Post #723870 by Humuhumu on Sat, Jul 26, 2014 12:53 PM

Up to now, my home tiki bar's menu has been a list of all my rums and other spirits, with the cocktails currently being served listed on the back. I've been using one of those simple clear plastic sleeve menus, like you might find in a cheesy diner. But I'm trying to look like a nice tourist trap, not a mediocre tourist trap! So I'm redoing my menu, starting with the cocktail list.

I've found it challenging to keep that cocktail list up-to-date. Each party has a different selection of drinks (usually two), often selected somewhat last-minute, and re-drafting and re-printing the cocktail menu is always a low priority during party prep -- which means it doesn't happen, and I'm always having to explain to guests that "the cocktail list is a lie!" On top of that, guests often get distracted by the spirits list and forget to pick out a cocktail, blocking others' way to the bar.

So the goals with a new drink menu system: nicer in appearance, very easy to update even at the last minute, and easier for guests to see their options. I decided to make something modular, with semi-permanent cards for each drink in my repertoire. New cards must be easy to make quickly, too. I considered creating something with variable height, but opted instead to create a fixed-height frame and create optional "filler" cards with decorative details.

And here's what I created!

Here's a peek at the construction. The top and bottom carved pieces are Gorilla glued onto two steel 10" mending plates. Each 6" x 2" drink card is printed onto cream card stock, which is then glued onto a piece of black chipboard. Two 1" square self-stick magnets are positioned on the back of the card to line up with the mending plates. The whole thing rests on a vintage brass bamboo easel.

Here are a few different views of the drink/graphic combinations. The graphics match our bar's custom glassware.