What if your next night out involved lab coats, test tubes, and a perfectly mixed drink? With Cautney Tatiana Nelson’s vision, science might just change the way we think about nightlife.
Meet Cautney Nelson, the founder and CEO of Science & Sip™ and the visionary behind The Drunken Laboratory. She is a trained biochemist and a restaurateur with a creative edge. Her journey started with a simple idea and a $10,000 pilot in Brooklyn. That small test eventually led to the creation of a national brand. Today, her experiences have hosted over 75,000 guests across major U.S. cities.
Nelson recognized a potential gap between nightlife and learning, so she set out to fill it with test tubes, lab coats, DJs, and crafted cocktails, creating a science party that draws in crowds.
Her work now spans New York, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, with each city bringing in guests, many of whom find themselves attending more than once. Sessions last 90 minutes and mix hands-on experiments with games and music. Nelson runs a team of over 45 staff members across locations. She also launched The Lab Kitchen, adding food to the mix. She leads MillennialScnce, a nonprofit that supports STEM access for under-resourced youth, with the program reaching over 1,200 students each year.
What The Drunken Laboratory Offers
The Drunken Laboratory is an interactive science party for adults 21 and up. Guests suit up, pick up beakers, and dive into playful experiments. Then the party starts.
Here’s what guests experience:
- Lab coats, safety goggles, and gloves at the door.
- A free themed drink on arrival.
- Team-based science games and challenges.
- A live DJ spinning hip-hop and R&B.
- Karaoke moments and trivia rounds.
- Chances to win free shots.
- A full bar with seasonal drinks.
Guests compete for the title “Tipsy Top of the Class.” Singing, dancing, and learning all happen together in a fun and shared space.
Safety matters too. No harsh chemicals are used, and all experiments are simple and guest-friendly. Lab assistants guide each step. The gear keeps clothes clean and adds to the theme.
Private events are also available. Birthday packages start at $99 per person. Groups get:
- Bottomless mocktails or cocktails.
- Two to three guided experiments.
- Decorated science-themed spaces.
- Optional food add-ons, such as wings or pizza.
It is loud and fun, like planned chaos. And people seem to enjoy it.
Corporate Collabs and Brand Takeovers
The Drunken Laboratory’s party venue also attracts big brands. Companies now use the space for activations and launches.
An important moment in its history was The Drunken Lab x Nike collaboration, which offered:
- Hands-on experiments.
- Custom cocktails.
- High-energy music.
- Creative brand displays.
The night mixed science with street style. Guests moved between stations, tried challenges, and shared content online. It turned into a social buzz event. These partnerships work because the lab format is flexible and unique. Brands can customize themes, drinks, and games to match their identity. It becomes an experience, not just a promotion.
Corporate bookings now include team-building nights, product launches, influencer events, and tourism partnerships. Nelson believes people connect with brands through moments, and she brings this belief to life with experiential marketing.
The Fun Lab: Science for Kids
For younger guests, Nelson created The Fun Lab. It runs in Brooklyn and focuses on safe, playful learning.
Kids can enjoy:
- Slime-making stations.
- Guided experiments.
- Themed drinks.
- Free popcorn.
- Birthday parties and field trips.
Sessions last 45 to 60 minutes. Children under 15 attend with a guardian. Teens can join solo, and every child leaves with a DIY project. The Fun Lab keeps the same energy but removes alcohol. It proves that science can feel exciting at any age. It also ties back to Nelson’s nonprofit mission. Her goal has always been to make STEM feel accessible. The Fun Lab makes that idea visible in a fun way.
Summary
Cautney Tatiana Nelson has changed how people view science. She moved it out of textbooks and the confines of classrooms into nightlife, parties, and family events. Through The Drunken Laboratory, she made it feel fresh and social.
Her success shows that learning can happen anywhere, even on the dance floor with a drink in hand. Boring, adventureless nights can now be traded for bubbling beakers. The Drunken Laboratory waits with lab coats ready.
