Supermild has long been an indispensable part of Adelaide's bar scene. Ten years ago you would stumble down the stairs and collapse at the room's extremely long table for cocktails and conversations; however, despite keeping that same table, the same corner bar and the same barely-there lighting, the venue is almost unrecognisable these days. In its previous life, it was an after-work drinks haven with a long and enthusiastic cocktail menu to help ease the 9-5 strain. Now, Supermild's target demographic is the under-20s. The old hip-hop and Motown records have been replaced by a young DJ playing Franz Ferdinand from a MacBook, and despite a $5 door fee, by midnight there's a long line outside. The floor is filled with bright young clutching Coopers longnecks, while out the back smokers can can be found in the cosy beer garden beneath the prison-like red-brick towers of the Uni’s City West Campus.
Those longnecks are now the distinctive item at Supermild, since at least for the moment, the cocktail menu is notably absent - apparently it's being reprinted). But don't worry; you can still order the iconic apple crumble – apple and butterscotch schnapps, lemonade and fresh lime. Three cocktail specials are listed on the blackboard behind the bar for $10 each, and 'classic cocktails' will set you back $15 though putting the staff on the spot and ordering off menu can lead to mixed results. Our bartender did fashion one quite tasty, if bitter, Campari concoction but we say hedge your bets and go for the beers. In addition to the longnecks there is also an impressive range of imported lagers and pilsners on hand.
In spite of the vodka-and-cranberry crowd, stumbling over everyone's feet in the honest pursuit of late-night shenanigans, Supermild is still an Adelaide staple and a must-go after-midnight haunt.