There are apps that look amazing and apps that make you actually get things done. Until today most of the cocktail apps I had used looked nice but never made me want to mix something. They lacked a certain personal touch. Minibar by Shape has a certain joie de vivre to it.
Minibar outclasses every other cocktail app in every aspect. Right from its stunning icon to the subtle textures and precise photography, the app makes you want to crack open your bar and start mixing. The app has a tab bar at the bottom that will put most luxury brand stores to shame. At least that is what I first thought when I saw it. There are five main sections and app navigation takes place from the tab bar and the hamburger button on the top left. Each tab has its own corresponding sidebar panel that is revealed with the hamburger button. The cocktails tab has the various drink types listed on the side. Each cell in the cocktail view looks like a small finely crafted white box with crisp typography on it. Each cocktail here has a few ingredients mentioned below the name and a lovely thumbnail. The ingredients section has your inventory and the various ingredients used in the app separated into alcoholic and non alcoholic categories. The guide tab is something that sets this app apart from all the others again. There are detailed guides on how to garnish, what glassware to use, which tools are needed etc. Each of these sections has its own list of elements and the amount of detail inside the app is mind-blowing.
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The inspiration part of the app is very interesting. It looks at what you have in your inventory and suggests ingredients you can buy to make certain cocktail combos. Tapping on any of these combos reveals the ingredients you need to buy with the cocktails listed below. Whenever you add something to your inventory, the inspiration tab icon indicating a cupboard animates. Each detail section has an about section with great comments and trivia about the cocktail or ingredient. The cocktails have a recipe section that has ingredients mentioned along with garnish options and the preparation method. The guides are detailed and each guide has tappable links to other ingredients or cocktails for quick reference. The short description with a history for tools and small details like the volume of glassware to be used in each case along with great photography makes me love the app even more.
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Minibar has over a 100 different cocktail recipes. It teaches you not only how to mix cocktails but also some history and interesting facts about them. Every image is tappable to give you a near fullscreen photograph for you to compare. The app website also looks amazing and is worth checking out. Minibar is your bar companion when you have a party. The app is available at an introductory price of $2.99 at 50% off for iPhone on the App Store. As they say in Germany, Auf uns! Now let’s drink.