I Brought My Bartesian^® on Vacation. Here's How It Went.

A few weeks ago my wife and I decided we needed a couple of days to do absolutely nothing. No projects, no to-do lists, just a pool, some sunshine, and a little time to unwind. So we packed the car and drove out to a resort for a long weekend.

And because we were driving instead of flying, I finally did something I had been wanting to try for a while. I brought my Bartesian^® along for the ride.

Why bring a cocktail machine on vacation?

There is really nothing better than a good cocktail by the pool. It does not matter if it is in a proper coupe glass or a red Solo cup. A cold, well-made drink in your hand while you are stretched out in the sun is one of life's simple pleasures. I figured if I could have that without hunting down a crowded resort bar or overpaying for something mediocre, why would I not?

Getting it ready for the trip: the Transport function

Before I loaded it into the car, I went through Bartesian's recommended steps for moving the machine. This is a little more involved than people expect, and it is worth doing right so you do not leave spirit and water sitting in the lines on a long drive.

Bartesian actually walks you through two functions here. First they recommend running the Rinse cycle. You empty the spirits back into their original bottles, rinse out the Spirit Bottles, fill them with water, put them back in, set a good-sized cup under the dispenser, and run Rinse so clean water flushes the internal lines. Then you run the Transport function, which purges all the remaining water and spirit out of the system so nothing is left inside.

On my Premier, you get to these functions by holding the button in and turning the dial until the menu comes up, then turning the dial to the function you want and pressing the button. For Transport, you pull the Water Reservoir and all the Spirit Bottles out first and put a container under the dispenser to catch what comes through. One thing to know: the machine reminds you right on the screen that the next time you use it, you will need to run First Use to prime it again before making a drink. So this is not a "pack it and forget it" situation on either end.

Once everything was flushed and purged, the machine traveled completely dry, which is exactly what you want rattling around in the back of a car.

Setting up at the resort

We were staying in a timeshare, which turned out to be perfect. It had a full kitchen, so I had a real sink and some counter space to work with. That made getting set back up easy: refill the Water Reservoir, put the Spirit Bottles back in place, prime the machine with First Use, and I was ready to make drinks. Having a sink right there to rinse barware and pour off melted ice made the whole thing feel just like making cocktails at home.

My one rookie mistake: I forgot my shaker

Now here is where I have to admit something. Silly me, I forgot my cocktail shaker. If you make drinks at home, you know that is a bit of a problem, because a lot of cocktails want a good shake to chill and mix them properly.

So I improvised. I made everything right in a Solo cup. I would let the machine make the drink, then stir and swirl it well to get it cold and mixed. For drinks that are served over ice, I would pull out the half-melted cubes and drop in fresh ones so nothing got watered down. For the drinks that are meant to be served up, with no ice, I would chill them the same way and then pull the ice out before drinking. Not exactly bartender-elegant, but it worked, and nobody by the pool was grading my technique.

Over those couple of days I made a few of my favorites: an Aviation, a Calamansi Daiquiri, and a Whiskey Sour. Every one of them came out great, shaker or no shaker.

Packing up and heading home

When it was time to head home, I just repeated what I had done on the way out. I ran the same Rinse and Transport steps to flush and purge the lines, emptied the Water Reservoir, and pulled the Spirit Bottles. Then I stood all my bottles of alcohol upright in a milk crate so they would not tip over on the drive. The Bartesian^® itself just rode in the back of the car. That was it. No mess, no leaks, no drama.

Would I do it again?

Absolutely. If you are driving somewhere and you have got a little room in the trunk, bringing your Bartesian^® along is one of the easiest ways to upgrade a getaway. Just remember two things: run the Transport function before you go, and for the love of everything, do not forget your shaker.

If you plan to travel with yours often, Bartesian also makes a padded travel bag for its cocktail makers, with fitted pockets that hold the spirit bottles in place, a leak-proof spot for ice, and storage for your capsules. I did not use one this time, but it is a tidy option if you like your gear protected in transit.