By Danielle Davey
Flipping the trope of the bar patron sharing anecdotes with their publican, a local bartender has his own story to share. Like the cocktail creations he concocts, Lachlan Kirschenberg represents a surprising blend of elements that work together.
Customers know him for his talents behind the bar, but there’s a hidden twist few are aware of: the 24-year-old from Somerville has a degree in space science and has undertaken a mock mission to Mars.
Some might argue hospitality isn’t rocket science, but for Lachlan – a Cornish College alumnus and RMIT space science graduate – the analytical nature of his studies has proved advantageous in his role at Mornington’s The Bon Vivant’s Companion.
While most seasoned bartenders know which cocktail ingredients work well together, the former bar supervisor at Jackelope’s Flaggerdoot knows why they do. His interest in uncovering the components of a substance – whether it’s samples from the surface of Mars or elements of a drink – has encouraged his research of flavour compounds. And they’re more complex than we imagine; surprisingly, vanilla has more than 200 of them. Noting his findings in a little black book he carries everywhere, he is constantly toying with new combinations, identifying ingredients with similar and complementary flavour profiles, jotting down new recipes to be tested.
The team at The Bon Vivant’s Companion meet regularly to exchange cocktail ideas, creating an exciting dynamic drinks menu between them. While it’s a world away from university, the spirit of discovery and collaboration is the same.
Regarded as an MVP by his peers at the popular cocktail bar, Lachlan was likewise prized for his role in group projects at RMIT. Modest about his achievements, he was named as a key contributor on a conference paper presented at this year’s 21st Australian International Aerospace Congress in March. An abstract of the paper summarised it as “the proposal of a low-cost sample return mission designed by a multinational group of scientists and engineers aimed to search for signs of ancient life on Mars”. Lachlan’s key purpose in the mission – known as LifeSprings Mars – was to investigate economical and effective methods of sample retrieval from the planet’s surface.
During his graduate studies, Lachlan was also chosen to take part in the Milo Mission Academy, a 12-week program where students worked on a lunar mission scenario, providing a deep understanding of space mission operations.
This holiday season, patrons at The Bon Vivant’s Companion can try one of his creations. The Last Buzz blends equal parts gin, lemon, honey, yellow chartreuse, and cynar, an artichoke-based liqueur. Another he recommends is the Super Smash: a highball featuring straight rye whiskey, peach aperitif, black tea cordial and mint soda.
While the need for a steady income has brought Lachlan back to Earth for now, it’s fair to say the cocktails he and his colleagues create are out of this world. Do your own research at The Bon Vivant’s Companion on Main Street, and say hi to the space scientist behind the bar. For more information, visit @bon_vivant_bar
