What beer ya drinking tonight?

[pawnshopmike]

@Mikeq @Bipeguy03
School is in session!

 

[Mikeq]

This is hilarious. 9000 year lease! Told you they build em to last.

That was funny...I like Conan and still think he got the NBC shaft big time.. Damn now I want to tour the brewery...Not sure I will ever pull a Guinness from a keg but if I do I'll remember the six steps.

I've been to 50+ pubs accross England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. And I've drank 100's of pints. Never once have I been served a warm beer. That is mainly a London thing I think and I've never been to London. Nor do I care too. I like the quite country side and the small towns and villages.

As far as the coke/ice delemia, best advise I can give to anyone traveling to the UK (or any foreign country for that matter), don't go there and expect it to be the USA. And why would you? If you want an American experience its much cheaper to just stay in the States.
One thing you have to realize when you go to the UK, almost every building you set foot in is older than our country. Over the centuries they have done their best to integrate modern conviences into there businesses and homes. So if you are at a pub and they don't serve ice with their coke, good chance is they don't have a large commercial ice maker. One because they don't have the space (guess they never thought of it 300 years ago when they were building the kitchen) and if they have the room, running plumbing and wiring through 1 or 2 foot thick stone walls is a bitch.
And forget about posh plush bathrooms. Expect to see a lot of exposed plumbing and dated fixtures. Cause like I said, they didn't plan for it hundreds of years ago. One thing about the UK, and most of Europe for that matter, they build stuff to last. Here in the states we think nothing of tearing down shopping malls and rebuilding them every 25 or 30 years. Not so in the UK. Don't get me wrong, they do build new stuff. Which is we're you'll find your modern conviences. But it's very unusual for them to tear down old to build new. It literly takes years for places like Asda (Wal-Mart) to get council approval to build a new shopping center. Lots and lots of planning goes into any new venture over there.

You are right and I never thought about it that way...regarding the old buildings that's pretty much the way Tim described his experience. He said he was awed by the fact many of these places looked exactly the same throughout history. Sounds like you were in Europe for a while...maybe someday I'll get my chance to go..

 

[Mikeq]

@Mikeq @Bipeguy03
School is in session!

Man I don't know if I can wait 5 seconds to pour...in beer terms that's an eternity....LOL Well I've been educated on the Guinness experience...still am perplexed on the blandness from sitting in the can too long...maybe they need to do a born-on-date like some of our domestics do..having never drank one fresh it's hard to understand...it's like a coke that's gone flat?

 

[pawnshopmike]

Man I don't know if I can wait 5 seconds to pour...in beer terms that's an eternity....LOL Well I've been educated on the Guinness experience...still am perplexed on the blandness from sitting in the can too long...maybe they need to do a born-on-date like some of our domestics do..having never drank one fresh it's hard to understand...it's like a coke that's gone flat?

Kinda I guess. It's hard to put into words. I'm sure some of it is ambiance. Sitting around a 300 year old pub drinking a 300 year old recipe. You're just going to have to go and see for yourself!

 

[Mikeq]

Okay I got it...it's like the real thing or an inflatable doll...got it

.....LOL atmosphere does make the difference!

 

[pawnshopmike]

You are right and I never thought about it that way...regarding the old buildings that's pretty much the way Tim described his experience. He said he was awed by the fact many of these places looked exactly the same throughout history. Sounds like you were in Europe for a while...maybe someday I'll get my chance to go..

One of the places I've been too that really blows my mind is Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. The same family have been living in the same house for 800 years! The 30th Cheif of the Clan McLeod still lives in it today. Can you imagine? That's 3 times older than our country and they've been living in the same house. Mind boggling.

http://www.dunvegancastle.com/content/default.asp

Ya, I've had friends in Scotland for about 20 years. Newcastle England as well. We've been over there 3 different times and they've been here many times.

 

[Mikeq]

One of the places I've been too that really blows my mind is Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. The same family have been living in the same house for 800 years! The 30th Cheif of the Clan McLeod still lives in it today. Can you imagine? That's 3 times older than our country and they've been living in the same house. Mind boggling.

Ya, I've had friends in Scotland for about 20 years. Newcastle England as well. We've been over there 3 different times and they've been here many times.

I can't imagine....Geez they must still do arranged marriages. Used to when I said or heard the word antiquity it made me think of ancient Rome now I need only look to Europe...that is a long time. Some things can't truly be understood through books or pictures you really have to experience it first hand.

 

[pawnshopmike]

I can't imagine....Geez they must still do arranged marriages. Used to when I said or heard the word antiquity it made me think of ancient Rome now I need only look to Europe...that is a long time. Some thinks can't truly be understood through books or pictures you really have to experience it first hand.

Yes sir. If and when you ever travel abroad, embrace the local culture and it will embrace you.
Don't do like some and complain because your coke didn't come with ice. I'm not even sure why someone would travel half way around the world and buy a coke anyway?! You're in the UK, get an Irn-Bru.

 

[Bipeguy03]

@Bipeguy03 @Mikeq
I really hope that at some point in your lives you make it to a British pub for a pint of Guinness. Only then will you truly know how great Guinness really is. The stuff they ship us across the pond is flat, bland and lifeless compared to the real deal.

I would do anything to get to visit Ireland, My great-great Grandfather came across from Ireland when he was a teen and I think it would be just awesome for a McCormick to go back 3 generations removed.

Talked to the owner of a local convenient store today, (where I get my Guinness in bottles) and he told me he would start stocking a couple cases of widget cans for me.

 

[pawnshopmike]

I would do anything to get to visit Ireland, My great-great Grandfather came across from Ireland when he was a teen and I think it would be just awesome for a McCormick to go back 3 generations removed.

Talked to the owner of a local convenient store today, (where I get my Guinness in bottles) and he told me he would start stocking a couple cases of widget cans for me.

Yes is right! Woot!