A fun gadget for budding mixologists
These are challenging times and yet we all need to look for those silver linings. From hanging out in bars with our buddies we’re back to mid 2020 when we raised a toast virtually during family Zoom calls or virtual school or college reunions with long lost buddies. The posh guys showed off their cocktails or Japanese whisky just like they showed off fancy sneakers when we were back in school. The Barsys Coaster that took a while to arrive in India is a fun gadget that can evoke more than the occasional smile or laugh.
Think of it as a tool that can help you up your cocktail game by a couple of notches. It’s certainly no substitute for a mixologist with juggling skills. It’s digital coaster that monitors the measures and guides you in a simple step by step process. The coaster itself is a thick plastic disc with psychedelic lights that needs to be plugged in to an electrical power source. Our review unit came with a US plug; you need to have an adapter or a versatile power socket in your home to get this up and running. 
You have to grab the companion app (I tried it out with an iPhone; it’s also available on Android) and pair your smartphone. The pairing process was instant and via Bluetooth. The App has a pleasing, uncluttered interface. You get a prompt to input details of your home bar stock once you load the app. You can input this information manually or also scan barcode labels on the bottles in stock. Once you’re done with this process, the app automatically provides a list of cocktails you can craft based on your home bar reserves.
You could skip this process and dive straight into the extensive library of cocktail recipes. Once you’ve zeroed in on the cocktail of the day, just place the appropriate glass on the coaster and get the ingredients ready. This is the fun part, you don’t need a drink measure to enjoy this moment. The sensors in the Barsys Coaster automatically detect the quantity you pour directly from the bottle and the colours change as you pour. You need to stop pouring when it turns green. The app keeps track of all the ingredients each time you pour a drink into the cocktail. This is the primary function of the Barsys Coaster. 
We didn’t get to try the Barsys 2.0 Mixer (Costs Rs 2,500 extra or comes as a package with the mixer for Rs 7,500), with an electromagnetic stirrer to make your cocktails shaken or stirred. I believe this accessory improves the value proposition of the Coaster. The Barsys Coaster is a ‘smart’ bar accessory that you can show off when you have friends over or on a virtual drinks party. The lights show almost always evoke a wow reaction when you watch the action for the first time.
The Barsys Coaster costs Rs 5,500, the Coaster + Mixer pack costs Rs 7,500.
