How many of you have?

[Arcs]

Surprisingly I will be going to the pub every other week. But not locally as they only stock the usual trub that belongs in a pigs trough. Places like the ship and mitre in Liverpool city centre I will go to just to try new beers - after all, I don't have the time nor money to brew t hem all =)

 

[phildo79]

The selection in my local hasn't changed since it opened in 1997. And no, I am not joking. This bothered me less when Guinness was actually nice and they were once awarded the stature (by Guinness) of the best pint of G in two counties. However, now the G might as well be a pint of iced water, it is so bloody cold and flavourless. I have a pub a hundred yards from my front door and very little reason to frequent it.

The city centre is different. I can hop on a train (also at my doorstep) and be there in ten mins. I tend to try and only go to pubs that I know have something to offer above the normal shyte. But I am going in on Wednesday night to meet a mate and I know for a fact he will only go somewhere that sells Carlsberg or Tennents. I will have to get my thinking cap on.

But generally speaking, I am not that bothered any more about going to pubs. The price of pints in the Belfast are shocking. I think the most expensive I have heard is £6.80 for a pint of Clonmel lager... which is brewed in Ireland FFS!

 

[Maxonian]

I have early morning starts for work, plus young children, so I don’t frequent the local public houses anywhere near as much as I used to. The upside is, whenever I do go out, I’ve saved so much money over the years brewing my own that I never baulk at the price of a pint.

“Eight fifty you say? Don’t mind if I do!”

“Nine quid for a third? Sod it, I’ll buy two!”

Yeah, sometimes I think I could brew 20 litres plus of whatever I’m drinking for the equivalent price of the pint but a lot of the time I see crazy beers that I would never have thought to even attempt to brew. Rhubarb and custard saison? Blood orange imperial sour?! Go on then, I’ll have a stab at brewing one myself. Good pubs that stock good beer are an inspiration to me. More so now than ever that I can’t visit them as much as I used to.

I miss the tingle of anticipation when you walk in and you don’t know what beers they’ll have on. I miss the smell of a pub. The background noise of people chattering away. I miss bumping into old acquaintances or striking up a conversation with someone who’s equally as enthusiastic of the beer they’re drinking as you are. I miss pubs. I’ll keep going just to support them and make sure they never go away and remain in rude health forever and always.

Bollocks to the money, pubs are fantastic.

 

[Cwrex]

Am blessed here in Waterford with some of my all time favourite Bars (I didn't always live here!) and I intend to visit them, with my palls, when they reopen properly. Had a couple of lovely late creamy pints on Saturday - maybe a few this coming weekend?

 

[Horners]

I spend a lot of time in pubs. Lockdown has saved me a fortune as most pints in my work local are £6.50ish.

 

[Sadfield]

Yes, as there are plenty of good pubs and bars here. Also buy from bottle shops and breweries, too.

 

[moto748]

The beer is my local is terrible (but cheap). I drink the Guinness (which is fine, as Guinness goes these days). But I've missed it terribly. Pubs aren't just about the beer, or the cost thereof.

That said, a very welcome visit from my son at the weekend, and we went to two pubs in town that serve great beer, I had a rather excellent Milk Stout from a local brewery that I grumpily had to admit was nearly as good as my own stouts!

 

[phildo79]

Am blessed here in Waterford with some of my all time favourite Bars (I didn't always live here!) and I intend to visit them, with my palls, when they reopen properly. Had a couple of lovely late creamy pints on Saturday - maybe a few this coming weekend?View attachment 49077View attachment 49078

I see Tully's is doing well. Cracking pub with great rotating stock. Had some lovely pints in there. And the one facing it, John Maher's, is class. The Beamish in there is superb. Keg right under the pump. And Bernard could talk the leg off a stool. Great craic.

 

[Hudson1984]

last time I went to the pub was in a pool team, that was now 2 years ago. Some of the pubs were ok, others were terrible.

to be honest, once I finish the bar at home I can't see me increasing my pub time.
I've a better TV
better food
hopefully better beer.
company is hit or miss though

I'm intending to run monthly darts nights with a few mates. I was going to join a league but again, there's nothing enticing about a pub lately.

 

[JonathanMSE]

I go to the pub to enjoy being out. It's an enjoyable experience.

It is too expensive to do on a regular basis. But in general worth it every now and then.

However, I lived in Spain for four years. When I went out drinking with work colleagues we'd go to places the locals drink. Each round was accompanied by a tapa and for four people came to about 6-7 Euros if drinking a Spanish beer.
If we went to somewhere that served craft beers or Ales we were looking at 3-4 Euros a pint.
The only place that was truly expensive... the British and Irish pubs.

