Kraking Krakatoa Experience - why you should dive into the world of Tiki in Aberdeen

"Describe Krakatoa to me in five words?"

Flash ponders this question walking up and down the tiki lounge until he turns rounds all bright eyed, "Neon Drenched Dionysian Tiki", how many words do I have left he asks, "One more" I say.

"Dive". 

They are the five perfect words to sum up Krakatoa, the newest tiki dive bar in Aberdeen.

(image courtesy of Krakatoa)

Krakatoa, previously The Moorings, is located at Trinity Quay, right on the dock front. It's mysterious and cloaked under some bad misconceptions as people associate Krakatoa with a grungy rock and roll bad vibe, but they couldn't be further from the truth as I experienced drinking cocktails while the owner danced away to some 70's Disco. 

The Moorings was Aberdeen's first original live music venue and you could hear anything from Rock, Pop, Soul, Bluegrass, Punk, Electronica, Rockabilly and everything in between. This has not changed but what has changed is the business itself, with a £500,000 revamp under it's belt, it swiftly integrated to Krakatoa, a Tiki Dive Bar. The owner, who is known as Flash, talked me through all the changes to the interior such as the plush knee rests that have been built into the bar so you truly can relax while drinking a potent Tiki. Pointing out the extensive art work painted on the walls and watching his face light up while he shows me that the paint is actually UV. One thing you can tell is that he is very passionate about his bar and when asked what the future is for Krakatoa he tells me that he want's to make it a co-operative business, a legacy to leave for the people, not just to turn a profit. He fell in love with the place the first time he walked in and you can still see that same look.

"What is your ideal Clientele?"

"We welcome anyone and everyone, every single walk of life. You can come here, enjoy a drink and not feel judged or unwelcome. We get people who come here alone, not necessarily wanting to make friends but you can see over the course of the night, them mingling with a smile on their face."

In keeping with setting standards after being the second bar in Aberdeen to get real ale, Krakatoa have an extensive amount of drinks on offer from 42 draft lines for beers and ciders, 10 imported world beers, 7 different types of Belgian and fruit beers and 7 cask ciders. If that doesn't tickle your fancy then all you have to do is glance at the immense cocktail menu and you will 100% find your poison.

"Apart from an extensive amount of alcohol available, what else do you have to offer?"

"We have Krakeoke every single Wednesday night where you can hear customers along with out crew belting out records. We also have a DIY cheese platter available which has been very successful, you get everything you need and you assemble it however you want. We also have Eruption this Summer which is our battle of the Bands so you should stay tuned for that. Other than that we have live music every Friday and Saturday night from 9pm to 11pm again where you can hear all genres of music."

"I have heard that every dive bar has a gimmick, what is yours?"

"That's definitely the disabled toilet. There is a colour code system with the door which has options from general toilet use to slight medical situation. There is a bed in there so if someone has had a little too many absinthes then they can lie down while their friends stroke their hair. It doesn't happen often but it's something different."

Krakatoa really do love their signage, from the unique neon signs designed by in house staff, to CCTV signs warning unmentionables of the preying Velociraptors. It stood out to me and there's a fair few that made me chuckle.

A new feature is the Tiki Lounge, where I spent most of my visit sipping on cocktails with moderate strength to ones that would pack a punch to the heartiest sailors. There are many great things about these cocktails; from the sheer scale of them to the secret ingredients. I sampled a few and would like to recommend my selected favourites although I'm sure if I spent another afternoon in the lounge then I'd have a few more to add to my list.

Like Strawberry Daiquiris? Then a Strawberry Sacrifice is the one for you but let me tell you, you will never have tasted a daiquiri like this before. Served in a heart shaped glass, the freshness of this cocktail is fantastic, it goes down like it's an iced juice, but you know you will get a great buzz off of it.

South Sea Lagoon, Flash's favourite. Served in a fish bowl, garnished with it's very own fish, you can taste the HSE Rhum and coconut rum in this concoction mixed with fruit.

If Gin is your poison like it is mine, then The Gint is possibly the one for you. Forget the usual Gin and Tonic's, - the Gint's mix of Plymouth Navy Strength gin, lemon, lime and ice with angostura bitters and a flash on tonic served in a pint jar is the crowning cocktail for your taste buds.

Krakatoa is rated #3 on Trip Advisor for nightlife in Aberdeen and has some whopping reviews. If you find yourself in Aberdeen, looking for a great night which is jam packed with everything you could ever want, including the spy of Chilli, the parrot who rules from his perch above the bar, then head to Krakatoa. You will enjoy a night of amazing people, an abundance of beers, spirits and cocktails and some unexpectedly fantastic music. The modern version of the TV show 'Cheers' of the Aberdeen Quay.