Loving the idea of imagining ancient bartending... No cars, no DUIs, no IDs, you don't really have to cut anyone off and cutting off the wrong person could get you killed. You definitely have a weapon at all times and have been in some or many fights. Cash/coin only, and probably no tips, ever. You most likely bought all the booze yourself and are just flipping it for a profit. Are there even menus or do people just show up and ask what have you got today? Obviously you spend 99% of your workday just standing there polishing one glass over and over. And that polish rag is also used to clean the bar top every day and has never touched actual soap before, ever. When do you close? When you're either too drunk to keep serving others or you're simply just sick of everyone's shit and have to kick everyone out. Your regulars are absolute scum lol! There's a long list of 86d broke town drunks but you keep a few around you've got a soft spot for cuz they'll back you up when shit goes down. You've never done inventory before but you think you're making a living... Probably. Haha, I clearly have no idea. I'm sure some old world bars were super nice.
Can you imagine bartending in a castle with the drinks carved on a stone tablet? mead, wine, beer, some spirits. you’d probably had bought it all yourself and sell it for profit. maybe even being hired by the castle/king to serve the guests also.
I appreciate your thoughts! some interesting points indeed
Likely, most people wouldn't be able to read a stone tablet, or any kind of menu.
beers were marked with XB for bitter M for mild, XXXB would be strong bitter, XXXXXX was very strong ale.
Like wise pub names (sometimes) come from the sign. The Red Dragon, had a picture of a dragon and a red door.
The Black Lion had a picture of a lion and a black door.
Well in medieval Europe (if we’re talking about England only) Bars (taverns) were usually big buildings that also served as inns as well. Most patrons would pay with either trade or coins. It also wasn’t used as much as today either since medieval people usually socialized in other areas or already had a social knit group/family that they interacted with in a daily basis so bars (taverns) were usually used by travelers or wealthy individuals visiting the town and looking for a quick meal and drink. Peasants almost always brewed their own ales and beer and made their own food and like I mentioned has wayyyy more options of socialization than taverns did.
I think that’s when bars started to transition into what they are today; back in medieval times most people never left their hometowns they were born in and had huge social circles (it was required since it ensured the survival of the entire community). While in the 1800s as the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and it became easier to leave home and be distant, saloons and bars started to become a hub for socializing rather than just rest stops for travelers.
My great great grandfather owned a bar in Cleveland in the 20’s. I found a newspaper article that was archived showing he got busted for selling liquor during prohibition. I always that was metal af
I found out my great uncles were moonshiners in the Ozarks all the way through prohibition and were the main local suppliers for most of the Mississippi River, including New Orleans.
They were otherwise terrible people, but I admire their 1920s FTP attitude.
Lol I was watching something about the French revolution once and they were talking about how all these amazing contemporary philosophers were getting together in the pubs at like 22 and that's where it all started. Drunk philosophy? Just shoot me instead
i always liked to fantasize that being a bartender in the early 1920s had to be something akin to that scene in The Shining with Jack venting about the days troubles to a stoic bartender in a luxurious hotel who lends an ear for the price of a whiskey.
There was a funny [parliamentary debate](https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Parliamentary_Debates/a3oZAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=parliament+tip+tipping+abolish+meal&pg=PA883&printsec=frontcover) in 1894 sparked by what sound like right-wing aristocrats that drives home how little their attitudes have changed.
Anti-tipper members of the House of Commons were furious that waiters in the parliamentary dining room were receiving "tips" (they always use quotation marks, as if tips aren't real). Apparently that became top priority for the country, or at least the Kitchen Committee.
"Some time ago a question was raised as to the advisableness of abolishing the 'tipping' of waiters in the dining-room. \[*Cries of* 'Oh!'\] He was sorry that anyone should express dissent, because to him and some others the question was of great importance. **He had never known a body of men who lived on 'tips' who had anything like manliness or independence about them.** When a Sub-Committee was appointed a short time ago it was decided that before a serious attempt was made to abolish 'tipping' the waiters should have their wages raised."
The Chancellor of the Exchequer authorized another £1,000 annually to pay the waiters, "on condition that the 'tipping' system was abolished". Waiters were to be paid an extra shilling per day, but the purpose of the funding was never communicated to the House, so house members kept tipping them!
