REFINED VICES

If you had a chance to start any kind of bar you wanted, what would it be like? Mine would probably be a 1920s speakeasy themed bar with a strict dresscode.

• Live music (Jazzy songs like Sing Sing Sing)
• A backroom with a special rum and whiskey selection and a chance for members to have their own barrel filled with their favorite libation.
• Smoking room furnished with diamond buttoned leather recliners. Personal humidors for members.
• Food
• Burlesque performances every weekend
• Annual Refined Vices tasting competitions.

Let loose your imagination and try to keep it atleast slightly realistic.

Tough call really. The obvious would be that there be an extensive and varied alcohol selection, preferably heavy on the whiskys, but I would also like a good beer menu as well.

As far as decor, I like dark woods and good lighting. The booze bottles should be the main decor for the bar area (which would be a proper large bar, room for at least 20 people to sit). As a non-smoker, I would prefer the whole place to be smoke-free, but I could live with a dedicated smoking area for pipes and cigars.

Whisky would be served in heavy tumblers, not these little fluted glasses I keep encountering in pubs here in Germany.

I think there should also be a dress code of some sort. No shorts or sports jerseys. Try to be a bit classier people. Men can wear hats as long as they aren't ball caps.

Music will be whatever I feel like listening to that evening, but I can imagine there being theme nights.

It would have to have some art on the walls, possibly some pencil sketches of cigars, to justify the name Drawing Room. I'd add a fireplace too because leaning on the mantelpiece with one hand with a glass in the other is sometimes required. The music should never be too loud. I vote for the dress code too and would supply a cloakroom for donning and doffing the club uniform.

If we're talking a gentlemen's type establishment...

Two standing policies: no television sets, and no loud music of any sort. The bar would be geared toward encouraging conversation and the convivial mode. If you don't feel like conversation, there are comfortable library chairs where one can digest volumes related to spirits and the like, all while quietly taking a dram.

Decor? I'm partial toward Victorian woodwork, but with a touch of classic American art deco (frosted glass, polished granite, lot's of easy-on-the-eyes backlighting and incandescents).

The menu would consist of no less than 100 rums, 100 whisk(e)ys, including bourbon, rye, Irish and of course the Single Malts. A lesser selection of brandy, calvados, upper eschelon gin. The wine list would be replaced by barleywines and lambic, in the bottle, ranging back 10-12 years in vintage. Each winter would see the a cask being tapped regularly upon the bar during evening hours.

Food: small portions of rich cuisine with Belgian and French influence: frites, steamed mussels in broth, country pate, that sort of thing. And a rotating menu of 30 different cheeses available a la carte or as a "cheese flight". Fresh rustic bread. Raw oysters on the half-shell.

Smoking is permitted in a spacious, well appointed, well ventilated lounge area where patrons can take advantage of the walk-in humidor, or can purchase one of a dozen blends from Paul Olsen A's line of pipe tobaccos.





Now, if we're talking a classy little tiki dive somewhere on the South Pacific coast, that's a different dream bar altogether.

darkwood interior, fireplace, comfortable chairs and soft lighting. Bookcases stocked with only classics, there will be no Dean Koontz.
Music, nothing post 1959, and never played too loud.
Bourbon, Scotch, Rum, Wine and Vodka. This establishment would be geared more towards the Whiskey/Whisky drinker, so expect more Bourbon and Scotch over anything else.

No Jagermeister...ever... Also, no bad mixed drinks ie. no "slippery nipples", no "sex on the beach" or anything of that sort.

and I'm also on board with a strict dress code, if you are wearing flip flops, a baseball cap, shorts of any kind, jeans, sneakers, t-shirts or anything that would fit in at a summer pool party more than a respectful drinking establishment, keep on walking, because you are not getting in.

TheBigCasino, Lawman wrote:darkwood interior, fireplace, comfortable chairs and soft lighting. Bookcases stocked with only classics, there will be no Dean Koontz.
Music, nothing post 1959, and never played too loud.
Bourbon, Scotch, Rum, Wine and Vodka. This establishment would be geared more towards the Whiskey/Whisky drinker, so expect more Bourbon and Scotch over anything else.

