Celebrating World Bartender Day • February 24th
A magician, a therapist, a mind reader, a creative director, a friend, an entertainer, an artist, a chemist, a philosopher – all that, and more, is concentrated in just one person: The bartender!
As we raise our glasses on World Bartender Day, let's toast to the individuals who turn a simple drink into an extraordinary experience! While sipping a delicious Parson gin cocktail, we're taking a brief walk through the chronicles of one of the oldest crafts in the world.
The history of bartending reaches far back, spanning several thousand years into the past. Attitudes toward bartenders and their status have undergone drastic changes over the years – from being perceived as ordinary tavern keepers to becoming an admired and highly respected profession. From ancient Greece and Rome to medieval Europe, alcoholic beverages were mixed and served on various occasions, playing a crucial role in social gatherings. These early mixtures were quite different from what we recognize as cocktails today. The first cocktail is believed to have been created in the mid-1800s. A few decades later, the first guide to bartending and mixed drinks in history was published by Jeremiah “Jerry” Thomas, an American bartender known as the ‘father of mixology.’ This publication marked a true milestone, beginning the golden age of cocktails when the modern cocktail culture emerged, and the number of skilled bartenders significantly increased. It was an era that produced iconic cocktails such as the Martini and Old Fashioned. However, the renaissance didn’t last long. In 1920, the era of Prohibition began, bringing a ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages. But what’s forbidden is even sweeter, right? Bartenders and bar owners had to find creative ways to abide by the law, so they started to produce and serve illicit drinks in hidden places, the so-called ‘speakeasies’. The concept of speakeasies is popular even today, providing some old-school, mysterious vibe to cocktail lovers.
The post-Prohibition time was the era of experimentation, innovation, and further development of the cocktail culture.
Fast forward to modern times:
The evolution of bartending was strongly impacted by technology and the internet, enabling easier, faster exchange of knowledge and ideas. Modern media is nowadays a key factor for gaining popularity, worldwide recognition, and even fame for the most exposed bartenders.
In the forefront, several prominent trends are noticeable in mixology. Among them are a focus on the cocktail experience and the innovative presentation of cocktails, the trend of creating modern twists on classic cocktails, creative molecular mixology, and a growing demand for low-alcohol and non-alcoholic cocktails, also known as mocktails.
As we embrace the ever-evolving world of mixology, let each crafted cocktail be a toast to the enduring legacy of bartending—a blend of tradition and innovation. Cheers!