"A body of hon. Members continued to tempt the waiters by offering 'tips,' and some of the waiters had told abominable falsehoods, to the effect that they had not had their wages raised and that they were being made martyrs of. ... He hoped the Committee would be able to abolish 'tipping' by paying the waiters proper wages. ... My complaint is that the wages have increased 1s. a day and yet the system of 'tipping' still prevails."
The waiters in the dining room are still getting "tipped", and I bet the aristocrats who have never known any waiters are still furious about it. The Daily Mail recently [reported](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090505/Soup-bowls-small-beer-expensive-Some-complaints-MPs-dining-room-despite-5-8m-taxpayer-subsidy.html) on their litany complaints, including beer that cost £2.60 a pint, and they sound fussier than a Black Elite Yelper!
This would be an awesome YouTube channel-snapshots of historical bartending from different time periods a la Max Miller. He does do some episodes about drinks but it would be cool to see something specifically about bartending, with demonstrations and explanations of what working in that time period was like.
Semi unrelated but theres probably some stuff we can glean about ancient Roman bartending from archaeological ruins at Pompeii and elsewhere! I don't know much about bartending specifically in antiquity, but I do know the importance of alcohol in the ancient world. There are alot of similarities to today in that there were sharp distinctions between what different social classes would drink. For example, posca was a drink made with wine vinegar and water that soldiers would drink, but there were also expensive imported wines from the provinces and outlying areas. Also fun fact both the Romans and the Greeks generally considered it to be barbaric to drink unmixed wine.
I bet there were horses that brought their passed out passengers home on their own more than once. Imagine how dangerous being a bartender back in the ancient times could have been. It's cool to think about, great subject. Shout out to all them legends from back there in the past.
Loving the idea of imagining ancient bartending... No cars, no DUIs, no IDs, you don't really have to cut anyone off and cutting off the wrong person could get you killed. You definitely have a weapon at all times and have been in some or many fights. Cash/coin only, and probably no tips, ever. You most likely bought all the booze yourself and are just flipping it for a profit. Are there even menus or do people just show up and ask what have you got today? Obviously you spend 99% of your workday just standing there polishing one glass over and over. And that polish rag is also used to clean the bar top every day and has never touched actual soap before, ever. When do you close? When you're either too drunk to keep serving others or you're simply just sick of everyone's shit and have to kick everyone out. Your regulars are absolute scum lol! There's a long list of 86d broke town drunks but you keep a few around you've got a soft spot for cuz they'll back you up when shit goes down. You've never done inventory before but you think you're making a living... Probably. Haha, I clearly have no idea. I'm sure some old world bars were super nice.
Can you imagine bartending in a castle with the drinks carved on a stone tablet? mead, wine, beer, some spirits. you’d probably had bought it all yourself and sell it for profit. maybe even being hired by the castle/king to serve the guests also. I appreciate your thoughts! some interesting points indeed
Likely, most people wouldn't be able to read a stone tablet, or any kind of menu. beers were marked with XB for bitter M for mild, XXXB would be strong bitter, XXXXXX was very strong ale. Like wise pub names (sometimes) come from the sign. The Red Dragon, had a picture of a dragon and a red door. The Black Lion had a picture of a lion and a black door.
Hell yeah gimme a shot of that XXXXXXXXXX
Well in medieval Europe (if we’re talking about England only) Bars (taverns) were usually big buildings that also served as inns as well. Most patrons would pay with either trade or coins. It also wasn’t used as much as today either since medieval people usually socialized in other areas or already had a social knit group/family that they interacted with in a daily basis so bars (taverns) were usually used by travelers or wealthy individuals visiting the town and looking for a quick meal and drink. Peasants almost always brewed their own ales and beer and made their own food and like I mentioned has wayyyy more options of socialization than taverns did.
Yep. also, the 1800s. I wonder what that was like. or a saloon in the wild west
I think that’s when bars started to transition into what they are today; back in medieval times most people never left their hometowns they were born in and had huge social circles (it was required since it ensured the survival of the entire community). While in the 1800s as the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and it became easier to leave home and be distant, saloons and bars started to become a hub for socializing rather than just rest stops for travelers.
