| Have you ever noticed how fully ingrained into our | | | | and the bar functions only to fill drink orders from |
| culture is the alcohol serving establishment we call a | | | | the dining patrons. Some owners have invested in |
| "bar"? A recent listing of those small businesses | | | | expensive brew equipment and have expanded their |
| classified as "bars" from a small business information | | | | establishments into "micro breweries" and proudly |
| firm listed over 76,500 just in the United States. | | | | serve their own list of beer. |
| Compare this with an estimated 40,000 McDonald's | | | | Because drinking, by itself, is not all that exciting |
| worldwide. It seems that we certainly like our | | | | most bars offer some additional entertainment to |
| beverages more than our hamburgers. | | | | keep their customers from being bored. The most |
| Even if you are experienced in home beer brewing | | | | traditional form of entertainment is music. The earliest |
| chances are that you have spent some time in a bar. | | | | saloons and taverns in pre-revolutionary America |
| The place we call a bar has many other names as | | | | offered music and communal singing. When the |
| well. In the U.K, they are called "pubs" (short for | | | | country began to grow and move west, the tavern |
| "public room"). Other names include taproom, saloon, | | | | went along and was soon called a saloon. By either |
| or tavern. In prohibition America, bars became known | | | | name, they offered music to the cowboys and ranch |
| as "speakeasies" most likely because customers could | | | | hands as they drowned their thirst. |
| "speak easily" about drinking without government | | | | In these early days, you could also entertain yourself |
| interference. | | | | with playing cards or one of many table games such |
| The term "bar" itself comes from the long counter in | | | | as craps. These games were often run by the |
| each location used as a platform to serve drinks | | | | establishment and, just like today, the odds favored |
| from. Since there is one in virtually every location | | | | the house. As competition increased, other games |
| serving alcoholic drinks, the term has become applied | | | | were added to bring in customers such as billiards, |
| to the place itself. This bar also serves to separate | | | | pool, darts, and bowling. |
| the area used for storing the beverages from the | | | | Over the years, local regulations forced bars to give |
| customers. The area behind the bar where the | | | | up most of these more interesting diversions, but |
| bartenders work is known as the "back bar" or the | | | | billiards, pool, and darts continue to be neighborhood |
| "gantry". It is in this area where liquor, wine, and beer | | | | bar staples to this day. |
| bottles are often displayed on glass shelves with | | | | Music has also survived and almost all bars now have |
| back lighting so they are more easily seen in the dim | | | | some form of music, either recorded, or live, or both. |
| ambient light. | | | | Some also have small dance floors for the more |
| Almost all bars have a number of high stools along | | | | adventuresome and others have moved full time into |
| the bar for their patrons to rest in comfort while | | | | music by increasing the size of the dance floors to |
| they refresh themselves. There is often a foot rail | | | | the point where they are more correctly termed |
| attached to the bottom of the bar installation for | | | | "nightclubs". In these places the dancing and music |
| customers to place their feet on if they choose. | | | | are the most important part of the experience and |
| Many also provide booths, or tables with chairs, or | | | | the drinks are almost secondary. |
| both to provide a more intimate area for friends to | | | | The owners and managers of a bar will go to great |
| gather and converse semi privately. | | | | lengths to decide what type of clientele they are |
| Beyond these similarities, bars vary widely in types of | | | | trying to attract and will decorate their |
| refreshments offered. Some will serve a limited menu | | | | establishments accordingly. |
| of food from a small attached kitchen. Others have | | | | Regardless of your personal taste in decorations, or |
| developed their food service to the point that the | | | | in beverages, there is a bar out there just for you. |
| restaurant is the dominate part of the establishment | | | | |
