Cocktail Bar
Unclaimed profileBygones Cocktail Bar
Birmingham, AL · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Bygones Cocktail Bar runs a serious cocktail program with original drinks built on odd, rewarding ingredients: mushroom bourbon, chanterelle fernet, melon blanc vermouth. The Summer 2026 menu also covers wine, beer, and non-alcoholic versions of signature cocktails. Prices stay fair. The bar sells a curated set of retail spirits, and customers praise the cocktails for creativity and balance.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Rally Cap, a $17 cocktail that layers Candy Cap Mushroom Bourbon, Roasted Chaga Cocchi Vermouth, and Golden Chanterelle Fernet-Branca. For a classic bent, the Bygones Old Fashioned uses Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon with Cherry Molasses-Demerara and Bygones Bitters. Both show the kitchen's willingness to play with savory botanicals.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Drinkers who appreciate adventurous, ingredient-driven cocktails will find plenty to explore. The menu's non-alcoholic versions of signature drinks and dedicated NA beer list also make it a good stop for those skipping alcohol. Wine drinkers get small-producer pours from France, Spain, Italy, and California.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run $14 to $17; wine by the glass is $12 or $15, with bottles from $48 to $60. Beer ranges from $4 to $10, and non-alcoholic beers are $6. Retail spirit bottles cost $28 to $65.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The cocktail list leans into unusual ingredients: Candy Cap Mushroom Bourbon in the Rally Cap, Golden Chanterelle Fernet-Branca, and Arava Melon Blanc Vermouth in Absolute Cinema. The venue also offers NA versions of three signature cocktails and a curated retail spirits selection that one reviewer noted avoids celebrity brands.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
The Summer 2026 menu lists eight original cocktails, each built around specific spirits and botanicals. Prices run $14 to $17. Three cocktails also come in non-alcoholic versions. The drinks as creative and balanced stands out repeatedly.
Menu strengths
- — Original recipes use distinctive ingredients like Candy Cap Mushroom Bourbon, Golden Chanterelle Fernet-Branca, and Arava Melon Blanc Vermouth.
- — Multiple cocktails are offered in non-alcoholic versions, including Raspberry-Rose Margarita, Sundog Sling, and That's Just Parisian.
- — Community reviewers praise the cocktail menu for creativity and balance.
Standout selections
- — Rally Cap – Candy Cap Mushroom Bourbon, Roasted Chaga Cocchi Vermouth, Golden Chanterelle Fernet-Branca, Bygones Bitters, Lemon Oil ($17)
- — Bygones Old Fashioned – Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon with Cherry Molasses-Demerara, Bygones Bitters, Orange Oil, Marasca Cherry ($15)
- — Absolute Cinema – Spanish Aged Rum and Arava Melon Blanc Vermouth with Traditional Grenadine and Orange Bitters, frozen Melon Ball ($17)
Pricing: $14–$17
Wine
Wine list covers red, white, rosé, and sparkling, with an emphasis on organic and small-producer bottles. Pours are $12 or $15; bottles run $48 to $60. Selections include Cirelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Domaine Brazilier Brut Chenin Blanc.
Menu strengths
- — Offerings include organic and small-producer selections from France, Spain, Italy, and California.
- — Eight wines are also available for retail purchase through Toast online ordering.
Standout selections
- — Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Cirelli' – organic, 2023, Abruzzo, Italy ($12/$60)
- — Txakolina Arabako 'Xarmant' Artomaña – Álava, Basque Country, Spain, 2024 ($12/$60)
- — Domaine Brazilier Brut Chenin Blanc – Méthode Traditionnelle, NV, Loire Valley, France ($15/$48)
Pricing: $12–$15 glass; $48–$60 bottle
Beer
Beer list mixes American classics like Sierra Nevada Pils and Miller High Life with European imports such as Augustiner-Bräu Doppel Bock and Reissdorf Kölsch. Draft and bottle/can options span $4 to $10, including a cider.
Menu strengths
- — Selection includes domestic classics and European imports, offering range from a $4 Miller High Life Pony to a $10 Augustiner Doppel Bock.
- — Seven beers are available for retail purchase through Toast.
Standout selections
- — Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Pils – draft, 4.7% ABV, 11 oz ($6)
- — Augustiner-Bräu Doppel Bock – bottle ($10); Reissdorf Kölsch – bottle, 16 oz ($8)
Pricing: $4–$10
Nonalcoholic
The non-alcoholic program goes beyond soda: three NA beers from Athletic, Sierra Nevada, and Guinness, plus NA versions of three signature cocktails. Mixers like Fever Tree ginger beer are available for $2.
Menu strengths
- — Offers dedicated NA versions of Raspberry-Rose Margarita, Sundog Sling, and That's Just Parisian.
- — Includes three non-alcoholic beers: Athletic Brewing Golden Ale, Sierra Nevada 'Trail Pass' NA IPA, and Guinness '0' Stout.
Standout selections
- — Raspberry-Rose Margarita (NA) – Tequila Blanco, Raspberries, Lime, French Rose Water, Raspberry-Salt rim ($14)
- — Athletic Brewing Co. Golden Ale – non-alcoholic beer ($6)
- — Sierra Nevada 'Trail Pass' NA IPA – non-alcoholic IPA ($6)
Pricing: $6 NA beers, $2 mixers
Spirits
Retail spirit list shows a deliberate selection: Benchmark Bottled-in-Bond bourbon, G4 Tequila Blanco, Gin Mare, Hayman's Royal Dock, Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, Martell VS Cognac, and Worthy Park 109 Jamaican Rum. One reviewer noted the absence of celebrity brands.
Menu strengths
- — Ten spirits are available for retail purchase, ranging from $28 Benchmark Bottled-in-Bond to $65 G4 Tequila Blanco.
- — One community reviewer praised the curated list for avoiding celebrity brands.
Standout selections
- — Benchmark Bottled-in-Bond – 750 mL, $28; G4 Tequila Blanco – 750 mL, $65
- — Worthy Park 109 Jamaican Rum – liter, $60
Pricing: $28–$65 (retail bottles)
Community reviews
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