Lighting in Beer Bars/Restaurants

Everyone looks better under low lighting

 

I like looking at my beer, so I tend to like it a bit brighter in a bar than most people do.

 

The Oxford Bar in Edinburgh (Scotland) always sticks out in my mind as being very well-lit (not in a good way, although I do love the place). Drunk people look better in the dark.

 

yeah, the lighting is for mood ... not to hide cleanliness ...

no one wants to walk around in a bar or club with full lights blaring.

now you can still have a darker establishment and use proper lighting to point downwards at the bars, tables, to give the adequate lighting they need, while not being too dark. but that takes thought and effort.

 

I hate this too.

So, I prefer daytime drinking at most places. Quite a few have patios and/or decent sunlight, so most of those concerns are gone.

Though not always the case, often I find better lighting at wine places so I tend to hit those if it is evening. They're also more civil/quiet, few if any TVs, etc.

 

Nothing better than spending the day in a dark bar

 

Huh? Bars are open during daylight hours too. And some even have windows.

 

So you should start day drinking. The lights are on or natural light beaming through.
But as the sun dips down so do the house lights. Low intensity lighting creates and intimate and leisurely atmosphere.

 

In the evenings, the lighting sets the mood for sure. As someone suggested, you can try day drinking with more natural lights present. Or you can do what my friend does when he's at a bar at night and bring a mini flashlight. IMO, i don't think that even helps at all.

 

You may have answered your own question

 

It needs to be pretty dark to stop you looking at your beer.

 

It creates the illusion of intimacy and ambience.

 

While many will suggest it creates a feeling of intimacy and creates a pleasant ambiance, its pretty much an American thing and in lots of countries there are lots of places to drink that have both a feeling of intimacy and a pleasant ambiance but there is not such darkened, subdued lighting as we find in most US bars. I suspect this type of lighting in the US is much more related to the ambivalence many American's have about drinking being a guilty pleasure that we should pursue privately and as much out of the sight of others as possible.

 

What Americans think that? Never really came across that...


Many reasons that could be pointed out on top of what has been said. It could be a single reason for many places, or a combination:
- For the same reason Vegas doesn't have windows in the casino with bright sunlight streaming in. You have no clue how long you have been there, so you stay longer, and have another beer. not always common but i am thinking of small bars, not the more modern, window filled establishments that are popping up.
- It signals that it is night time, a time to unwind. Ever been at dinner when it hits "that" time when the lights dim down to the next level?
- Helps you relax a little bit more after a long day of work. Staring at a computer screen under fluorescents all day then going to a brightly lit bar, not relaxing.
- combines with loud music. and the music is loud to discourage conversation, so you sit there drinking your drink, rather than slowly drinking one while talking to a friend for hours. increase consumption.
- studies have shown that people look more attractive to you when your pupils are dilated, and this is because your eyes will actually dilate more when attracted to another person. So why not create this yourself, and light the room dimly...

but in the end i am still going to push the more private and intimate factor.

 

Out of curiosity, have you spent much time in a pub in the UK or in a German or Austrian Biergarten?

 

That was my thought - what the hell kind of vampire bar are you drinking craft beer at?? Perhaps go to beer bars instead of like, raves?

 

Um... because most people like it that way. Turning the lights up so one beer geek can oggle his drink is not going to be good for business.

 

Unfortunately, no. Never made it that way across to Europe. Just the other direction to Japan.

 

ISO: Portable Beer light