It’s been a long year since Denver lost Middleman. The closure of the “classy and trashy” hangout, with its Malort shots and bar food from Molotov’s Bo Porytko, left a hole in the city’s drinking culture that has been hard to fill. Some good, and a few great, bars have opened. Yet even with the introduction of Semiprecious, Rougarou and The Peach Crease Club, Middleman’s absence still stings.
There’s no mistaking Adventure Time Bar for Middleman. The presence of fire, plenty of liquid nitrogen and pizza cupcakes make sure of that. But don’t be fooled by the glitz, Adventure Time is suited to aficionados, despite not entirely unfairly being lumped in with all things immersive.
While Middleman hid some of the city’s most forward-thinking food and cocktails beneath a thin veneer of dive bar austerity, Adventure Time is about as maximalist as maximalist gets. There are seasonal themes that are fully turned over every three months to the tune of $20K. Cocktail glasses that range from ornate to adversarial, and drinks like the Astro-Not, with Outfitters vodka, strawberry syrup, vanilla bitters and a lactose-free chocolate milk wash, cement the place as a novel destination.
Adventure Time’s everything, everywhere, all under one roof approach has so much going on that guests have grappled with the place’s identity. Since opening in January, it has experienced some hiccups. The initial system of ticketed entry and the dedication to unabashed pageantry didn’t land with everyone who paid a visit. But rather than dial it back, owners Sam and Laura Wood have firmly doubled down, adding even more ingredients to an already zany mix. Hence, this summer’s Bartender Spotlight Series.
Each Sunday, Adventure Time will host a guest bartender to flex their chops and create a special menu that’s then paired with food by Chef Logan Mason. “The food pairs off the drinks instead of the other way around,” said Sam. Over the course of nine weeks, Adventure Time will host some of the city’s best talent, with folks from the likes of Room for Milly, Williams and Graham, Yacht Club and Pony Up all getting a chance to shine.
This Sunday will mark the second event in the series and will be headlined by Celeste Rangel. Titled Boozifer, the evening will feature drinks inspired by local bands. Colfax Speed Queen, Dirty Rotten Rhymers and Love Gang will all be converted to liquid form by way of Rangel’s idealistic approach. To set the scene, Rangel plans to open with a riff on a blowjob shot, sent out to customers on a small army of Tech Decks. Because of the name, Blucifer’s First Rodeo wristband holders will get a free drink and paired bite.
Rangel is a big part of why people miss Middleman. Over the course of six years, she filled the menu with concept-driven drinks that were as tasty as they were hilarious. Rangel often built from the ground up, using inside jokes rather than riffs on classic cocktails to drive her ideation. “I have such a culinary way of seeing drinks,” she said. “I know flavor first.” Cocktails like the Mesquites, a Nixta Licor de Elote-based drink that tastes of street corn, showed that Rangel is such a serious bartender that she doesn’t need to take things seriously.
“For this menu, I really want it to feel like me,” said Rangel, adding that though Adventure Time has plenty of toys, props and gizmos to work with, she still opted to buy a lot of her own accessories. Even with it being just a one-day event, Rangel has put in an immense amount of time into making things like a cilantro, bell pepper and lime agua fresca, fresh fennel simple syrup and Rumple Minze Jello shot garnishes. The drink inspired by the band Cleaner comes in spray bottles that Rangel picked out.
It might seem like a lot of fuss for what will amount to a four-hour show. But Rangel seems nothing but thrilled. “I don’t have my bar anymore. I don’t get to be this creative and silly,” she said. “This is a chance to create a whole menu to honor my friends and make a goof out of it. It’s a love letter to Denver.”
Sam thinks the Spotlight Series will position Adventure Time within the greater scene.“We’re in a tertiary market, but we have primary-market talent,” he said.
Adventure Time’s current theme, Candyland, is indeed loud. But Sam’s long background in script and comic writing allowed the place to avoid the pitfalls of gimmick. “We kinda wanna be everything,” he said, adding that he sees the place as an industry bar, a nerd bar, a place for bachelorette parties, drag shows, burlesque and karaoke. “We can make space for all those different groups and interests.”
The Spotlight Series is another good indication that Adventure Time is meant to be indulged in, not figured out.
Adventure Time Bar is located at 101 Broadway #9, Denver. It is open Wednesday and Thursday from 6 – 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. – 12 a.m., and Sunday from 3 – 9 p.m.
It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
The Spotlight Series will take place every Sunday this summer from June 21 through August 16.
Celeste Rangel’s Boozifer will be on Sunday, June 21, with a guided tour of all her drinks and food going from 5 – 7 p.m., with an à la carte portion going from 7 – 9 p.m.
Tickets are available here.
Photos courtesy of Jeff Fierberg and Celeste Rangel.
