Chin Up opens in New York to spotlight gin
A gin-led bar called Chin Up has opened in New York’s Lower East Side neighbourhood, highlighting distillers from both the Big Apple and around the world.
Chin Up was founded by industry veterans Brian Grummert and Blake Walker, whose New York bar experience extends to venues such as Nitecap, Subject, and Amor y Amarg.
The idea at Chin Up is to give gin ‘its own stage’, the team say, and to celebrate both New York’s distillers and some of the stand out gin makers from around the world.
The beverage programme is designed to let gin shine in each cocktail, with the menu flipping between classic gin serves, twists on classics, and new inventions. Some from the list are described as ‘globally inspired’.
For instance, the Rendezvous in Chennai combines Dorothy Parker New York gin with Madras curry, coconut, apricot, ginger and lime, while the Aquavit Old Fashioned features aquavit, Laird’s Bonded apple brandy, Granny Smith apples, wasabi and red shisho. The Saturn then centres itself around Four Pillars yuzu Australian gin, supported with guava, sunflower seed orgeat, lemon and baking spices.
Other highlights include a Gibson that brings Neversink New York gin together with leek vermouth, sherry vinegar, and pickles.
The cocktails often incorporate ingredients that highlight regional nuances and unique flavour profiles, such as savoury, citrus and subtle spice. In addition to classic cocktails, like Negronis and Martinis, some serves also feature interactive elements.
The design of the bar, meanwhile, has been inspired by some of New York’s most recognisable public spaces, such as the architecture of the Gilder Center at the Museum of Natural History, and Grand Central’s vaulted ceilings. Natural materials and greenery then intend to ‘harmonise’ with the neighboring Sara D. Roosevelt Park.
Guests will also spy a mural on the ceiling created by artist Ori Carino, which ‘mirrors the expansive skyline just beyond the bar’s windows’.
The overall approach to design is said to be ‘contemporary and personality-driven’, rather than the Art-Deco aesthetic that many recent openings in the city have gone for.
For food, small plates are offered that play off the botanicals in the spirits.
Grummert and Walker said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing our love for gin to the community in the Lower East Side – a neighbourhood we’ve worked in for decades
“Chin Up will serve as a space for cocktail enthusiasts to dive deeper into the rich history of the spirit, industry professionals to grab their post shift cocktail, or visitors to stumble into and leave feeling just a bit more educated about what gin has to offer.”
In other new openings, the team behind The Dead Rabbit are planning a second Irish Exit bar.
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