Bars change with the times
By Rachel Cox
Commentary

For all those of you out there who are 21, you may have wondered the history of what may be your favorite locale — the Quintessential Bar.

Yes, it has been around since before America was even given its name. It has withstood many changes and obstacles, which at one point had us worried about its extinction.

Just as the history of this nation began, so began the alcohol consumption of America. When the Puritan settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony dropped anchor in 1630, twelve gallons of distilled spirits, ten thousand gallons of beer, and one-hundred twenty hogsheads of brewing malts arrived with them, thus allowing the tradition of countries abroad to be filtered into the culture of America.

Alcohol was an everyday occurrence to many of the people of this time. Young boys were smoking during their pre-teen years, making it that much easier to start up drinking. Women were commonly known to be regular drinkers, and it was not out of the question to have a huge chew of tobacco in one side of her mouth as she lead her day-to-day duties as a housewife and a mother. And as for the men, it was just like clockwork. They would come in from a long day of work and naturally want a relaxing release in liquid form.

Soon following these habits, many men noticed that they were following the same behavioral patterns, so they created the one place they all could enjoy each other’s company and relax at the same time. That place was the saloon. By the 1800’s saloons had popped up all over the United States. It was during this time that we experienced the consequences of a “good cheap whiskey,” and one of highest increases in alcohol consumption. As the population was booming, more and more people began to flock to saloons in search of a cheap way to distill their spirits, all while enjoying a game of poker with friends.

As times moved on, so did the types of drinks being sold in the bars of America. In 1806, the first “cocktail,” was introduced to the world. This new concoction of alcoholic beverages offered consumers a little flare from the same old beer and whiskey that had been previously sold for many years. Even though the cocktail has been sold in bars of the United States for more than a century, there still remains controversy of just exactly why and where this drink came to have it’s name. The drink, which at first only contained alcohol, sugar, water, ice and fruit, has a few stories trying to lead to the exact name origin of the cocktail.

Some believe it got it’s name from England. Mixed breed horses’ tails used to be docked, or “cocktailed,” in order to separate them from the thoroughbreds.

Another version of the origin rose during the War of Independence in the U.S. It states that Betsy Flannigan, owner of a guest house that housed officers of Washington and Lafayette’s armies, once prepared a meal from chicken that was stolen from her English neighbor. Then to celebrate her victory, she decorated the glasses with the feathers of the poor dead bird. Her French guests toasted for her honor by shouting, “Vive le cocktail!” Even though it will probably never truly be decided where and when it came about, this drink has changed American bars forever.

In America today, the bar business is one of many risks. “The Red Goose,” run by TCU alumna Terri Brown, has been a successful business that the owner says she is “glad she took the chance on.”

Brown said more than half of the bars that are opened in America are usually not a success and fail within the first year.

“That is just something that makes you want success even more,” said Brown, who faced the busy lifestyle, learned responsibility and made many sacrifices to make it to the top.

The bar has come a long way from it’s beginning as an early-American saloon. These changes have come with the changing society and cultural aspects of America. America will keep moving on into the future and soon the bar we know today will be totally different than that of tomorrow’s.

However, the “American Bar,” will be part of our society forever.