Little Malop Street may sound like a quiet laneway in a quaint English village but don’t be fooled by this narrow street in downtown Geelong full of cafes, restaurants and bars. Hidden from view up a flight of stairs just like one of those 1920s speakeasies is The 18th Amendment Bar where owner Gorge Camorra is often at the door to welcome his guests and take them on a journey back in time. The gentle giant with a cheeky smile, Gorge is an award winning bartender and a veteran in the hospitality industry who has earned the respect of his peers both here and abroad, representing Australia and his bar in international cocktail competitions. Together with his team of expert staff he gives patrons a unique and authentic experience, blurring the lines between tradition and innovation with an inventive cocktail menu that begs to be read from cover to cover. Classics will always be classics but here you can have them reinvented with sympathy, integrity and sometimes a little bit of theatre on the side. If you believe that good things come to those who wait then the barrel aged cocktails are definitely worth a try, while whisky freaks might fancy a flight or a boilermaker paired with one of the many available craft brews. Snacky stuff or one of the generous meat and cheese platters seal the deal.The bar also hosts tastings and events for those who join their Spirits Club, all in an effort to share good booze with the locals, however The 18th Amendment’s reputation has also made it a destination for Melburnians and those visiting from interstate and overseas. Thanks to Gorge the lucky residents of Geelong have a place to drink where the past is celebrated and they can enjoy their beverages safe in the knowledge that the future is free from the perils of Prohibition and of course the dreaded 18th Amendment. Who wouldn’t raise a glass to that?!?

In collaboration with Teeling Whiskey.