Restricted sizes of drinks

 Hello again 

        I wanted to find out what you readers think about many pubs and bars - especially ones part of a chain - refusal to serve beers of a certain strength to anyone in measures of a pint or even sometimes, in two thirds?

Just to point out, I can assure you that I know and have discussed this with a number of persons who currently work behind bars in Sheffield and whom have their own opinions and reasons - so whilst I find it frustrating - and sometimes nonsensical - I do at least understand the logic applied - which I will try and set out below.

The principal reasoning seems to be based on managers/owners and staff being concerned - and knowledgable of - the affect that large quantities of beer at 8, 9 or 10%, often has. A good example being a guy who said he wasnt happy serving pints of 8% cider, because cider affects drinkers differently, and is well known for "removing the legs". I also realise that this does not apply to all cider drinkers, however.......

Sadly - and I would hope not in my personal case - am aware that pints of drinks such as DIPAs and TIPAs in such circumstances can also cause people to become argumentative and in some cases aggressive. In which case, clearly, the employer needs to consider the safety of their employees. And then, one could also argue that being blithely assessed as being unable to acceptably handle a strong ale, could in itself contribute to argumentative behaviour of the customer?

I am well aware that I sometimes unwisely choose to drink one too many strong drinks but am fully confident that I would accurately be assessed as being capable or not of supping another pint - which is why the automatic restriction on purchases is needlessly frustrating - arguably because that assessment is not always accurate.

Am not in anyway criticsing bar staff either - as a regular last Friday before Christmas drinker I have seen many completely inexcusable behaviours towards persons just doing their jobs, which is  unacceptable. However, arguably, the introduction of these pre arranged measures could be putting staff at unnecessary risk, whilst simultaneously  annoying customers at the same time.

I would be happy to hear from readers what they think about this practice in pubs and bars in the Uk?

Yours, respectfully,

Wee Beefy

Latest libations

Ay up,

    I wrote earlier about not having an anhydrous January - please note, I realise that anhydrous relates principally to chemicals or crystalised salts - but in this respect is a reference to having no beer or other alcoholic drinks in a pub. I'm quite keen on the standpoint of drinking in January and as you will have seen last week, the Bath Hotel assisted in this respect by offering the stunning Rule of Thirds from Magic Rock, Beavertown and Siren Craft breweries. Here is what and where else I have been maintaining my position.

The Three Tuns continues to offer excellent food cooked by Phil and now another person, and I recently saw Mr Stephens, MD of Andrew Inns, a company I made up, in his own pub. Dave continues to run things behind the bar and recently they have sold the excellent Amarillo IPA from Blue Bee, their Reet Pale Ale and the Brass Castle Brewery Sunshine at 5.7%. Habit dictates that I had rather a lot of that!

I also went in DaDa the other day, twice in fact recently. I first found an unusual milk stout - not actually white in colour but very pale. Seemingly very clever but alas it didn't taste like stout. Instead I plumped for the Celt Experience Latene, which I tried and loved, but was very surprised to pay £4.20 a pint for. My initial question was "oh, is this really strong?" but it turned out to be 3.5%. To be fair the manager came over and explained why it was so expensive, and amends were made, but I still think that if you are going to sell a beer at that price you should tell people - especially considering the almost twice as strong Thornbridge Jaipur was right next to it at £3.40 a pint. I also went in Saturday and had  a half of Pale but alas did not record the name or price....

Friday saw us back in the Bath Hotel drinking the Rule of thirds and  Thornbridge's English hopped IPA Coritani at 7.4%. This was a surprisingly easy to drink beer and went down very easily. We followed this with a trip to BrewDog where we were once again overjoyed to find they had large bottles of Fantome saison in - this time their Hiver winter saison, at £10.00 a bottle.

Alas BrewDog close before midnight so we upped and left and went instead to Bungalows and Bears. Not exactly a haven of real ale it does still sell at least 2 and I had something which I was told was an American Pale Ale. Being in a busy bar I didn't bother asking who brewed it but it was an acceptable if not overtly hoppy offering - Tash drank a bottle of Redchurch Camden Gold which was also very easy to drink.

Saturday saw us down at Shakespeares and along with a pint of the excellent Welbeck Abbey Santa's IPA (or similar...) I had a pint of something from Hopcraft. or that might have been the night earlier in the week. Essentially, I am not fully back into recording of beers mode so apologise for my lack of detail. I can confirm however, tat I enjoyed our beers in the Shakespeares.

Details soon of some of the festive bottled beers that I have supped over the last 3 weeks.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy

Dryvember. Sort of.....

Hulloo,

                     this month Miss N is attempting to not drink alcohol in November. This is half of the word Dryvember you see. I have expertly taken two parts of both words to create an entirely new one. It turns out, this is the most successful part of Dryvember thus far....

The challenge came about when Matty, Miss N's son, and Miss N, agreed to pick a month in 2014 when one of them would not drink. Matty chose July, when I saw him drink at least 3 times, and Miss N November. Straight away that impacted on Wee Fatha's birthday celebrations so the challenge was altered to be dry, apart from 4 occasions. I decided that I should join in this undertaking in support.

You may argue that drinking on 4 occasions in one moth isn't a dry month. You would be correct. You may also read the next statement - that we have only reduced our imbibing to every other day so far - and think we have failed. But you would be wrong. We had, previously, drunk every day but 2 in the last 4 months. That is excessive and expensive! So, in fact, Dryvember has already been a comparative success.  

Last night it was suggested that drinking only every other day was in itself a form of moderation. Such has been the excess of our, more so my, consumption this year, our tolerance levels and speed of drinking have dropped. Therefore, we are drinking significantly less than we did in say, July. I hope this doesn't come across as a cry for recognition, its nothing of the sort, just a short musing on the challenges faced and tackled by us in reducing the amount we drink.

I think I will manage a whole week, or maybe even from now until 22nd November when I am going to Cropton beer festival. Even if I don't I will still save money and reduce pressure on my bladder, and, ahem, other affected areas....

Luckily, drinking once every other day does of course still allow indulgence that can be written about - this is therefore also an advert for upcoming reviews of beer festivals, beer tents and pubs visited in the last fortnight.

And in anticipation of such, expect my Sheffield 40th beer festival review later!

Cheers

Wee Beefy