Home Cocktail Hour – Where did you go?

Like Ed Sheeran and the Mini-Cooper, we owe the invention of Cocktail Hour to our British friends.  Alec Waugh, a British writer, explained the concept this way -- “What one needs is some kind of a party that starts at half-past five that lasts ninety minutes, at which alcohol is served, but not too much food.”

Having become popular in Britain in the early 20th century, the Cocktail Hour then crossed the pond and took root in America.  In the 1950s, when the workday actually ended around 5pm, the working stiff would come home from a long day at the office.   Before dinner, he’d drop some ice cubes into a cocktail glass and start unwinding. 

One would think that this moment of transition from work to home would be even more important now.

In that long-ago, pre-internet, pre-iPhone era, the work day used to end when you left the office.  Nowadays, in our always on culture, we can’t disconnect.   We’re working all the time – the day shift, the night shift and even the graveyard shift if you’re really trying to be a hero. Work seems to stalk you through your devices.

Though technology has advanced at warp speed, we’re still all just humans with the very human need to just slow it all down and relax. It’s important to take the time to fully embrace the transition from office to home and give ourselves a well-deserved break.

So, we say hang up your ID badge, turn off your Slack notifications, and enjoy a little cocktail hour before transitioning to the evening ahead.

Here are some ways to make the most out of Home Cocktail Hour:

• Love Your Glass. The kind of glass you choose can affect the taste of your drink. But for us, the most important thing is that the glass you choose signals to you that it’s time to relax. People have a favorite coffee mug.  Why not a go-to cocktail glass?  This could be your favorite old-fashioned or coupe glass.
• Ice Ice Baby. We love using big ice cubes for our drinks. The size slows the melting process and the dissolution of your drink, preserving the taste of your cocktail. You want to slow down this moment and really savor your drink.  Not to mention, it can make you feel like a baller.
• Keep it simple. Having a cocktail should be easy and not something that stresses you out.  Any drink that takes a bunch of steps to complete is not what you need right now. Leave that for the weekend when you’ve got the time. For now, grab that bottle of gin and add some tonic.  Or, better yet, waste no time prepping and grab one of our bottled cocktails. 

We think reawakening this ritual is important. As Joseph Campbell said, when you enact a ritual, “your consciousness is being reminded of the wisdom of your own life.” And who couldn’t use a little more wisdom in their life?

We’re bringing back the Home Cocktail Hour. Come join us.