Experience Bali in Akademi’s Signature Cocktail Experience

Championing the perfect mix of innovation and tradition, Akademi is a small and intimate cocktail bar in Seminyak with the biggest flavors. Birthed from the very mind of international award-winning mixologist, Dre Masso, Akademi is more than just a place to lounge and sip cocktails – it’s a complete experience of indulgence and discovery of signature flavors.

Winner of the AHEAD (Hospitality Experience and Design) Asia Awards in 2017 for the bar, club, and lounge category, Akademi boasts impressive interiors that merge Indonesian elements with contemporary style s seen in some hotels and resorts, and even private luxury villas. Aside from elevating the cocktail bar experience in Bali’s premier upscale party scene, the bar is also a center of learning, dedicated to educating up-and-coming talents in the mixology scene, expanding the cocktail bar experience for many generations to come.

What is Akademi?

Photo: Bali.com

Akademi is the brainchild of Dre Masso, who is known to be one of the globe’s leading figures in the bar and mixology scene. With over 20 years of international experience under his belt and having been awarded as the UK Bartender of the Year three times, calling Dre Masso a master mixologist is an understatement. Rather, he is the perfect epitome of a cocktail artist, always innovating while staying true and respectful of local craft, produce, and Balinese traditions.

Crafting innovative signature cocktails while paying homage to Bali’s traditional Arak, Jamu, and other local spirits, Akademi offers a unique menu unmatched by any other on the island or even the world.

Tucked within the lobby of Seminyak’s Katamama Hotel, this small and intimate bar is a place where you can lounge with friends, a significant other, or on your own. Whilst there, you can discover a world of signature flavors, while the friendly staff indulges you in their knowledge of each ingredient and method used in each item on the menu.

Though small and cozy, Akademi is rich with upscale aesthetics and comfort. Its interiors explore the natural material of terrazzo, peppered with brass accessories, and seating upholstery presented in a beautiful shade of blue. Perfect for having a quiet and relaxing happy hour or nightcap, it’s a stone’s throw away from the Potato Head Beach Club, offering a spot for discerning cocktail aficionados to indulge in a drink or two after spending a day in Bali’s sun and sand offerings.

The highlight of this space, however, is the Masso-designed bar station, adorned with a Gaetano Sciolari vintage pendant light. These cozy details encapsulate the essence of Akademi as an upscale spot dedicated to elevating the cocktail experience in Bali and beyond.

Aside from the interiors and cocktail menu, Masso also made the bar a no-glass zone, using ceramics for the cocktails instead. He and his team partnered with local ceramic artisan producer, Gaya, to create Akademi’s signature ceramicware inspired by Javanese culture.

Furthermore, to elevate the bespoke cocktail experience, Masso worked with local artisans and island tribes to grow local produce within the hotel’s grounds. He and his team also consulted with local permaculture experts to make sure this idea and vision came to fruition. With Akademi’s very own garden within the hotel, it allows the bar to curate and utilize fresh local produce, meeting its roots-to-flower concept.

Akademi’s Lab and Learning Centre

Photo: Potato Head

More than just an open-air bar tucked in a hotel, Akademi is also a cocktail lab and learning center, where expert mixologists from around the world impart their knowledge to newer generations of bartenders and aspiring mixologists.

Some of these visiting experts have included Samuel Ng of Melbourne’s Black Pearl and Soran Nomura of Fuglen in Tokyo. Exploring local flavors using the freshest seasonal produce with innovative takes on cocktail flavors, experts and students collaborate to concoct unique flavors, furthering the bar’s mission of constantly introducing new offerings to patrons and enthusiasts.

Akademi’s Menu

Photo: Potato Head

Akademi boasts a menu of masterfully crafted cocktails created from unique local ingredients, plus a wealthy collection of spirits and fine wines. The bar also features the largest collection of spirits in Indonesia, while also offering a wide selection of locally-produced arak.

There are three categories in the Akademi menu, and these are Spirit-Less, Akademi Classics, and Akademi High Ball, each offering a limited menu with exclusive signature and original cocktails that vary depending on seasonal produce.

Additionally, each month, Dre Masso commits to concocting new additions to the menu, featuring new flavors using different local ingredients, while also staying true to the bar’s contemporary, innovative, and experimental fusion flavors.

Akademi is not your ordinary upscale cocktail bar tucked in a 5-star hotel in Bali. It is a complete experience of indulgence in unique flavors that perfectly merge innovation with local Balinese flavors.

Offering an intimate space with luxurious interiors, plus an exclusive menu, and a learning center that aims to elevate the cocktail industry in Seminyak and beyond, Akademi is the ultimate spot for the cocktail aficionado or for anyone who simply wants to have a taste of contemporary takes on local flavors.