New Platform Maps Europe's Music-Focused Bar Scene Monkey Shoulder has launched Monkey Shoulder Selects, a digital guide and social media series featuring hi-fi bars, vinyl listening spaces, and cocktail venues across Europe's major cities. The platform launches with 13 cities: London, Glasgow, Paris, Berlin, Reykjavik, Milan, Zurich, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Lisbon, Madrid, Athens, and Vienna, with additional cities to follow. The guide curates bars built around listening and community rather than volume and spectacle. Featured venues include Seed Library in London, Okupa in Athens, Bird in Copenhagen, and MOGO in Milan. According to the brand, these spaces prioritize sound systems, craft cocktails, and cultural exchange.

Selector Swaps Drive Cross-City Collaboration Monkey Shoulder Selects includes Selector Swaps, a cultural exchange program pairing DJs and bartenders across participating cities. Partner venues will host DJ sets, bartender takeovers, and playlist swaps, with the Monkey Shoulder Old Fashioned serving as a common thread across locations. Bars are encouraged to create localized twists on the classic serve to reflect neighborhood identity. "Monkey Shoulder Selects is about recognising that some of the most exciting cultural spaces in Europe now are bars built around music," said Joe Petch, Global Monkey Shoulder Ambassador. "These venues aren't just places to drink; they're places to listen, connect and belong. Monkey Shoulder Selects is our way of supporting the people and communities shaping this new era of nightlife."

Why It Matters

The platform reflects a broader shift in on-premises drinking culture toward experiential venues prioritizing ambiance and community over high-volume service. For bar operators, the guide offers visibility among a curated audience of culture-conscious consumers while positioning Monkey Shoulder as a partner in the venue experience rather than just a spirit brand. The Selector Swaps model creates content opportunities and cross-venue traffic.

For more insights and trends in the food and beverage sector, check out more articles in The Food & Beverage Magazine family of publications.

Written by FBM Publications Editors