After indulging in a few smooth cocktail creations, this oh-so-Melbourne bar becomes a Carrollian Wonderland, filled with quirky Glebe characters, eclectic tunes and secret corners.
Compared to many of Sydney's mammoth chrome-lined entertainment venues, the Different Drummer is distinctly Melbourne-esque; so much so that visitors from south of the state border might feel as though they've fallen down a rabbit hole and wound up back home again.
And a rabbit warren it is, with every turn in this late 19th century building revealing another previously hidden space - from an intimate cocktail lounge to a jarrah-furnished beer garden or a balcony with twinkling CBD views.
During the week the Drummer is a comfy local for catching up with friends over a few tapas plates, perhaps matched with cocktails such as the High Roller (honey vodka and amaretto with pear, mint and soda).
After midnight and on the weekends, this is where the inner west cuts loose. Everyone from local uni lecturers to their students, off-duty professionals to artists and actors, all come to let their hair down to an eclectic mix of tunes, infused with sexy Latin sounds and upbeat French jazz.
The letting down of aforementioned locks is aided significantly by the extensive and ever-changing list of cocktails. Expect to find such seasonal liquid delights as The Ranga-Zing, a blend of apricot jam, fresh ginger, Havana Club anejo blanco, Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon and Fee Bros orange bitters.
Shelley Tustin
