App-controlled liquor bottles? Yep.

Pernod Ricard unveiled its new Project Gutenberg on January 28. The video is probably more helpful than the press release, and I’ve gotta admit, the concept has promise.

In a nutshell, here’s the deal: you buy these bookshelf-like liquor bottles that are connected through wi-fi. Then you get on the app on your phone or iPad and look up recipes. Tell it what kind of cocktail you want, it gives you directions, and then it pours the liquors for you in the correct amounts. All you have to do is decide what you want and provide the mixers. The app and Project Gutenberg do the rest. It even tells you when you are running low on particular spirits, so you can order more. No more trips to the seedy liquor store anymore. For some of us, the liquor store is part of the fun, though!

There are drawbacks, of course, such as the fact that it’s only produced by Pernod Ricard and will only carry their spirits, I’m sure. The recipes may be limited, and tweaking recipes may be more difficult, but the idea has a lot of promise. If you want to have a cocktail party and don’t know anything about cocktails, this thing is for you. You also have to live in a state that allows liquor to be mailed, but don’t worry: this thing isn’t available for purchasing just yet. We will have to wait to see what the price is.