 

[Hudson1984]

I go to the pub to enjoy being out. It's an enjoyable experience.

It is too expensive to do on a regular basis. But in general worth it every now and then.

However, I lived in Spain for four years. When I went out drinking with work colleagues we'd go to places the locals drink. Each round was accompanied by a tapa and for four people came to about 6-7 Euros if drinking a Spanish beer.
If we went to somewhere that served craft beers or Ales we were looking at 3-4 Euros a pint.
The only place that was truly expensive... the British and Irish pubs.

yeah I think if I had the spanish way of drinking anywhere close i'd be all over it. I'm with the rest of the views here, it's not really the money that comes into it it's being out and being able to enjoy that. That being said, if it doesn't cost alot and you get a nice beer and a bit of food that's great.

I think that's were we fall short in the UK, outside of the bigger cities the food in pubs is typically poor. Sometimes (most of the time) you don't want dinner, you want a nibble, and those nibbles are generally rubbish burgers etc.

I'd love some tapas and a beer. Sounds PERFECT!!

it's what my aim is with the home pub. Getting the pizza oven sorted, and bbq. Working on my casual menu, sort the beer out and have it all as relaxing as possible.

 

[Moe]

I still go to the pub, you can’t beat the atmosphere, socialising with friends etc.

I know you can say “invite friends over for a homebrew” but you can’t compare sitting in your kitchen/garden drinking beer (however nice it as) with a pint in the local pub, with live music or sport on the TV etc.

 

[Braufather]

A good pub is the finest invention of humanity.

 

[cushyno]

Popped down to a local pub after tonight's running club meet. Usually we'd go to a Marston's pub that is local but the service is poor and the beer variable at best.
First time I've been to the Wayfarer in Parbold, which is crazy given that I've lived only a few miles down the road for 20 years. The Wayfarer is a brew pub with its own resident brewer. A set of Covid themed beers on offer:- Isolation, Vaccine, Social Distance, plus others.
Had a pint of vaccine and isolation, and the vaccine was particularly drinkable.

These beers are different, lots of body, slight Belgian hint about them and a mild hoppy orange spiciness that I couldn't place. Very drinkable. It's got me intrigued and wanting to know more of the mash schedule and hops. Enjoyable new beers and good company. That's why it's worth supporting local boozers that do it well.

 

[Lynx Brewery]

I started brewing last summer and stopped buying beer from supermarkets last July, as soon as I’d got a big enough stock of bottles. I haven’t bought a bottle since.

I love pubs though. Now that restrictions have been relaxed, I’ve enjoyed my five “locals” and am keen to support them. The choice of real ales is less than pre-pandemic but I can still choose from over 20 different cask ales between them.

Once or twice a month, I’ll jump on a train with three pals and enjoy a day out somewhere, just visiting different pubs.

More than ever they deserve support. Use them or lose them.

 

[The Cat]

I would really miss the aspect of going out full stop.

I have cut my vists down by half at the moment but I do enjoy going to my local - life would be too samey if I just stayed at home every day.

 

[wobblywalker]

Been down our local tonite with the br'in-law,had 2/12 pints of Quantock.( Nice pint,titanium i think) not cheap but worth catching up with the locals.
Our village almost lost our only pub 4 or 5 years ago......administrators in; ***** basic beer,rubbish food all changed for the better now, even got the thumbs up from the 'Telegraph' for its food (not the menu spelling though!)
USE THEM OR LOSE THEM!
In a small comunitee it's the hub.

 

[Hudson1984]

I live in a village with no pub. We had one or two but both are pharmacies now.

town next door us a few but none are really appealing too much weatherspoons and copies.

i do agree with the use it or lose it. But I also believe they need to draw you in somehow. Long gone are the days when having beer and a dart board is enough

 

[Cestrian]

Just moved house this week and my new local has TT Landlord on hand pull amongst others and very reasonably priced. Went for a quiet night out there with the mrs at the weekend and by midnight we were having a right laugh with half the locals in the pub and people kept buying us jaeger bombs. Not my preferred tipple, but we had a great night and made some new friends in the area.

I really missed the pub during lockdown, didn’t see some mates for months on end. Ive been making home brew for over 10 years but I’ve always gone to the pub, whether it’s with my mrs or mates or both. You just need to let your hair down once in a while. These days probably only once or twice a month. it’s not about the money for me. It’s beer research at the end of the day!!