refill the bottles as people are using the machine can cause quite a bit of downtime and this is a pretty big issue if this machine is to live in a commercial application. Also, the vent holes on the bottle caps (needed to not cause a vacuum) were prone to being leaky and messy. From looking around at the other bots this year, it seemed apparent that the winning combo is upright bottles and peristaltic pumps.
We made a long list of things to fundamentally change about our design. We would ditch the stainless steel skin and go with a simpler design. The pumps would also need a form of adjustability to reduce leakage and contamination of drinks. Over a couple of months I iterated over modification designs that would allow for adjustment with one knob. Finally, we had something worthwhile. I retrofitted the pump with new tubing to and re-routed it. Meanwhile, in software land, the UI received a face lift. Elements could now be added or removed at will depending on the type of party, things like drink size and taster buttons were made optional. Drinks could also be modified on the scales of alcohol strength and sweetness/tartness. We prepared and showed up at an event called Taco de Mayo, where our friend rents a taco truck that serves endless tacos. Naturally, our bot was transmorphed into a margarita bot. There was 6 different kinds of tequila that could be selected to go into your drink and even a game to check for sobriety if you selected the top-shelf stuff. Several other drinks could be made too including a Dirty Sanchez and White Oaxacan. 201 drink dispensed in all. Our best performance yet. We received great tips and ideas from our friends to pursue. We're going to take our technical hats off for a month and put our business ones on to try to go make this available at your favorite restaurants. Cheers!