Why Cocktail Hour is back with a twist

Renewed interest abounds with more time and less alcohol

Photo by Proriat Hospitality on Unsplash

There is some debate as to who invented ‘cocktail hour,’ the British or Americans? A 1958 New York Times article concluded that cocktail hour became an institutionalised part of American life on 5th December, 1933, when the 21st Amendment made alcohol legal again. It’s unlikely, given the country which invented gin and tonic was of course the British. Our leisurely aristocracy came up with the smart idea for socially acceptable early ‘refreshments’ before supper in the 1920s.

Alec Waugh, (Evelyn’s not quite so famous brother) defined it well in his 1974 Esquire Magazine article. “What one needs is some kind of party that starts at half-past five, that lasts ninety minutes, at which alcohol is served, but not too much food.”

For much of the 20th century, we were less bothered about clock watching. Cocktail hour only started to disappear with our growing obsession for achievement and productivity, aided by a technological revolution.

Before Covid, who chose to go home at 5 o’clock?

Bars came up with their alternative ‘happy hour’ to try and stop us working. It was modelled on the cocktail hour but the reality was different. It was a commercial decision to reduce prices in order to snag…