Frequently asked questions

How is Somabar different from home consumer cocktail appliances?

Somabar is a commercial appliance that makes actual professional recipe-perfect cocktails while most home machines simply push water or alcohol through flavored gels or powders to replicate the taste of a cocktail. For example, if you want a Cadillac Margarita, with Somabar you load reposado tequila, Grand Marnier, and fresh lime juice (i.e., the actual ingredients for a Cadillac Margarita at any top-shelf bar), and Somabar will measure and mix the ingredients to mathematical precision for your perfect professional cocktail. Yet with most home machines, you would buy a “Margarita” pod online, insert it into the machine, and make your drink by having cold water or alcohol pushed through the flavor-pod to reconstitute a Margarita-esque drink. Cheers!



Can Somabar serve mixed drinks that do not contain alcohol?

Of course! We pour coffee and tea lattes, juices, cocktails, and many other delicious creations. As long as your ingredients do not contain any pulp or are highly viscous, such as thick syrups, they can be used with Somabar. And although you can put carbonated ingredients in Somabar, we do not recommend this as our mixing process can flatten your drink. Instead we recommend adding carbonated ingredients after Somabar crafts your cocktail base. But it’s up to you! We actually like Flat-Jacks (i.e., an intentionally flattened jack and coke.)



How do I set up the Somabar machine?

For a professional commercial appliance, you will be stunned at Somabar’s simplicity. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. (1) Plug in Somabar, (2) Connect your iOS device to the Somabar machine through the iOS Somabar Mobile App, and (3) Fill your SomaPods with your desired mixed drink ingredients along with your fresh water tank and you are ready for cocktail service. More details can be found in our Quick Start Guide.



Do I use my own ingredients in the Somabar machine?

Yes! That’s the best part. Somabar does not sell any flavor-pods (yuck!), liquors or ingredients, and you are free to purchase and use any ingredients you already have, find at any store, or buy from your distributor. By using your own ingredients, you can make amazing professional cocktails for less than $1 per drink! It is an eye opening experience. Just remember to never use ingredients with pulp or are very thick, as such will ruin Somabar’s inner-workings.



Can I customize the size and strength of my drinks?

Absolutely. You can easily modify any professional drink recipe to your exact specification, and you can also make your own cocktails in your custom drink library.



Can I create my own drinks with Somabar?

Yes, you can add and create unlimited drink recipes to your custom drink library, as well as add custom ingredients for any drink and create full custom menus as well.



Does Somabar chill drinks?

Although Somabar does not refrigerate any of its ingredients, pouring a cold drink is as simple as dispensing your cocktails over ice, or storing your SomaPods (Somabar’s ingredient canisters) in the refrigerator before use.



Does Somabar require a smart device to operate?

Yes, Somabar requires an iOS device operating iOS 11 or above, but works even better when using the most recent iOS release (currently iOS 13). We recommend the iPad Mini or larger format iPad lines.



What size glass should I use?

Most professional cocktails will pour between 3 to 6 ounces. We recommend using a rock/old fashioned/lowball glass (with ice) for standard pours and a highball glass (with ice) for above standard pours. Somabar’s dispensing receptacle (with drip tray installed) is approximately +/-7 inches tall, so your glass should not be taller than 6.5 inches.



Where’s the best place to put my Somabar machine?

Your Somabar should be placed on a solid, indoor countertop, close to a standard wall plug, and (ideally) near a sink with hot water for ease of cleaning. It is also a plus to have a full or bar-sized refrigerator nearby to store any SomaPods with ingredients that have not been consumed or that you want to chill before use.

At 19" deep x 12" wide x 16" tall and weighing about 15 lbs (without SomaPods), Somabar only requires +/- 2 square feet of counter space and a standard wall outlet to operate. Somabar is fully self-contained and no external plumbing is required.



What is the best way to clean the Somabar machine?

The exterior of Somabar is easily cleaned with a soft cloth or dish towel and warm, soapy water. The internal components of Somabar must be cleaned at the end of each day’s use with Somabar’s automated full system cleaning procedure with the included cleaning SomaPod and cleaning agent.



Will the Somabar machine work if my internet is down?

Yes, Somabar connects to your iOS device via bluetooth, and will continue to operate with full pouring functionality. However, some functioanlity such as creating new recipes or downloading new content will not work until reconnected to the internet and the Somabar cloud.



How long will it take for the machine to arrive after I place my order?

Once your order has been processed, we expect your machine to be shipped within 3 to 5 business days. Each Somabar system is individually inspected and run through QA at our Los Angeles office before it is packaged and shipped to you. NOTE that we have very limited inventory (exacerbated by the current pandemic and supply chain interruptions), and once inventory is depleted, we will no longer be able to accept orders for immediate delivery or provide future-inventory shipping estimates until a later date.



What is Somabar’s return policy for the Somabar machine?

Somabar machine sales are returnable for warranty exchange only. All sales are final.



How does Somabar know what ingredients I loaded?

Somabar's brilliant technology extends to its reusable SomaPod ingredient containers, each of which is built with a re-writable identification chip. The first time you seat a SomaPod on Somabar, you will identify the ingredient contained in the SomaPod. We call this "tagging." Somabar will remember your SomaPod's tagged ingredient until you retag the SomaPod as containing a different ingredient.



How does Somabar know what drinks can be made?

The Somabar App on your connected iOS Device will display all the drinks and cocktails that can be made from the SomaPods you load on Somabar, based upon the recipes in your professional and custom drink libraries. And changing your drink service is as quick and easy as swapping one SomaPod for another with a different ingredient. Somabar's menu will immediately update and change based upon the recipes that can be made with the new loaded ingredient(s), no mixology knowledge required.



What ingredients should I load for the largest drink selection?

With Somabar's Magic Menu Creator, included with the Somabar App, you simply input one or two of your favorite drink bases, whether it be a liquor (like tequila or vodka) or mixers (like cranberry or lime juice). The Menu Creator will suggest the remaining ingredients to allow for the most robust cocktail service based upon the recipes in your professional and custom drink libraries.



How much liquid can I put in each SomaPod?

Each Somabar comes with six (6) 750 ml SomaPods [the standard size of a liquor or wine bottle] and one (1) 150 ml smaller 'bitters' SomaPod. Each SomaPod is machine washable and fully reusable and may be filled and refilled with any ingredients you like, and you may change your filled ingredient as frequently as desired. SomaPods may not be filled with highly viscous fluids (such as honey or molasses) and may never be used with ingredients containing pulp or other solids. Any such use will cause your machine to fail.