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Recap: what is a bar for and is there a place for flairing in "great bars?

So I had this discussion on LinkedIn; which boldly proclaims the end of exhibition flair.
And there is one group member, who especially praises flair bartending as the one solution for everything...

What I though realized is, that we are talking about a completely different bar.
I am talking about "my" future bar - the craft bar. Which catches up with other clinary venues. Which is grown up and responsible. Artisan I would say.
And he is talking about a bar, which accidentally evolved from the past - located in the US, styled after a neighborhood watery hole. His bar can be located in a posh hotel or in a corner of a road of a worker's neighborhood - but it is more characterized by the attitude: rash, loud, people drink to have fun, sexist and obvious.

Which bar is the bar of the future?
Well,  both bars will be possible to find for quite a long time from now on. But people become more refined, more responsible, more aware of consequences. My discussion partner mentions bikini parties as a proven way for a promotion on his website. I think, that this is a rather bad idea...

Maybe you can still get away with such a (business) approach in the US - maybe young people there are still so naïve. This is not my point of view, but his...

Are bars fundamentally different than restaurants?
My point is no- what is yours?
But then good restaurants are relying on good food and not on gaudy performances. can't a bar focus on good drinks! without looking <quote> Stuffy, old, boring?

I usually have a different point of view... What is yours?

Comments

  1. Not being part of the LinkedIn discussion, so maybe my points have already been brought up by someone, but anyway:
    How do you define flair bartending? Busty bimbos and ripped jocks throwing around bottles and ice cubes. That would be out of place in a classic American Bar. But the bartender who uses his tools in fluid motions, pouring wide arches. What about your beautiful Japanese jiggers, dash bottles, fancy glass ware? None of these is necessary for making outstanding world class drinks. But presentation (including the preparation) is part of the value the bar adds to the drink and by the power of imagination (a very powerful tool as we know) will make the drink better.

    To sum it up: Flair bartending adds to the customer's bar experience - but what it looks like depends on the type of the bar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous [could you please stop to post anonymous? Please?],
      yes it was discussed in the linkedin group. And to be honest I am a big supporter of work-flair [this is how you would call the skill of using the bar equipment and space to impress without doing unnecessary bogus. I love the videos of City Space Bar in Moscow, which exactly showcases this.
      However my rather concern is "Exhibition Flair" - which in my eyes just loses.

      Delete

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