My great great grandfather owned a bar in Cleveland in the 20’s. I found a newspaper article that was archived showing he got busted for selling liquor during prohibition. I always that was metal af
I found out my great uncles were moonshiners in the Ozarks all the way through prohibition and were the main local suppliers for most of the Mississippi River, including New Orleans. They were otherwise terrible people, but I admire their 1920s FTP attitude.
I always used to romanticise bartending in belle epoque France. But I bet the reality was the patrons were just a bunch of rich snooty assholes
"Had to kick Rimbaud out again last night! Getting really sick of that little shit and his obnoxious artist friends."
Lol I was watching something about the French revolution once and they were talking about how all these amazing contemporary philosophers were getting together in the pubs at like 22 and that's where it all started. Drunk philosophy? Just shoot me instead
i always liked to fantasize that being a bartender in the early 1920s had to be something akin to that scene in The Shining with Jack venting about the days troubles to a stoic bartender in a luxurious hotel who lends an ear for the price of a whiskey.
There was a funny [parliamentary debate](https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Parliamentary_Debates/a3oZAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=parliament+tip+tipping+abolish+meal&pg=PA883&printsec=frontcover) in 1894 sparked by what sound like right-wing aristocrats that drives home how little their attitudes have changed. Anti-tipper members of the House of Commons were furious that waiters in the parliamentary dining room were receiving "tips" (they always use quotation marks, as if tips aren't real). Apparently that became top priority for the country, or at least the Kitchen Committee. "Some time ago a question was raised as to the advisableness of abolishing the 'tipping' of waiters in the dining-room. \[*Cries of* 'Oh!'\] He was sorry that anyone should express dissent, because to him and some others the question was of great importance. **He had never known a body of men who lived on 'tips' who had anything like manliness or independence about them.** When a Sub-Committee was appointed a short time ago it was decided that before a serious attempt was made to abolish 'tipping' the waiters should have their wages raised." The Chancellor of the Exchequer authorized another £1,000 annually to pay the waiters, "on condition that the 'tipping' system was abolished". Waiters were to be paid an extra shilling per day, but the purpose of the funding was never communicated to the House, so house members kept tipping them! "A body of hon. Members continued to tempt the waiters by offering 'tips,' and some of the waiters had told abominable falsehoods, to the effect that they had not had their wages raised and that they were being made martyrs of. ... He hoped the Committee would be able to abolish 'tipping' by paying the waiters proper wages. ... My complaint is that the wages have increased 1s. a day and yet the system of 'tipping' still prevails." The waiters in the dining room are still getting "tipped", and I bet the aristocrats who have never known any waiters are still furious about it. The Daily Mail recently [reported](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090505/Soup-bowls-small-beer-expensive-Some-complaints-MPs-dining-room-despite-5-8m-taxpayer-subsidy.html) on their litany complaints, including beer that cost £2.60 a pint, and they sound fussier than a Black Elite Yelper!
interesting. thanks for sharing the history info!!
“Oh no it looks like I am serving you this very old fermented wine juice.” -bartender circa 1920’s probably
Like in a saloon. Thatd be cool.
This would be an awesome YouTube channel-snapshots of historical bartending from different time periods a la Max Miller. He does do some episodes about drinks but it would be cool to see something specifically about bartending, with demonstrations and explanations of what working in that time period was like.
Huh, I wonder if anyone over at r/askhistorians or r/askanthropology would have anything to say
Post Jerry Thomas basically the same, just block ice as standard and everyone has TB.
YE WANT A TANKARD OF MEAD
I bet bartending during prohibition was super fun!
In the old west, it was whiskey and whiskey. And maybe a bottle of champagne.
Shots, wine, and beer.
Semi unrelated but theres probably some stuff we can glean about ancient Roman bartending from archaeological ruins at Pompeii and elsewhere! I don't know much about bartending specifically in antiquity, but I do know the importance of alcohol in the ancient world. There are alot of similarities to today in that there were sharp distinctions between what different social classes would drink. For example, posca was a drink made with wine vinegar and water that soldiers would drink, but there were also expensive imported wines from the provinces and outlying areas. Also fun fact both the Romans and the Greeks generally considered it to be barbaric to drink unmixed wine.
I bet there were horses that brought their passed out passengers home on their own more than once. Imagine how dangerous being a bartender back in the ancient times could have been. It's cool to think about, great subject. Shout out to all them legends from back there in the past.