Overview: Afterlife Bar marks its first anniversary in Cincinnati with the launch of a new cocktail menu titled ‘Duality’ and a downtown block party. Founded by Tracy Liu, the venue focuses on community interaction without televisions or traditional art displays. The celebration includes live music and local business partnerships across Court Street Plaza.
The Full Story
Located at 44 E Court Street inside Court Street Plaza, the establishment was established by Tracy Liu following a career in corporate finance. Liu sought to replicate the atmosphere of global music festivals within a community bar setting. The interior design prioritizes human connection over screens or decorative art, maintaining a neutral aesthetic to encourage interaction among patrons.
Live musicians and DJs perform across genres including deep house, EDM, trap, R&B, jazz, and Latin throughout the week. Bartenders distribute gachapon-style trinkets to facilitate social bonding, allowing guests to compare items or style them together. Lead bartender Geovanny Morales-Santos notes the space allows people who might not normally interact to bond over music or shared projects.
The new menu explores themes of duality and Yin/Yang, examining the relationship between classic cocktails and their opposites. Liu describes the concept as focusing on what lies between two sides rather than choosing one. This approach is intended to introduce international flavor profiles to Cincinnati, a market Liu feels has not yet fully explored these tastes compared to cities like New York or Chicago.
Production & Profile
The ‘Duality’ menu features several signature creations that play with familiar structures. The Hinagiku combines tequila infused with charred Asian peppers, mandarin, pawpaw, kiwi water, and lime juice, conceptualized as a margarita reborn in Japan.
Other items include the Daiquiri-Tinim, which merges two classic cocktails, and the Earl Grey Vieux Carré, pairing rye, cognac, vermouth with Benedictine, citrus, and Earl Grey. The Strawmary utilizes clarified strawberry-mango syrup to create a Bloody Mary on vacation, while the Purple Sour twists a classic whiskey sour with ube condensed milk, lemon juice, and cardamom-infused whiskey.
Brand & Industry History
Tracy Liu founded Afterlife after growing displeased with a decade-plus of work at her corporate finance job. She often spent her time outside of work going to music festivals across the world and connecting with attendees, and wanted to recreate a similar experience inside of a community bar. Since the first year of the bar focused on community building and self-exploration, the second looks to the opposite, because “once you start understanding the self, you start to look outward.”
What This Means
The venue aims to expand the local palate toward international taste profiles, acknowledging that Cincinnati has not yet fully developed this demand compared to major metropolitan areas. Liu stated she does not know if Cincinnati has the taste for this yet, so the menu represents a risk to incorporate international flavors and encourage exploration. The annual block party is planned to be repeated every year, with hopes that the event eventually grows as big as Asian Food Fest.
Consumer Takeaway
Patrons can visit the venue at 44 E Court Street to experience the new menu and upcoming events. The one-year anniversary block party begins at noon on Saturday with local businesses providing specials, moving inside at 10 p.m. when music continues until 2 a.m. Several local businesses will be on site to keep the party going with various specials and promotions, including other businesses on Court Street and nearby shops like CinSei. For more information on Afterlife, including its monthly calendar of events, check out the bar’s official Instagram page.
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