Partygoers and planners in need of a good drink can count on Shaylene and Kyle Roemer to roll in and save the day.
Last September, the wife and husband duo brought to life Wanderlust Cocktails, a mobile bartending service that brings the bar to any private party.
Last week, the Roemers finished their first mobile wonder, transforming over the span of three months a rusty horse trailer into a shiny bar on wheels with the help of Kyle’s father, Mike.
“I like that we get to bring the bar to other people,” Kyle said. “Nobody has to come to us.”
Wanderlust Cocktails serves Whidbey and Western Washington, but the Roemers are down to travel as far as Eastern Washington and Oregon and make it a little adventure.
The trailer is an addition to the bartending service, which has kept the Roemers busy making cocktails for weddings, bachelor parties, business events and even open houses. In March, they served at the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce’s awards banquet, named “Second Chance Prom.”
Now, as they prepare to hit the road with their silver bar on wheels, the Roemers are already planning to expand their fleet with a four-horse trailer that is double in size and a kegerator.
For Shaylene, who has 11 year of bartending experience, the job is a fun way to socialize with other adults. When she’s not behind the counter and running the business, she’s either taking photos for her side business or taking care of her three children.
The mobile service further adds to the relaxed vibe of the job.
“It’s kind of a way to get out of the bar scene, but still stay in the bar scene,” she said.
Kyle, who is an active duty sailor at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, is currently deployed in Bahrain. Despite being on the other side of the globe, he has been keeping up with business updates and looks forward to mixing and serving drinks when he returns in October.
To him, one of the most enjoyable aspects of bartending is being creative and adding his spin to a drink.
The Wanderlust is a version of the Old Fashioned cocktail with a floral taste, created by using elderflower liqueur and orange bitters. To their Moscow Mules, the Roemers add “Whidbey Island honey from Whidbey Island Bees,” Kyle said.
Another signature cocktail is the Black Currant Lemonade, a sweet and tart drink that Shaylene said can be rare to find in bars.
Because it’s not an establishment, Wanderlust Cocktails is not allowed to provide alcohol. For this reason, prospective customers can select two or three drinks from the menu and are given recommendations on what, how much and where to get the ingredients based on their drinks of choice.
The Roemers will bring the glassware, the ice, the mixers and 15 years of combined cocktail mastery.
For more information, visit Wanderlust Cocktails on Facebook.