This winter, Londoners will be invited to experience the city’s first prison-inspired cocktail bar, Alcotraz, launching on 28th September for three months. This immersive drinking pop-up will take guests, or more appropriately, inmates to a world of crime and corruption, as they smuggle-in liquor to be used to make delicious, bespoke cocktails.
Taking place behind unassuming shutters of 212 Brick Lane, Alcotraz is inspired by America’s most infamous prison which housed some of the world’s most difficult and dangerous felons during its operation. This new pop-up concept, which will accommodate 30 inmates at a time, will replicate the eerie atmosphere and mystery associated with prison life, offering a world of unique escapism.
All convicted criminals, dressed in their orange prison jumpsuits, will get their inmate numbers upon arrival, before experiencing (temporary) life behind bars, learning the secret codes of smuggling contraband past prison security.
Once inside, guests will be able to sit either in cells or in the visitation area and enjoy bespoke, personalised cocktails made by an expert mixologist, and served in discreet containers to avoid getting caught by the warden. The concept aims to bring something completely new to a bar environment, with drinks crafted without rules and menus to follow, from highly experimental mixologists.
Alcotraz is the brainchild of Sam Shearman, founder of Inventive Productions, who says, “Whilst being a hugely fun experience, Alcotraz will allow visitors to experience a world only seen by most in fiction”. As the London drinking and dining scene continuously offers up exciting new concepts, this immersive pop-up will take inventiveness to a whole new level, offering guests a truly unique and memorable experience that can’t be found anywhere else.
Shutters will open this winter for all pending prisoners who get summoned to Alcotraz upon booking. Convict customers will enter lockup with their secret stash of spirits to do their allotted time behind bars before their release.