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.
******** to the money, pubs are fantastic.