The Bar Journal

Bars are the most friendly and welcoming spots to switch off from work, relax and meet friends or new people over (a few) drinks. But looking at specific bar categories which have grown out of peculiar social histories and drinking trends, what’s your favourite type of bar?

Ice bar

If you really like the cold, then you will definitely visit an ice bar! The first Ice bar originated in Jukkasjärvi (northern Sweden) in 1994 as part of a big hotel complex. The idea of sipping drinks from ice glasses while seated on ice chairs, became a characteristic of Scandinavia where the environmental conditions easily favour ice creations and architecture. However, today you can find icebars from Stockholm to Tokyo, from Amsterdam to Dubai, from Ciudad de Mexico to New Delhi: across the years the concept has developed as a fancy trend based on the magical atmosphere created by freezing temperatures, ice walls, ice sittings, ice tables and ice sculptures combined with colourful lights. Although not all ice bars offer completely ice items, however, the ‘cool’ experience is worth a try! If you are planning to taste a slice of northern Sweden’s polar magic, consider a 45 minutes visit to the Icebar Stockholm: here the constant temperature of -5°C preserves the different installations made of ice from the local Torne river. 

Speakeasy 

Even those unfamiliar with the drink industry, might have heard the term ‘speakeasy’ in reference to bars. Born during the prohibition years in the U.S.(1920s)  these drinking venues were created to bootleg and consume alcohol in private, unlicensed barrooms called “speakeasies” for how low you had to speak the “password” to gain entry. Fancy clubs with jazz bands and dance floors, but also rooms inside apartments, basements and creepy backrooms provided a venue to avoid the ban on liquor and overcome the segregation of men and women in public spaces. 

Here bootleggers used to mix whiskey, gin and other liquors with water to obtain bigger quantities to sell illegally, whereas bad whiskeys or ‘bathtub gins’ were combined with ginger ale, Coca-Cola, lemon, sugar, mint, fruit juices and other flavours to cover the low-quality taste. 

Creating the prototype of the very first cocktails, speakeasies unintentionally provided an interesting ground for professional bartendering and even issued membership cards to identify the true paying members.

Thanks to ‘speakeasies’ old social and gender barriers were finally broken but the consequences of organised crime and smuggling alcohol lasted until the end of Prohibition in 1934. 

Today the revival of ‘speakeasies’ aims at creating a different experience for people who want to discover the thrill of secret places intentionally hidden from the public eye. These hard-to-find venues are accessible through anonymous alleyways and secret passwords, they sit behind unremarkable iron gates and their dark interior preserves the mystery of the environment. For example, when you find yourself in the old centre of Barcelona, you will definitely enjoy a hide-and-seek search in El Borb barrio; look for a freezer door at the back of a pastrami shop: behind it you will find the Paradiso! 

Tiki Bar 

Among the most exceptional bars internationally recognised, Tiki bars definitely offer a special escape: have you ever wondered how it feels to be on a tropical beach, surrounded by palm trees and coconuts while drinking a fresh cocktail with a colourful umbrella while being in the center of a busy urban landscape? 

Well, you might enjoy a visit to a Tiki Bar where the exotic decor and cocktail selection reflect the ideal atmosphere of a Caribic or South Pacific island! In fact, the first bar was opened in L.A. in 1934 after the idea of Don the Beachcomber (Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt) to create a space where to disconnect from the world and experience the warm sentimental feeling of distant tropical cultures. Mai Tai, Zombie, Pina Colada and any rum-based cocktails typically represent the exotic style of Tiki bars which became particularly popular in the sixties also thanks to the Trader Vic’s upscale hotel-based franchise. Tiki cocktails’ flavours and visual appeal were initially combined with maritime styles, tribal music and images to appease Americans’ taste for fictional paradise; but with the turn of the 21st century, concerns of cultural appropriation made the drink industry aware of other cultures’ symbols and beliefs. Originally tiki venues were visited by people who wanted to disconnect from World War II or the Cold War, but today for us, tiki bars are the perfect place to disconnect from technology. In line with a mindful and respectful drinking culture, the London-based Laki Kane invites you to a complete tropical escape where you can enrich your tiki cocktails (and food!) with professional tasting and masterclasses: enjoy your tropical escape, beach-lovers! 

High Volume Cocktail Bar 

If you are looking for a rich selection of amazing cocktails, you might want to visit High Volume Cocktail Bars: these large scale establishments are recognised across the globe not only for their quantities but rather for their quantity-quality balance, inventiveness and speed. These venues can be classy establishments driving new credibility and challenging old perceptions, they promote a stylish atmosphere to offer an entire drinking experience, rather than the drinking itself. High Volume bars can be organised in separate bar-rooms with copious seating space, or with a very long bar surmounted by hundreds of bottles at the back. Here the cocktail menus may feature both an array of signature drinks, seasonal mixes, twists on classic cocktails and a selection of sharing punch bowls.

Take for example the unique bar Freni e Frizioni in Rome: the original street cocktail bar was born in place of a former mechanic’s workshop, with the aim to reintroduce the Aperitivo trend only known in big grand hotel bars. Next to the artistic creativity of the space, you will be amazed to admire the incredible skills of the bartenders who prepare as many delicious cocktails in ‘quattro e quattro, otto!’ (‘in less than no time’)!

Aperitivo Bar

What a better opportunity to conclude our short bar tour than introducing the Aperitivo Bar category? The Italian tradition of aperitivo goes back to the ‘gustatio’, a custom of the ancient Romans who used to have salty snacks and sweet wines before the start of a dinner banquet. Developing as part of the rich gastronomic and drinking culture of the country, in the 18th century the Aperitivo was officially introduced in the northern region of Piemonte with the aim to ‘aprire’, that is ‘open’ your appetite. Aperitivo Bars have gained a lot of attention particularly in the last decades for their simple but clever combination of low-ABV beverages and small traditional Italian nibbles: Vermouth-based drinks, Martini cocktails, Spritz, and Negroni are the signatures of this category but the aperitivo industry is rediscovering a selection of flavours such as Rosolio, different non-alcoholic drinks or simple Bitters. 

Without any doubt, one of the most interesting Aperitivo venues is Dante in New York City: founded in 1915 as Caffè Dante in Greenwich Village, the place was a bar and caffè first frequented by Italian immigrants and later visited by famous writers, celebrities and musicians. Do not forget: Aperitivo bars provide exquisite drinks with delicious starters but on top of everything, it is the social moment that makes it savour!

Have you found your favourite bar category? If not yet, expect another cultural bar tour in our next episode!

Salute!