please empty your brain below
Can't help feeling envious here. UK pubs are wonderful, even on a Friday night. Oh, I avoid the crowded ones and head only for those that have the Cask Marque and 'cellar cool' real ale (and the less trendy and triple hopped the real ale is the better). But the beer is so much better, and cheaper, than on on the convict isle and there is so much more variety. Real ale is as rare as hen's teeth here and our pubs are usually soulless affairs too. The only reason you can usually get a seat in all but the CBD trendies is that most people find them too dire and expensive to drink in.

Next time you are invited out why not tell Best Mate that you'd love to go for a drink, but you want something to blog about and suggest a better establishment? Maybe one with historical or cultural interest? Then blog about it. And forget that nasty Beck's stuff. Have a real pint for me, instead.

Antipodean | 02.08.14 - 7:50 a.m. | #

Your obviously suffering from the getting older related disease of "I can't be bothered". Slipery slope DG.

| 02.08.14 - 9:39 a.m. | #

Splodgenessabounds and the frustration of buying a beer - "Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps Please" - http://www.last.fm/music/Splodgenessabounds/_/Two+Pints+Of+Lager+And+A+Packet+Of+Crisps+Please
I used to drink in his "local" and it really did seem to take forever to be served.

Martin | 02.08.14 - 10:11 a.m. | #

Never did see the point of drinking stuff that I don't want whilst being deafened by inane monologueing pretending to be 'conversation' or pounding drum beat Muzak on a Friday - or, come to that, any other day of the week. Apparently, I'm anti-social!

B | 02.08.14 - 11:14 a.m. | #

Give me a quiet pub with a roaring fire (well, in Winter) anyday.

Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 02.08.14 - 11:16 a.m. | #

I hate pubs that are heaving full and where it's almost impossible to move without spilling someone's drink or your own. Still I'm clearly suffering from "can't be bothered syndrome" given how rarely I frequent pubs - barely a handful of times a year these days.

PC | 02.08.14 - 2:37 p.m. | #

Coopers Old. Best beer in Oz; mysteriously not available on this side of the planet.

Have one for me!

Roehamster | 02.08.14 - 3:59 p.m. | #

Why not choose a pub you like and be the one to issue the invitation?

Sarah | Homepage | 02.08.14 - 4:45 p.m. | #

A few pubs have the busy times down to a fine art.

Usually, and I don't know why, the folk serving are from overseas. Ireland and Australia spring to mind. In such pubs the busy times give them a chance to exhibit a mastery of the pulled pint whilst managing long queues with virtuosity.

I'm less sure about these bottled beers though, preferring something from a cask or delivered with gravity.

rashbre | Homepage | 02.08.14 - 5:03 p.m. | #

Perhaps going to the pub is somewhat over-rated. I guess it all maybe depends on why one goes.

Grumpy Anon | 02.08.14 - 10:36 p.m. | #

@ Roehamster - Coopers Old? There is no such beastie. There's Coopers Stout if this is what you mean? Or there is a NSW beer called Tooheys Old? The most popular Coopers is Coopers Red, a sparkling ale that is best from the bottle, because it is (or was, I haven't checked recently) bottle conditioned. The correct way to serve is to roll the bottle along the bar first, and then do one single pour into a glass.

Of the commercially brewed beers in Oz Coopers almost anything wins hands down, although the Squire range isn't bad. There are a lot of boutique breweries around that are OK too - but basically the beer here is fizzy, served far too cold and of a limited range of flavours.

Antipodean | 03.08.14 - 8:05 a.m. | #

Isn't it about time busy pubs offered phone apps so we can order our rounds from where we stand and have them delivered? We go there to socialise - how many man-hours do we spend queueing and stressing?

mikey2gorgeous | 04.08.14 - 8:27 a.m. | #

@ Mikey - my local coffee shop near my train station does this. You can order in advance and grab your hit on the way to the station!

On the other hand, whilst touring an extensive castle ruin recently we overheard a young male American tourist say 'How are you supposed to find your way around without an app? This place needs an app!!!" ... so I am conscious that apps can be too overused ad over-expected!

Antipodean | 04.08.14 - 10:06 a.m. | #

Fully sympathise, DG. I'm something of a beer and pub enthusiast (and blogger) and even I do my utmost to avoid the pub at the busy times, like Friday eves. It's just not worth the stress. Then again, I'm utterly immune to social pressure - simply don't have that gene.

Actually earlier in the week can be really nice, if you find the right place. Less temptation to spend loads too.

Steve | 04.08.14 - 6:48 p.m. | #











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