No Jagermeister...ever... Also, no bad mixed drinks ie. no "slippery nipples", no "sex on the beach" or anything of that sort.

and I'm also on board with a strict dress code, if you are wearing flip flops, a baseball cap, shorts of any kind, jeans, sneakers, t-shirts or anything that would fit in at a summer pool party more than a respectful drinking establishment, keep on walking, because you are not getting in.

I second the motion.

Senator Badfellow wrote:If we're talking a gentlemen's type establishment...

Two standing policies: no television sets, and no loud music of any sort. The bar would be geared toward encouraging conversation and the convivial mode. If you don't feel like conversation, there are comfortable library chairs where one can digest volumes related to spirits and the like, all while quietly taking a dram.

Decor? I'm partial toward Victorian woodwork, but with a touch of classic American art deco (frosted glass, polished granite, lot's of easy-on-the-eyes backlighting and incandescents).

The menu would consist of no less than 100 rums, 100 whisk(e)ys, including bourbon, rye, Irish and of course the Single Malts. A lesser selection of brandy, calvados, upper eschelon gin. The wine list would be replaced by barleywines and lambic, in the bottle, ranging back 10-12 years in vintage. Each winter would see the a cask being tapped regularly upon the bar during evening hours.

Food: small portions of rich cuisine with Belgian and French influence: frites, steamed mussels in broth, country pate, that sort of thing. And a rotating menu of 30 different cheeses available a la carte or as a "cheese flight". Fresh rustic bread. Raw oysters on the half-shell.

Smoking is permitted in a spacious, well appointed, well ventilated lounge area where patrons can take advantage of the walk-in humidor, or can purchase one of a dozen blends from Paul Olsen A's line of pipe tobaccos.

I like the sound of this bar and I couldn't agree with you more on 'no television sets'. I find television sets at bars or pubs are a bad thing as people often look at the TV rather than talk with friends or meet new people.

Welcome to the gentlemen's lounge, Senator and TheBigCasino.

Thanks, it's a pleasure to be here. The amount of information available in just a few short weeks of perusing the various threads, is staggering.

Gentlemen, you are after my own heart in the concept of a dream bar. Your decor and menus are very well selected.

Under the wine menu category, I would eliminate any "table" wine. God knows there are enough of those trendy wine bars serving all manner of over oaked chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon.

I would suggest fine Sauternes from France, Vin Santo from Italy, Tokaj from Hungary and Auslese (or better) from Germany along with a complete range of fine Port, Sherry and Madeira.

I tip my hat to the warm reception.




Now, if I may briefly put another spin on this dream bar. An entirely different establishment, albeit much toward the same goal.

The bar is largely open air, nestled beach side upon the South Pacific. The feel is a peculiar melange of Polynesian tiki, high class Colonial Indian and a few strange corners of the Far East. Lot's of tropical hardwoods and intricate palm thatch. Ceremonial masks next to a brass Buddha. Persian rugs. A mounted great white shark and a British safari rifle, simply to suggest the improbability of juxtaposition.

You'd be remiss to want for beer or wine here. The selection will be limited.

However, there would be an abundance of cocktails made from the finest international spirits. You'd find classic Zombies, Wonderous Punches, Mai Tai's, Ti' Punch, Planters Punch, Daquiris and the like, as well as house concoctions that take advantage of "secret ingredients" such as soju, dry sherry and mead brandy. A full arsenal of bitters, both commercial and home made, are on hand. Tropical fruit. Imported citrus. All the usual suspects.

Food? Sea food. Pig and water buffalo roasts. Spicy Thai and Indian grub. Kebobs. Fresh fried plantain chips with sea salt and vinegar. Imported Spanish cocktail nut mix.

Activities? No kareoke, old chap! We'll have skeet shooting on the beach, an extended bocce course complete with water hazards and sand traps, and certain evenings would feature readings and drunken discussion with guest authors.

I would also hire a Hemmingway impersonator to sit quietly on a corner bar stool while drinking and taking notes.

