The Pinnacle Guide is a brand new 1, 2 & 3 PIN recognition system for the world’s best bars. Championing excellence in bars in this way has been long discussed within the industry, but so far does not exist – until now.
Following our in-depth six month consultancy phase with the global bar community, we will ensure the final system for The Pinnacle Guide is both fair and relevant across all territories and all styles of bars. The final criteria is now being formulated using the feedback from this open consultancy phase and will be freely published for a final round of feedback in Spring 2023. Creating The Pinnacle Guide is a unique opportunity – one we take extremely seriously and one we hope that the entire industry feels united by and inspired to be part of.
The Pinnacle Guide will become one of the bar industry’s most respected accolades of excellence and is designed to sit seamlessly alongside all existing bar recognition and ranking systems. It has, of course, taken inspiration from The Michelin Guide – an endorsement which has entered the vernacular and is the highest honour awarded to a restaurant.
We believe that the quality, creativity, passion and dedication that comes from the bar industry deserves an equivalent recognition system. How else will we truly bring discerning drinking into the mainstream?
By freely sharing our findings, documenting the process and opening the conversation during the Consultancy Phase – we want to inspire excellence across the board. We will create a platform to promote the list of honoured bars and will ensure that The Pinnacle Guide becomes a visible and invaluable resource for consumers around the world.
The creation of The Pinnacle Guide also offers an unrivalled opportunity to gather insight about the top echelon of the global drinks trade – an area of data that is currently in short supply. Knowledge is power, and through smart use of the information we require in order to award a PIN, we will have a unique opportunity to elevate the industry through insight.
Something we feel incredibly strongly about is that The Pinnacle Guide offers transparency at all stages. It should be clear what is recognised as excellence, so venues are in no question as to what they should be working towards. However, there is no question that part of what makes the bar industry so special is the diversity of venues and experiences.
Therefore, it is imperative that all voices are heard when deciding what is or is not a measure of merit – which has led to the inception of the Consultancy Phase.
From March – August 2022, we will run a series of fortnightly open forums and panel discussions to finalise the format, alongside one-on-one video calls. Anyone with an opinion is welcome to have their say and anyone with an interest is welcome to watch the forums. For The Pinnacle Guide to be globally respected and relevant, it’s imperative that as many individuals as possible are part of the process.
The Pinnacle Guide will have no limit on the number of bars that can receive a PIN and will simply reward excellence based on factual, impartial information. Bars will be graded within our clear set of parameters, that once finalised, will be used consistently across the globe.
During the Consultancy Phase, there is absolutely no barrier to entry – the online platform will be a place where all voices can be heard and acknowledged. These conversations will play a crucial part in building our framework to make The Pinnacle Guide a truly inclusive program moving forward and a platform that promotes inclusivity within the drinks trade as a whole.
Sustainability practices within venues and a socially responsible hiring policy will be recognized and rewarded within the rating system – and the weighting of such will be openly discussed during the Consultancy Phase.
Once The Pinnacle Guide is ready to begin reviewing, we will work hard to recruit local reviewers in all relevant territories to reduce any unnecessary travel requirements.
It is also imperative that The Pinnacle Guide is fully independent and so – rest assured, it will have no affiliation to any drinks brand that may lead or steer the conversations or decisions.
