Jump in at HopScotch

What do an analytical chemist and a housing procurement agent have in common? You may not be surprised to hear that in the case of partners Matt and Beck Workman, founders of Liverpool’s whisky bar, HopScotch, it’s a passion for both whisky and community.

“A friend of mine went off to study in Edinburgh, and when he returned a few months later, we started talking about the whiskies he’d tried while there” says Matt. “He told me to try Laphroaig one night. I was only 18, and it blew my mind. I suppose that was a pivotal moment – if that hadn’t happened, HopScotch would never have existed.”

Fast forward 11 years to 2019, and with absolutely no experience in hospitality, Matt and Beck opened what they’d consider to be ‘the people’s whisky bar’ in Liverpool. As Matt explains: “There was already a whisky bar here, but it was the antithesis of what we wanted to bring to Liverpool. They were the classic whisky bar; complete with distillery bottlings, tartan carpet, and a dress code – whereas we wanted to create a place that had a whisky selection that could compete with the best, but an environment that felt as relaxed and familiar as your local pub.

And with that came the challenge for the couple to create a welcoming atmosphere that enables the good people of Liverpool to enjoy the expanse of what the whisky category has to offer.
“From the moment Beck and I met, like most couples, we spoke about what we wanted for the future, and it turned out that we both had dreams of opening our own venue,” says Matt.

“Whenever we spoke about the possibility of opening a bar, it always came back to whisky being at the core, and over the course of about three years we had built the vision of HopScotch in our minds” says Matt. “We had been Living in Australia, and doing a little travelling around Asia, and during this journey we had been picking up inspiration from bars we’d visited along the way – so when we returned to Liverpool we were ready to go, but it took us another 6 months to find a suitable unit, and another 6 months after that before we were able to open our doors”. “We opened HopScotch in December 2019, and unfortunately the pandemic hit us a few months later, but five years later we’re fortunate enough to still be here”.

The result is a bar gantry with around 200 whiskies, consisting mainly of independently bottled offerings with the hope of instigating a space where anyone can further their whisky journey.

“I like distillery bottlings, but something about the fact that they’re put together and shaped in a certain way doesn’t excite me in the same way that single cask whiskies do” says Matt. “The idea behind having mainly independent, and mainly single cask bottlings on the bar, is that the whisky list is forever changing, and with these whiskies there’s no chill-filtration, no colouring, and quite often no dilution – what comes out of the cask is what you get, which in my opinion is the rawest form of whisky out there.”

And in fairness, if you pay a visit to their downstairs bar in Liverpool’s Fabric District, you’ll find a venue that doesn’t conform to the norm in terms of whisky bars.

“We wanted to be the opposite of what people thought when the phrase ‘whisky bar’ came to mind,” Matt continues. “There’s no reason why whisky can’t be more of a drink for everyone. We keep it casual, there are no dress codes, we vary the music, we have customers of different ages, you don’t even have to drink whisky. We have beers, wine and cocktails as well. People do come in who aren’t into whisky, they just like the vibe.”

What HopScotch has become is more than just a bar. Since Matt and Beck opened the venue, they have attracted and formed a community of like-minded whisky drinkers in the area which has resulted in the conception of Liverpool Whisky Club, which now has around 140 members. Matt expands on how being a SMWS partner bar adds to the sense of togetherness.

“So much of what we are about already fits with the SMWS philosophy,” he says. “It’s not just about drinking, it’s about gathering people together to connect over something that they’re interested in and are enthusiastic about. It’s about sharing the knowledge and enjoyment of what we do and appreciating everything that comes with it. There’d be no point otherwise.”

Matt and Beck are beginning to transform the whisky outlook in one of the UK’s biggest cities, their passion and commitment are as addictive as they are inspiring. And we look forward to many exciting collaborations with them very soon.