Count Silvio wrote: I like the sound of this bar and I couldn't agree with you more on 'no television sets'. I find television sets at bars or pubs are a bad thing as people often look at the TV rather than talk with friends or meet new people.

This is why certain vigilant gentlemen have been known to turn those devices off with the power of their minds being channeled through an apparatus in their keychain.

Well played good Sir!

Esteemed Senator. I find your South Seas proposal most agreeable. The only addition I can think of to complete the ensemble would be that the servers be nubile women of indigenous breed adorned simply in grass skirts.

Oh...And instead of the Hemmingway impersonator. Why don't we just dis-inter the Old Sod and prop him in the corner with a drink?

Rum Runner wrote: I would suggest fine Sauternes from France, Vin Santo from Italy, Tokaj from Hungary and Auslese (or better) from Germany along with a complete range of fine Port, Sherry and Madeira.

I forgot to include vintage Ports in my menu. Port is yet another fine drink that goes well with a cigar.

Senator Badfellow wrote: Now, if I may briefly put another spin on this dream bar. An entirely different establishment, albeit much toward the same goal.

The bar is largely open air, nestled beach side upon the South Pacific. The feel is a peculiar melange of Polynesian tiki, high class Colonial Indian and a few strange corners of the Far East. Lot's of tropical hardwoods and intricate palm thatch. Ceremonial masks next to a brass Buddha. Persian rugs. A mounted great white shark and a British safari rifle, simply to suggest the improbability of juxtaposition.

You'd be remiss to want for beer or wine here. The selection will be limited.

However, there would be an abundance of cocktails made from the finest international spirits. You'd find classic Zombies, Wonderous Punches, Mai Tai's, Ti' Punch, Planters Punch, Daquiris and the like, as well as house concoctions that take advantage of "secret ingredients" such as soju, dry sherry and mead brandy. A full arsenal of bitters, both commercial and home made, are on hand. Tropical fruit. Imported citrus. All the usual suspects.

Food? Sea food. Pig and water buffalo roasts. Spicy Thai and Indian grub. Kebobs. Fresh fried plantain chips with sea salt and vinegar. Imported Spanish cocktail nut mix.

Activities? No kareoke, old chap! We'll have skeet shooting on the beach, an extended bocce course complete with water hazards and sand traps, and certain evenings would feature readings and drunken discussion with guest authors.

I would also hire a Hemmingway impersonator to sit quietly on a corner bar stool while drinking and taking notes.

Another fine idea! You should search the Cocktail Forum for wonderful recipes for the drinks you mentioned, especially the Zombie! Pig and water buffalo roast bring water to my tongue and the Hemingway impersonator idea is gold.

Rum Runner wrote: Oh...And instead of the Hemmingway impersonator. Why don't we just dis-inter the Old Sod and prop him in the corner with a drink?

I heard he has been feeling a bit thin.

Rum Runner wrote:Esteemed Senator. I find your South Seas proposal most agreeable. The only addition I can think of to complete the ensemble would be that the servers be nubile women of indigenous breed adorned simply in grass skirts.

Indeed, sir. Indigenous nubile beauties bearing tray after tray of potent nectars.

Rum Runner wrote:Oh...And instead of the Hemmingway impersonator. Why don't we just dis-inter the Old Sod and prop him in the corner with a drink?

The poor fellow did take a shotgun to his head. That sort of prop might not sit well with the patronage, saying nothing of his Estate.

The poor fellow did take a shotgun to his head. That sort of prop might not sit well with the patronage, saying nothing of his Estate.

Upon further consideration, and a bit of sobering up, I withdraw my suggestion to dis-inter the Old Sod.

Nice bars! but mine would be entirely different..i would have a Tiki Bar..with natural materials for decoration, thatch, bamboo, stones and shells...fishlamps and carved poles..tropical plants in abundance and a waterfall. But not overmuch, genuine and tasty..

A great selection of rum and other spirits, tiki mugs and glasses as well as classical glasses. Tikidrinks in focus but also other drinks and cocktails.

A relaxed feel and no dress code..rather "come as you are" but behave well..

It would be dark, mystical, tropical..and serve fantastic drinks..