Where Beer?

To my mind there are few situations that can't benefit from a cool refreshing brew, but the true home of beer is the Pub.

Lets just clarify what I mean by Pub.

Of the many types of drinking establishments, only the Pub and Tavern are real domains of beer.

I know you can get beer at a bar, and certainly many types of bars are beer bars - a dive bar is hardly the place to order a Martini, and a sports bar probably serves jugs. But a bar varies in nature - you have theme bars, vodka bars, ice bar's, wine bars. Bars often play music and don't usually serve food. Bars are night-time places and some bars don't pour beer into a glass which is a definitely faux pas... and faux pas isn't a beer word at all!

And nightclubs are something else entirely - clubs are places for dancing and frivolity and merriment for sure. Clubs are cocktails, bottled beer and maybe some wine. Clubs are about the entertainment and nightclubs, as the name implies are nighttime places too.

This isn't a criticism of either and I can confess to many a good time (and sometimes a decent brew) in both, but when considering the perfect environment to drink a beer you can't go past a Pub.

A "proper" Pub or Public House as it's shortened from, is to my mind a place where people go to drink, eat, talk and possibly listen to a little live music. Pubs serve food and are open during the day, they allow kids and outside of big cities pubs usually allow dogs. If they do have music it's secondary to conversation as the entertainment, unless the music is live (and most probably local).

A Pub may have several areas or rooms, and might even incorporate a bar. A pub has a Publican. Pubs have their origin in Roman times as Taverns - hence the similarities (though to my understanding a Tavern is likely part of a hotel, whereas a Pub is more standalone, even if some Pubs do have accommodation).

Most importantly, a Pub has Beer on tap, and if it's a good Pub it will have a good selection and if there's one thing this beer drinker loves, its a good selection!

If you want to go for a chat, for a feel of community, for relaxing and for a feed, it's a Pub you want. If you want to enjoy the best of what makes having a beer good, it's got to be a Pub.