After curating the drinks list at the recently reopened Johnny’s Green Room on Melbourne’s Lygon Street, cocktail alchemist Matt Bax shares his recipe for the Hugo cocktail he created for the rooftop bar. It’s the drink of summer and a sure-fire crowd pleaser. 

Responsible for raising the standard of cocktail making in Melbourne with bars Der Raum and Bar Americano, Bax now composes drinks lists for a select handful of clients including Johnny’s Green Room, which sits atop King & Godfreee. “After many years slaving away in tiny dark little bars it’s a wonderful change being out in the bright sunlight in such a delightful space like Johnnys,” says Bax of his new gig. “The team (Dion Hall on design and Karen Martini on food) is full of energy. I wanted to be part of it all.” 

“Bartenders hate making them. It’s one of the drinks I think people take for granted like the Americano.” The Hugo hails from Trentino in Northern Italy. It’s a nice balance of fresh mint, elderflower and citrus. “All bubbling away with Prosecco – it’s just brilliant on a hot day,” says Bax. The version he’s created exclusively for Johnny’s is designed to accentuate the botanicals with the unconventional introduction of Blanco Vermouth and an aromatic Gin. 

When Bax gives advice on how to mix a drink, you listen. 

How did Baxter go about selecting glassware for Johnny’s and how important is having the right glass for the right cocktail? “It’s incredibly important,” he says.

And so, what does he look for in a glass? “Well it’s like shopping for [clothes for] an important social event. It’s about trying on lots of styles until it feels right – the style, the fit (volume), how comfortable is it (how does it sit in the hand, how easy is it to drink that cocktail from) and then there are the practicalities of washing and handling. 

We researched for weeks and bought boxes and boxes of glassware until we narrowed it all down. It’s an exhausting process, to be honest.” They landed on Plumm’s Everyday Whisky glass for the Hugo cocktail, as well as the Aperol Spritz. 

When it comes to kitting out your bar at home, he recommends following a less-is-more philosophy. “Don’t buy a full [cocktail] kit. They always suck.” Instead he recommends spending some time investing in each piece. “I flew to Japan and spent a few days curating my kit from different places there … otherwise a website like Cocktail Kingdom is hard to beat.”

And any advice for building a glassware collection at home? “Take your time, figure out what you like drinking – the cocktails will tell you what you need.” 

And lastly, where does Baxx like to drink around the world? “Harrys Bar (Venice), Schumann’s (Munich), Milk & Honey (NYC – but now different but just as amazing as Attaboy), Gen Yamamoto (Tokyo), Septime Wine Cave in Paris is a lovely little spot Bier gardens in Munich in summer .. they’re hard to beat.” 

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