Learn to Mix Cocktails and Make Friends at a Yongjia Road Bar – Eatwith

On leafy Yongjia Road, this one-hour class turns cocktail drinking into a hands-on lesson: you learn about spirits and bar tools, then make two cocktails to share. The group may get to taste about ten drinks in all, depending on how many people take part.

I like two things here: you get to make drinks rather than just watch someone else work, and host Human Ginseng’s own path into bartending gives the class a personal, down-to-earth feel. It’s designed for people who are new to cocktails, so you needn’t arrive knowing your gin from your rum.

The main consideration is the short schedule. One hour is enough for an introduction, not a full bartending course, and the session is in Chinese. If you need English instruction or want a long, leisurely tasting, check before booking.

What to Know Before You Book

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• You make two cocktails yourself: Each participant prepares two drinks for the group to share, so the class is hands-on from the start.
• The group tasting can cover about ten cocktails: The total depends on the number of participants, but you can expect more variety than your own two recipes.
• The lesson covers spirits and technique: Topics include cocktail history, bar tools, base liquors, and Japanese, English, and American bartending styles.
• The setting is a small Yongjia Road bar: The host describes a simple, cozy space on a street of old houses and plane trees, not a polished cocktail showroom.
• It starts at 7:30 pm and lasts one hour: The class finishes at 8:30 pm, with the option to stay afterward and chat over drinks.
• You must be at least 18: Bring valid ID to prove your age, as required for legal drinking in Mainland China.

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A Yongjia Road Bar With a Personal Story

Host Human Ginseng did not begin as a bartender. Before opening the bar, they worked for a financial company and invested in milk tea shops. A small Yongjia Road storefront caught their eye, and they left their job to open a bar, despite having little experience with alcohol.

At first, customers who knew cocktails showed them how to mix drinks. Later, a mentor taught them professional bartending. That route from beginner to bar owner shapes the class: it is meant to help people who are curious about cocktails but do not yet know much about them.

The bar is called Let It Rot Bar, also given as Bai Làn Ba. The name and the owner’s stated aim point toward a relaxed, unshowy mood. The idea is to leave the pressure of presenting a polished self outside and spend an hour learning, tasting, and talking in a comfortable room.

That approach may suit you if elaborate décor and cocktail theater are not the point of your evening. The draw is the combination of a small bar, a host with a personal connection to the subject, and a class where you take part rather than sit through a lecture.

The setting is described as a little studio on Yongjia Road, under plane trees and among old houses. The exact meeting address is provided after booking, so you will need to check your confirmation rather than turn up at a guessed storefront.

The 7:30 pm Class, Step by Step

The experience begins at 7:30 pm at the cocktail workshop meeting point on Yongjia Road in Xuhui District. The class is scheduled to end at 8:30 pm. That compact timing is useful if you want an evening activity before dinner or drinks, but it also means the instructor has to keep the lesson moving.

The first part is an introduction to cocktail basics. You hear about cocktail history and the tools used behind the bar, along with differences between Japanese, English, and American bartending styles. These topics give you a way to understand why cocktails can be made and presented differently, rather than treating every recipe as a simple list of ingredients.

Next comes a look at base liquors. The class covers where they are made and what they are made from, then offers samples. This is a practical part of the lesson: tasting the underlying spirits can help you connect a drink’s flavor to its main ingredient. If you already have a preferred spirit, you can use that knowledge to notice which recipes appeal to you.

Then you make two drinks each. The drinks are shared, which turns the practical session into a wider tasting. The experience description estimates that you may sample about ten different cocktails in total, though that number depends on how many people attend. It is a nice reason to pay attention to each recipe: you are not limited to the two drinks you prepare yourself.

The menu may change with the season and available ingredients. That means you should not book expecting a particular cocktail or fixed list of spirits. The point is to learn the basic approach and explore flavors, not to follow a guaranteed menu.

At 8:30 pm, the class ends. You are welcome to stay at the bar to relax and chat over drinks. That extra time is optional, and personal expenses beyond the included drinks or alcohol are not covered.

What Making Two Drinks Adds to the Evening

A cocktail class can easily become a demonstration where you watch the bartender do the interesting part. Here, each participant makes two drinks, so you get a turn with the process and a chance to see how a recipe comes together. You also get a result you can taste, rather than leaving with only notes about what you might order someday.

The shared format is useful for discovering preferences. If someone else makes a different style of cocktail, you can compare it with your own and start noticing whether you lean toward one base spirit or flavor profile. That is the class’s most practical takeaway: you can leave with a better sense of what to order on a future night out.

One recent participant shared a photo of a cocktail they had made and described the activity as fun and worth trying in Shanghai. That captures the appeal better than promises of expert-level skills: the satisfaction is in making a drink yourself and enjoying the result.

