FABELEI Cocktailbar - Interview with Anastasia Schöck-Bochénski

Once upon a time, Anastasia, a musicologist, realized her dream of an outstandingly great bar with her husband Filip. A bar where the art of bartending is very important. Since the end of 2018, fabulous drinks have been served in a cozy living room atmosphere at the FABELEI in Berlin-Schöneberg. The fairytale cocktail creations tell stories from all over the world. Behind the delicious and creative recipes is Filip, who is a bartender by training. All ingredients such as syrups, espumas and cordials are made in-house. There are also the perfect bar snacks that will make every connoisseur's heart beat faster. At the FABELEI, Anastasia ensures that guests feel comfortable amidst the plants and inviting furniture. This is also ensured by the concept, where fans of alcohol-free get their money's worth.

In the interview Anastasia doesn't tell us fairy tales, but rather about the idea of ​​FABELEI as a high-quality and family bar with a special twist and explains to us which non-alcoholic cocktails guarantee a happy ending.

Laori: What makes the FABELEI special?
Anastasia: With the FABELEI we wanted to be the first non-smoking cocktail bar in Berlin Schöneberg establish. This worked wonderfully and even inspired a few neighbors to rethink their concept too. On the other hand, we are bringing the concept of the “aperitif” known from southern countries to Berlin. The light cocktails to complement the evening simply taste particularly good on our beautiful, sunny terrace.

“I don't want any juice mixes.”

Laori: What role do non-alcoholic drinks play in your bar?
Anastasia: Just because we are a non-smoking bar and are located in such a sunny place, we have a mixed audience. We're square. Accordingly, our bartenders Filip and Florian also create the menu, which includes both non-alcoholic and slightly alcoholic cocktails. The two of them are currently testing a new menu, the cocktails of which can be enjoyed on our terrace this summer.

Laori: How do you create non-alcoholic drinks? What do you draw inspiration from?
Anastasia: Alcohol-free, as well as alcoholic, cocktails are always created based on an ingredient that you build on. Maybe there is a story in the background, an experience that you are trying to portray in terms of taste. It's not for nothing that we named our bar “FABELEI”.

Note: A fable is an imaginative, fictional story.

Laori: Which non-alcoholic drink do you recommend?Anastasia: If I want to enjoy a non-alcoholic cocktail, that's important to me that it can keep up with an alcoholic creation in terms of appearance and taste. I don't want juice blends! From our last physical menu, I particularly liked the Noa Cranberry Gimlet with Laori No 1, cranberry and homemade lime cordial. Our Veroni, which we make with verjuice, non-alcoholic bitters and tonic water, also works wonderfully as a typical aperitif. Instead of an Americano or Negroni… delicious.

Laori: What are the big advantages of non-alcoholic drinks from your point of view?
Anastasia: For the enjoyment of The following applies to non-alcoholic cocktails in the FABELEI: You remain clear, but you can still take part in a sociable and socially enjoyable life without sacrificing taste or appearance. The evening definitely has a happy ending.

Laori: Does alcohol-free have a chance of becoming the new vegan?
Anastasia: I've definitely seen the market for non-alcoholic distillates opening up for some time now. What seemed impossible a few years ago is now possible: non-alcoholic distillates are available right next to spirits in stores and are greeted with curiosity by consumers.

Laori: Do you have any tips on how to mix non-alcoholic drinks at home?
Anastasia: The be-all and end-all: high quality and use fresh ingredients. Then the story definitely ends well.

Got thirsty?

Are you craving non-alcoholic cocktails? Then try our Laori Lemon! The non-alcoholic drink is easy to mix and impresses with its citrusy notes. You can find the recipe here.

Photos: FABELEI cocktail bar