British Pubs: Difference between revisions

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If the pub is open for business, the front door will be open, with another interior door closed to keep out the draft. Very old pubs may not have this airlock system and so may have the door closed, but these are relatively rare. If in doubt give the door a bit of a push.

{{smallcaps| Pub Interiors}}<br />Traditionally pubs have been split into the lounge and the bar <ref> sometimes the "Saloon" and "Public Bar" depending on where in the country you are, and no, [[~~Names~~ the Same|the Saloon will not have bat-wing doors, spittoons and gunfights]], it will have old men playing cribbage.</ref> This used to be done to keep the middle classes and working classes apart; the former would pay more for plusher seats and carpets, and the latter would make do with cheaper beer but bare floors. Over time, this altered to the point where the bar was just as comfortable, so that the only real difference is that the lounge would have a juke box or pool table, or other games. These days very few pubs bother to make the distinction, and there will certainly not be any difference in prices between the two rooms -- if, indeed, the two rooms have not been knocked into one. <ref> although be warned: gratuitous and obtrusive swearing in the lounge bar will often be frowned upon in pubs of a certain traditional type; if the lounge bar atmosphere seems more restrained than that of the bar, and if there is any doubt, exercise caution.</ref>

{{smallcaps| Pub Interiors}}<br />Traditionally pubs have been split into the lounge and the bar <ref> sometimes the "Saloon" and "Public Bar" depending on where in the country you are, and no, [[Name's the Same|the Saloon will not have bat-wing doors, spittoons and gunfights]], it will have old men playing cribbage.</ref> This used to be done to keep the middle classes and working classes apart; the former would pay more for plusher seats and carpets, and the latter would make do with cheaper beer but bare floors. Over time, this altered to the point where the bar was just as comfortable, so that the only real difference is that the lounge would have a juke box or pool table, or other games. These days very few pubs bother to make the distinction, and there will certainly not be any difference in prices between the two rooms -- if, indeed, the two rooms have not been knocked into one. <ref> although be warned: gratuitous and obtrusive swearing in the lounge bar will often be frowned upon in pubs of a certain traditional type; if the lounge bar atmosphere seems more restrained than that of the bar, and if there is any doubt, exercise caution.</ref>

As described above, pubs will generally have a more relaxed, comfortable, worn-in atmosphere compared to trendy bars.

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Cider is treated much the same way beer is, though ordering / drinking it can also result in light-hearted mockery and questioning of masculinity by beer-drinkers. Do not take this personally, as the beer-drinkers are just trying to compensate for their lower alcohol-content. Perry (a.k.a. Pear Cider), on the other hand, really is a girly drink.

In [[The West Country]] Cider is, or at least was, the traditional drink of choice, and as a result you are far more likely to see a good selection of Cider in [[The West Country]] and Cornwall than elsewhere. West Country Pubs are also more likely to stock Scrumpy and [[Blatant Lies|interesting and pleasant cider aficionados who will be more than willing to chat to you]] and who are [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|most certainly not all mad toothless old men who may or may not be part of some strange mutant race of cider-fuelled west-country owl-people bent on our destruction and/or the collecting of vintage traction engine memorabilia.]] Scrumpy is a cloudy, low-carbonation Cider of around 6-8.5% alcohol by volume, and the combination of high alcohol content and citric acid does strange things to your [[Gargle Blaster|mind,]] [[Arson Murder and Jaywalking|teeth]] and [[Brown Note|bowels]] if taken in over-large amounts: the “Scumble” in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books is loosely based on his memories of real Scrumpy when he was growing up in the west country. Try it though, it's fun.

In [[The West Country]] Cider is, or at least was, the traditional drink of choice, and as a result you are far more likely to see a good selection of Cider in [[The West Country]] and Cornwall than elsewhere. West Country Pubs are also more likely to stock Scrumpy and [[Blatant Lies|interesting and pleasant cider aficionados who will be more than willing to chat to you]] and who are [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|most certainly not all mad toothless old men who may or may not be part of some strange mutant race of cider-fuelled west-country owl-people bent on our destruction and/or the collecting of vintage traction engine memorabilia.]] Scrumpy is a cloudy, low-carbonation Cider of around 6-8.5% alcohol by volume, and the combination of high alcohol content and citric acid does strange things to your [[Gargle Blaster|mind,]] [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|teeth]] and [[Brown Note|bowels]] if taken in over-large amounts: the “Scumble” in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books is loosely based on his memories of real Scrumpy when he was growing up in the west country. Try it though, it's fun.

There is also the matter of Snake-Bite: a combination of beer, cider and blackcurrant cordial that looks girly but will do more liver-damage than the sum of its parts. Needless to say it is quite a bit more popular these days than by any rights it should be.