Back To The Vinyl With Craft Beer and Coffee 

Despite living in the age of music at your fingertips subscription models we, the 90’s kids balk at that audio quality of a Vinyl, which we celebrated a few years back along with some coffee or beer. Nevertheless, vinyl records have made a remarkable comeback in the last few years to play on finely calibrated record players.

In response to the changing tide, independent labels, some of whom had never stopped pressing vinyl, started providing short-run vinyl pressing services. The vinyl resurgence was evident once major labels followed suit. As the demand for vinyl continues to grow, some are recommissioning Soviet-era record presses.

Well as the tradition goes, it is less talking and more listening with vinyl. All thanks to Tokyo’s Lion Meikyoku Kissa, who introduced vinyl bars, also known as listening bars. Although traveling the world just for vinyl bars still feels like a faraway dream. We now in Bangalore have a spot to tune in and discover all the hidden vinyl gems our heart desires. So why go out, right? 

Nakul Bhonsle, Akshar Halgali, and Karthik Chandrasekaran bring to us, The Record Room, the first vinyl bar in India with craft beer and coffee which is one of the most intimate and social places to discover old and new music in a collective setting. It is India’s first craft beer and vinyl bar. It offers over 200 pieces of vinyl spanning genres, including rock, pop, funk, jazz, and blues, that appeal to the connoisseur and the curious alike. A large selection of craft beers and signature cocktails complement the music collection under one roof. 

Vinyl Exchange Program

For a first-time listener, Record Room aims to create a space that is intimate and personal, one that nurtures the love and exploration of vinyl and builds a community around this shared appreciation. They also have built a platform to promote artists and music enthusiasts and hope to foster a community of vinyl listeners who can explore their interests through a vinyl exchange program. At present, their archives include over 200 vinyl records across genres and decades, ranging all the way from classic rock (think Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin), to old-school hip-hop (Tupac Shakur, Dr Dre), pop (Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift), reggae (Bob Marley, Aswad) to funk (Jamiroquai, Marvin Gaye). This collection will be expanded regularly. 

Craft Beer 

For the first time in Bengaluru, Record Room’s repertoire will span brands from all over the country, beginning with Bengaluru favorites, Geist and Toit. Great State Aleworks from Pune will introduce their craft brews very soon. The remarkable joy is that Toit beers are available outside their Indiranagar brewpub, for the very first time. Toit Tint-In-Wit, a Belgian-style fruity ale with notes of coriander and fresh orange peel; and Toit Nitro Stout, a dark, full-bodied roast, malty ale with coffee-chocolate aromas can be gulped down at Record Room. 

Coffee 

A carefully curated coffee menu with an emphasis on handmade brewing, using artisanal coffee sourced from multiple Indian roasters like Blue Tokai, Bloom Coffee Roasters and Coffee Mechanics is the cherry on the cake. Partnering with Suhas Dwarkanath of Benki Brewing Tools, Record Room aims to bolster the City’s coffee culture by offering a variety of blends and roasts, highlighting pour-overs, the aero press, and cold brews at the brew bar.

Cocktails

Go for classic music, stay for the drinks. This is sure to happen. Record Room’s cocktail menu offers inventive and playful flavor pairings like the Teq-Sour (tequila, ginger, cucumber, orgeat, and lime) and the Whiskey Lavender Highball (whiskey, lavender essence, and Bianco topped with a splash of soda). Gin Cocktails like the Pickle Back (gin shaken with mixed-pickle brine, topped with tonic), the Straight Forward (gin, fiero, Jägermeister, and orange bitters), and the Gin Basil Smash (celery-infused gin, fresh basil leaves, lime, and cane syrup). Interestingly, the cocktails feature only natural sweeteners like fig sauce and wildflower honey.

 

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A wide selection of wines and cocktails, including sangrias and bellinis, are also available. Well, my favorite was the Popcorn Gin and Tonic. What an incredible cocktail with the flavors of fresh cold brew coffee, popcorn, gin, and tonic. This drink I suggest for a cold monsoon evening with the view of rain upon Garuda Mall and some original quality music along with some of their best dishes like Lebanese Platter with hummus, tzatziki, babaganoush, couscous and falafel, Prawn in Fresh Coconut Crust and Balchao Sauce, Breaded prawns with coconut crust served with chefs special balchao sauce, Roasted pork Belly Slider, Home-made garlic bread filled with roasted pork belly, cucumber and aioli, Dynamite Fish- a spicy beer battered fish in creamy chilly dynamite sauce. And, Coffee Panna Cotta is a must.