1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

DRINKING IN GENERAL

or wish,for little more than water to keep their bodies moist, the majority of us, no matter what our station in life may be, desire something a little stronger to fortify us through our allotted term on earth. A discourse on the reasons for drinking could without doubt fill the pages of several volumes, nevertheless, in any such discussion the word companionship must inevitably arise. As a common factor in"getting together", alcohol most surely plays a part. Drink is the key which will unlock the door and cause men to meet,then having met,discuss,console or congratulate. So are the weary refreshed, the uneducated taught, the normally shy and retiring allowed to enjoy the gift of friendship. Thus can men share their triumphs and their failures, forget the injustices and doubts of the past, and encourage the friendships and faith of the future. Drinking requires not only its time but also its place, and it is with places that we are concerned in this book. As a fine jewel demands its setting, so does alcohol need its appropriate back ground, its atmosphere of companionship, without which it is in danger of becoming coarse and vulgar, for the solitary drinker in his garret is a very sorry sight. We must remember, too, that alcohol has manyforms and that each has its place. A good brandy does not lose its intrinsic value at any time, but it is never better than when enjoyed from a balloon glass at leisure after an excellent meal: a pint of beer drunk from a mess-tin by the wayside can be nectar, but in normal circumstances this could never compete with a foaming tankard quaffed in good company at the"local What,then, is the particular setting needed for the more exotic type of drinking ? It is the Cocktail Bar,that most attractive and profitable asset to any catering establishment, offering infinite scope and variety. It can be the place where the stop-at-home may sample the drinks and mixtures ofa hundred countries, where the traveller may refresh his memory, and where the foreigner may get a glimpse of home. In this department the inventive genius of experts can be given full rein, and the beauty of spirits, liqueurs and wines, blended together in countless ways, may be presented in what is known to the modern public as the "Cocktail". Before proceeding farther we may ask whence did this particular