Aye, ‘beer’ not ‘bean’ or ‘been’, and a Saint Michael, not Heineken…
Had Heineken abroad and it was quite pleasant, hoppy and some body to it, but it usually tastes thin and metallic here. Bottled SM I think is ok, refreshing without the metal or the harshness of so many lagers.
Now, what is this trend in pubs towards offering only cold, thin, fizzy ‘beer’? Bitter, especially from a cask is increasingly hard to find. Mild has pretty much disappeared. Anything that’s not lager seems to be like a chilled light ale, homogenised, pasteurised stuff.
Once upon a time, beer was a living product and there was life in a glass, but now it’s just bubbles.
I was recently in the Blind Beggar in London’s east end. Historic pub with its own wiki article, legendary for its gangland connections. But, useless staff that didn’t know what bitters they had, and one who even asked her colleague in all seriousness ‘what’s bitter?’ I think she was Spanish. Good job the Krays weren’t around.
At £8.45 for a pint and a shandy, it was a personal best (or worst). I needed a drink to recover, and the chilled fizz kept me up all night. But, is this trend really customer led, or is it just a cheap way to get drinks to the pubs in a condition which needs no care, expertise or special conditions?
