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PUBS AND DRINKING IN THEM!
Ah, Ireland, home of Guinness, the King of Stouts.
But (gasp) Guinness is not the only drink in Ireland, by far!
Other stouts do, indeed exist, as does cider, Bailey's, and of
course, the Water of Life, Whisky.
Ireland is, of course, famous for two drinks: Irish Whiskey and
Guinness Stout. Irish Whiskey is named after the Irish word for
water, which is Uiske (pronounced ISHkay), and is called the Water
of Life. Not surprisingly, drinking places, such as pubs, are
a huge part of the Irish tradition and daily life.
Guinness is its own phenomena. The Guinness tastes different
in Ireland, it's fresher, and slightly less alcoholic. The reason
for this is that for imported Guinness, the brewers put in extra
hops to ferment longer, so it doesn't get stale. When you order
a Guinness at a pub, make sure to order that first, as the proper
way to pull a pint takes a longer time than other drinks. The
latest trend in the UK and Ireland is to serve beer cold, especially
Guinness. When I was over there in 2002, the Guinness posters
all advertised 'ice cold Guinness', which was a new campaign then.
Fancy mixed drinks are still catching on in Europe, so a MaiTai
or Amaretto Sour might not be recognized as well as a Baileys
on the rocks or a pint of cider. The cider is usually on tap,
though, and highly recommended if you like drinks that are slightly
sweet.
For those that prefer sodas, the favorites are a little different.
Coca-Cola is less fizzy and has a slightly oily aftertaste - we
discovered this on our last trip. It turns out the Irish don't
care for the 'burn' that high carbonation gives, and so add a
little bit of vegetable oil to the mix. That's how it is in the
can over there. Very strange!
While more Americans traveling have alerted the Europeans that
we like ice in our drinks, don't be surprised if you have to ask
for it, and are then given one or two small cubes. Drinks such
as Iced Tea are virtually unknown over there, as well. Like I
mentioned before, don't bother with the Orange Juice - it tastes
like watered down Tang compared to our Floridian spoiled palettes.
Now, the question of drinks aside, how do you act in a typical
Irish pub? A pub is a far cry from the meat markets we call bars
in the US. They are not designed as pick-up joints, but social
gatherings. Do not be afraid to accept a drink from someone, but
be warned -- you'll be expected to pick up 'a round' later on!
If you want to be left alone, sit at your own table. If you want
to join in the conversation, sit or stand near the bar. You'll
likely be asked an opinion on some on-going conversation, especially
if you look interested. Most Irish are fairly thick-skinned, but
they LOVE a good argument.
The conversation, atmostphere, and camaraderie in a pub is called
'craic' (crack) and is present just about everywhere. The locals
tend to sing, or play, as they please. You can join in if you
know or can pick up words, but an occasionally dramatic or sad
song is listened to respectfully.
If you are ordering, you go up to the bar -- one person to a
group, please! Order any Guinness first, as that takes the longest.
Tipping per drink is unusual -- if you like, though, you can buy
one for the landlord (bartender) 'and one for yourself!'. He may
partake then and there, or later, it's up to him.
A night at an Irish pub is the stuff legends are made of -- enjoy
yourself, and DON'T drive!!!!
For travel information and advice, please choose
from the following:
ACCOMMODATION
DINING
DRIVING
FINANCE
HISTORY
GEOGRAPHY
LANGUAGE
MYTHS AND LEGENDS
PEOPLE
PHOTO GALLERY
PUBS/DRINKING
RELIGION
TRIVIA
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