One of my favourite cocktail bars in the city, The Pineapple Club, is turning two this month – and to celebrate owner Sam and the gang are launching a brand new drinks menu on 13th September.
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Titled ‘Faces of Our Industry’, this exciting new cocktail selection has been curated by the bar’s drinks experts and is themed around representation: cocktails that recognise and celebrate the differences in people within the industry.
All of the brands and products used in this new menu have been specially selected by The Pineapple Club team for their ethos and values as well as their quality. Each cocktail has a full page dedicated to the drink alongside descriptions and bios to bring the drinks to life and celebrate those behind them.
I loved this new concept so much I grabbed owner Sam Boulton for a quick chat about the philosophy behind the latest menu, how a collaborative approach boosts creativity, and why representation matters in hospitality.
“Our new menu at its heart is about recognising the difference in people and both valuing and enabling everyone to thrive in hospitality. As an industry we are able to support so many people, such as LGBTQ+, minorities, ethnic minorities, mental health, neuro divergence, immigrants and more, but more often than not we do not think about this,” Sam says.
“All the brands and products on this menu we chosen because of the people behind them and the quality of their product. We didn’t accept any financial contribution from them – we just wanted to showcase them and support them. Representation matters and we’re proud to stand with these brilliant people. I think our new menu is all the better for it.”
So what can you expect from the new cocktail menu? The gang has definitely been ‘more adventurous’ with ingredients such as Sake, Vermouth, there’s plenty of flavor profiles you’re unlikely to have seen anywhere else in the city, and the cocktails themselves show off the skill of the team behind the bar.
Sam says this is The Pineapple Club’s best menu to date, something he largely puts down to teamwork and encouraging creativity above anything else.
“This menu is a really good mix of our team. While many contributions have come from Bar Manager Klára Kopčikova and myself we also have two other bartenders (Erin Davies and Tariq Evans) who’ve put together some great drinks.
“We find the more we work together the better the drinks become; almost all the drinks have had input from at least one or two other people before they make it to the menu. A collaborative approach gets the best results.”
And what is the go-to cocktail from the new menu? According to Sam the Bananarama is going to rock your socks off.
“While it won’t be for everyone, I love cream-based drinks and the Bananarama is pretty perfect. Peanut butter infused local rum, Custard Creams, and banana – it’s a bit out there but that’s what we’re all about and I think it’ll go down really well. We’re excited to show off our new creations and continue our mission to highlight the best in hospitality.”
Nestled within Great Western Arcade, the multi award winning bar serves up creative cocktails and small plates six days a week. Voted one of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK, you can expect a lively atmosphere, casual dining in the form of small plates and a top-notch happy hour 5-8pm Tue to Fri when cocktails are just £6.
Work in the city centre? For those who work locally The Pineapple Club has a VIP scheme that offers 20% off Tuesday – Friday all day (excluding happy hour). Simply pop in and ask a member of the team for a VIP card.
For more information or to book a table to try the new cocktails visit www.pineapplebrum.co.uk