The Shangri-La Hotel’s Gŏng bar, located 52 floors above ground level at London’s The Shard, has unveiled a new cocktail menu that “explores the ingenious inventions” of the world today.

Look No Hands is inspired by the invention of the bicycle

The new menu, called A Miscellany of Inventions, looks at the “incredible innovations that have impacted society and transformed the world we live in today”.

Each drink on the list has been inspired by the creativity of inventors and honours innovations such as the first tractor and the creation of penicillin.

Christian Maspes, head bartender at Gŏng bar, said: “The cocktails bring to life inventions that have been real breakthroughs. It is hard to imagine the world we know today without screwdrivers and computers, and movies and guitars.

“Creating a new invention is like taking a leap of faith and being open to the possibilities, and the same goes for the creation of a new cocktail. We really enjoyed bringing our ideas to life and we look forward to entertaining our guests with our unique creations.”

A Miscellany of Inventions is divided into five categories and includes 15 cocktails, three of which are alcohol-free.

Drinks on the menu include Look No Hands, created in honour of Karl Von Drais, inventor of the bike. The cocktail combines Copper Dog Whisky, triple sec, an IPA reduction and Fernet-Branca.

The menu also features Chopper 52, created to honour the invention of the helicopter. The drink combines tomato water with Erba Cedrina, salty citrus and vodka infused with rosemary.

Cocktails on the new menu are priced from £17, while non-alcoholic serves are priced at £11.

Click through the following pages to see a selection of cocktails featured on Gŏng’s new menu.

Fields of Gold

Ingredients: Ilegal Mezcal, Ancho Reyes Verde Chile liqueur, cucumber shrub, dry wine, ants (garnish).

This herbal and refreshing serve has been created to celebrate the tractor. In 1892, John Froelich developed the first successful gasoline powered engine that could be driven backwards and forwards.

Garnished with crushed ants, the drink is served straight up in a tumbler.

Director’s Cut

Ingredients: Buttered corn, Don Julio Blanco, elderflower, lime.

Served over a meteorite ice ball and shaken with elderflower and fresh lime, the Director’s Cut serve is garnished with a basket of popcorn on the side.

The drink is inspired by the world of cinema, with the Lumière brothers inventing the first commercially viable projector in France in 1895.

Over the Rainbow

Ingredients: Martell VS Cognac, Palo Cortado Sherry, mandarin, pomegranate, lemon, Braulio curd.

This sweet, long serve pays homage to the hot air balloon, created by the Montgolfier brothers.
Served in a hot air balloon glass, Over the Rainbow comes with a homemade shortbread biscuit dipped in Braulio curd.

Scan Me

Ingredients: Michter’s Bourbon, Manzanilla, pomegranate molasses, maple, egg white.

A twist on the classic Whisky Sour, Scan Me has a fruity nutty finish and is served with an edible barcode.

The cocktail pays homage to the invention of the barcode in the US in 1952 by Norman J. Woodland and Bernard Silver.

Look No Hands

Ingredients: Copper Dog Whisky, Gagliardo Triple Sec, IPA reduction Fernet-Branca.

Inspired by Karl Von Drais, the first person to ‘get on their bike’ in 1817, Look No Hands is an aperitif-style serve with “bitter notes and candied orange”.

Served in a nick and nora glass, the cocktail comes garnished with a bamboo bicycle.

Cooperman

Ingredients: Nikka Single Barrel Whisky, melon, Ginjo Sake-infused Mastiha, citrus.

Inspired by the wooden barrel commonly used to age wine and spirits, Cooperman is an aperitif with tropical fruity notes and hints of oak.

Lost in Asia

Ingredients: Aged Genmai Sake, Barley Shōchū, apple, banana, sparkling Nigori, citrus,

This long serve is inspired by the ancient Chinese invention the compass. While its exact origins are unclear, the compass is thought to have been popular amongst fortune-tellers in the Qin Dynasty (221–206BC), who used the lodestones to construct their fortune-telling boards.

It is garnished with Peychaud’s Bitters and served in a metal Russian teacup holder.