A gem in the heart of the city, PS40 (the PS stands for Pop Soda) is a small haven that’s bringing fun back to the art of cocktail making.

Offering a mix of mouth-watering banh mi and sandwiches alongside a bevvy of pop soda beverages, PS40 has become the ideal spot to unwind and pick your spirits all at the same time.

It’s also home to one of the must-have drinks this summer: the Africola, a specialty crafted by the incredible Michael Chiem who is ICON’s mixologist of the week.

Michael Chiem doing this thing at PS40. Image: Supplied

NAME

 I’m Michael Chiem

WHERE DO YOU WORK

PS40 on King Street in Sydney.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A MIXOLOGIST?

I started out enjoying doing things with my hands and discovering new flavours and ingredients to make a cocktail and then I quickly fell in love with the environment and magic of a great bar. The awesome guests and regulars that come and go provide plenty of memorable times!

WHAT WAS THE FIRST DRINK YOU EVER LEARNT TO MAKE?

Probably a Midori Illusion

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COCKTAIL TO DRINK?

Pina Coladas!

FAVOURITE LIQUOR TO WORK WITH?

Agave spirits. It’s one of the most diverse spirits out there that has lots of resemblances to wine regarding terroir and production methods.

PS40’s Africola. Image: Supplied

WHAT’S YOUR SIGNATURE DRINK TO MAKE?

The Africola is our signature serve. It is a freezing cold mixture of Mr Black coffee liqueur with a native cola we make in house. On top we float a warm foam of coconut (70 degrees Celsius) and as you drink the drink through the layers you experience a change in temperature and textures. Delicious!

WHAT DO WE NEED, AND HOW DO YOU MAKE IT?

Near impossible to replicate at home, we definitely recommend coming into the bar for this one!

But if you want to give it a try you’ll need the following:

Mr Black liqueur

Wattle Cola

Coco cream

Coco milk

Cream

Caster sugar

HOW TO MAKE IT

Pop your Mr Black into a freezer to ensure it’s as cold as possible.

To make your coco foam, combine in a 500ml siphon:

200ml coco cream

200ml coco milk

100ml cream

60 grams of caster sugar

Mix into the siphon and sit in a water bath at 70C for five minutes then charge with a cream bulb and shake well before use.

Into a large tumbler, even a pint glass, pour in your Wattle Cola and then add frozen Mr Black into the cola to reduce any foam that may occur.

Charge off warm coconut foam into a warm vessel and then slowly layer on top.

And cheers!