Keep expectations realistic. Two cocktails and a short introduction can give you a beginner’s grounding, but they will not make you a professional bartender. If your goal is a serious technical course, this is not the format. If you want a relaxed first encounter with cocktail-making, it fits.

The Bar’s Easygoing Approach

The host describes the bar as simple and comfortable, without fancy decorations. That may be exactly right for a class built around conversation and making drinks. You are there to learn what goes into a cocktail and meet people, not to inspect a grand bar interior.

The owner’s own story adds warmth to the teaching. Human Ginseng began with limited knowledge of alcohol and learned from customers before training with a mentor. For a first-timer, that background can make the subject feel approachable: the class is not framed as a test of what you already know.

The relaxed mood is part of the experience, but it is still a bar class. You will be tasting alcohol and making cocktails, and the language of instruction is Chinese. The package includes Chinese-speaking staff; it does not promise English-language teaching. If you are not comfortable following a Chinese-language explanation, contact the operator before booking to ask what support is available.

Is $23.69 Good Value?

At a starting price of $23.69 for an hour, the value comes from the combination of instruction, spirit sampling, and hands-on drink-making. You are not simply paying for two cocktails. You get an introduction to tools and bartending styles, a chance to taste base liquors, and the opportunity to make drinks to share.

The sharing format adds variety without requiring you to order a full round of separate cocktails. The estimate of about ten cocktails is a group total, not a promise that each participant receives ten full drinks. Think of it as a tasting of multiple creations rather than a large-volume drinking session.

The price is most appealing if you want an activity as well as a drink. If you only want to have cocktails, ordering at a bar may be a better fit. If you are curious about how cocktails work and want a social evening with a practical element, the class offers more for the money than a standard drink order.

The package lists drinks or alcohol at selected bars as included. Other personal expenses and tips are not included. Check the specific package details when booking so you know what is covered for your chosen date.

Who Will Enjoy This Class Most

I would consider this a good fit for adults who are new to cocktails, curious about spirits, or looking for a low-key evening activity in Shanghai. You do not need prior bartending experience, and the host’s own learning story suits a beginner-friendly class.

It could also work well for people who enjoy meeting others through a shared activity. Making drinks and sampling one another’s creations gives you something to talk about beyond the usual first-night questions. The class is not described as private, so do not book assuming you will have the bar to yourself.

The experience is less suitable if you do not drink alcohol, are under 18, need confirmed English instruction, or expect an advanced professional workshop. The available details describe a class centered on tasting and making alcoholic cocktails, and the legal minimum age is 18.

Practical Details for Your Evening

The class runs from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Yongjia Road in Xuhui District, Shanghai. The exact meeting address is supplied after successful booking. The return point is listed as Yongjia Road, and you can stay at the bar afterward if you would like to talk over another drink.

Bring valid ID. Participants must be at least 18, and the operator specifies proof of age. The voucher is valid only for the date and time booked, so keep your plans aligned with the scheduled session.

Confirmation should arrive within 48 hours. If it does not, contact customer support. You can cancel for a full refund at least 48 hours before the activity date, using destination local time. In extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances, the operator may cancel and offer a reschedule or full refund.

Should You Book the Yongjia Road Cocktail Class?

Book it if you want a friendly introduction to cocktails, the chance to make two drinks, and a small-bar setting that favors conversation over ceremony. The best reason to go is the hands-on format: you learn a little, taste a range of spirits and cocktails, and leave knowing more about your own preferences.

Skip it if you want a long tasting, a guaranteed English-language lesson, or advanced bartender training. For a compact, beginner-friendly night out at a starting price of $23.69, this class offers a useful mix of instruction and social time. Just confirm the language works for you and arrive with ID.

FAQ

How long is the cocktail class?

The class lasts one hour, from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Where does the experience take place?

It takes place on Yongjia Road in Shanghai’s Xuhui District. The specific meeting address is provided after successful booking.

What will I learn during the class?

The class covers cocktail history, bar tools, Japanese, English, and American bartending styles, and information about base liquors, including their ingredients and production areas.

How many cocktails will I make?

Each participant makes two drinks for the group to share. The experience estimates that the group may taste about ten cocktails in total, depending on the number of participants.

Is alcohol included in the price?

The package includes drinks or alcohol at selected bars, and the class includes sampling base liquors. Other personal expenses are not included.

Is there a minimum age?

Yes. Participants must be at least 18 years old and should bring valid ID as proof of age.

Is the class taught in English?

The experience includes Chinese-speaking staff. English-language instruction is not specified, so contact the operator before booking if you need it.

Can I cancel and get a refund?

A full refund is available if you cancel at least 48 hours before the activity date, using destination local time. The operator may also cancel because of extreme weather or unforeseen events, in which case you can reschedule or request a full refund.