Managed pub and bar group TCG will be the first mainstream operator to offer US cocktail sensation the Pickleback, when it launches its new cocktail menu at the start of December.
The Pickleback – a shot of Jameson whiskey with the same of pickle juice – is one of the drinks on the new menu’s ‘experimental’ section, alongside a Mojito shot, a selection of Oddkas and a Lightning Bolt – a spoon of popping candy followed by a shot of Oddka Electricity.
Elsewhere, the menu showcases ‘three Ms’: Mojitos, Martinis – including the Porn Star Martini – and alcoholic Milkshakes. It also features three beer cocktails, a range of perennial favourites such as the Cosmopolitan and Zombie, and a selection of pitchers.
Breaking the mould
TCG director of operations Ben Levick said, “We set out to create a cocktail menu that broke our usual mould, and the result is, we think, the most innovative offer currently available in the mainstream pub and bar sector.
“The main target audience for cocktails in our pubs and bars are ‘weekend millionaires’. These young – or young at heart – drinkers are looking for excitement, glamour, and something different. So this list, which offers the latest trends as well as some serious ‘glitz’ with our Prosecco-based cocktails, has plenty to delight our customers and we’re confident it will help us to increase our share of the mainstream cocktail market.”
Giving standout
At Bar 38 in Portsmouth, deputy manager Dale Druce is enthusiastic about the new menu. “We’re operating in a competitive environment, alongside a number of bars offering cocktails. So these new drinks, that nobody else locally is offering, give us standout and I can see them appealing to groups of customers wanting to try something new. Bar 38 is already known for serving the best cocktails in Portsmouth and the new menu will help to consolidate that position.”
TCG has delivered full cocktail training to all bar staff at the 50 sites taking the new menu to ensure a consistent, quality serve. The launch is being supported with impactful POS and a digital campaign to engage customers. Bars and pubs are also offering £1 off their first ‘experimental’ cocktail to customers who join their digital mailing list.