Throughout British culture, bars seem like they’ve been around forever. But where did they originate from?
History of Home Bars
Although home bars seem common, they have been around for a while. Home bars were first introduced in 1950 which epitomized the American dream.
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When soldiers returned home from World War II, they moved to homes in the suburbs. These homes were cheap and out of sight. As Suburbs are located on the outskirts of cities, pubs or bars weren’t an option, so many soldiers decided to build bars in their basement and show them off to their friends and family as a meeting spot to catch up.
Home bars were significant towards male masculinity, as men could bond and catch up over a drink and a home bar was the epitome of friendship making them popular amongst males.
During the 1960s – 1980s, home bars were considered old and not in use but by 1990, due to cocktail culture, home bars began to rise and became a symbol of luxury and the American dream.
Home bars often showed class and importance. Many of them had the same theme, usually art deco, varnished or stained wood and padded leather stalls.
Nowadays, many people own home bars or plan to renovate a garage or spare room into a home bar. During the pandemic this increased, as bars and pubs were closed, and people couldn’t meet up with their friend’s. For this reason, home bars were popularised, and many people started to make them.
Things to include in your home bar…
1 – When owning a bar, a home bar sign is an essential piece of décor that brings the room together. When personalising a custom bar sign, you’ll want to get something you love like a family picture, sports team, or a comedic picture. This goes for the title as well, adding a quirky, unique name is often done and is a good use of the bar sign.
Some companies offer novelty bar signs like food hygiene ratings, beer fridge warning stickers and more. These are great to add to home bars.
2 – Beer mats are a necessity when owning a home bar. Many companies offer personalised beer mats, in which you can add names or images. Keeping beer mats is standard when owning a bar because they help to keep the tables clean and don’t leave watermarks.
3 – A Cocktail shaker is a quick and easy way to blend cocktails that doesn’t require a lot of time. There are 3 main types of cocktail shakers.
Firstly, the Cobbler shaker is a large metal tin that has a tightly fitted lid and a smaller cap, when fitted together, they can fit on the lid perfectly. For beginners, this shaker is the best especially for home bar owners. But these tend to take more time as they get colder quicker.
Secondly, the Boston shaker is the original design for a cocktail shaker, thus it takes the longest to learn and requires the most skill. Like the cobbler, this shaker is made of metal and is often referred to as “Cheater tin”. The shaker is easier to clean and makes cocktails a lot faster.
Lastly, the French cocktail shaker or Parisian cocktail shaker is like the cobbler shaker, but without the strainer or lid. The French shaker is a two-piece shaker that requires more of the bar strainer. Many people who have used this shaker prefer it as it is more stylish, simpler to use and easier to clean This shaker is harder to find and more expensive.
4 – Ice buckets and tongs are an essential part of most drinks. Having quick access to an ice bucket for a bar is needed. When you are constantly serving drinks and want them to remain chilled. People often substitute a bucket to a nice bowl, pretty much anything that can hold your ice and tongs in.
5 – Stemless Glasses are used when serving drinks. Other aliases are Purpose glasses or modern glassware. For starter bars these cups are perfect. Stemless glasses are traditional wine glasses, for many people these glasses are a popular choice because they fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, are eye-catching design and can be used in a dishwasher.