Of Buses, Bills, and Blame.

[PepperElf]

For What It's Worth:

that was cute.

Blame Canada

Hell they should see Norway. (converted to USD here)

They'd be paying close to 2x what they paid at your bar!


and according to the same site, but for Miami, FL* ... your prices are about dead-on with what's average. $6 a beer for imports.


*I know that's not the exact loc but it's the closest that cost-of-living-site can get from what I can see.

[Geek King]

Oh, by all means, feel free to correct me, as I am often wrong. And in this case, I did say that I heard the perfect pour took 7 minutes. Obviously, the people who told me this could have been very, very wrong.

Both may be right. There's a practical "Perfect Pour" used in actual working bars, then there's likely the "Perfect Pour" the folks from Guiness use at contests and special tasting events where you need every advantage (special glasses/stiens, ect.).

[PepperElf]

Oh, by all means, feel free to correct me, as I am often wrong. And in this case, I did say that I heard the perfect pour took 7 minutes. Obviously, the people who told me this could have been very, very wrong.

it's 119.5 seconds according to Guinness.

[thansal]

So,

$6.50 is expensive?

In a destination town?

And for something BIGGER than a 16 oz pour?


Man, I have never actually gone drinking outside of NYC and I guess it shows (I'm crazy happy to go to Barcade's happy hour where beers are $5-$6 instead of $6-$7)

[jenn513]

speaking as a Canadian, that's a pretty reasonable price. my dad's the cheapest guy i know and he'll order a couple of Guiness if it's on tap.

[Dilorenzo]

3. Apparently $13 for two 20 ounce draft Guinnesses is a ridiculous price.

If I remember correctly, adjusting for inflation and exchange rates, that's probably still cheaper than pubs in Ireland. So they can sod right off.

I hope you both choke on your next beers

Seemed appropriate.

Also, just to echo Jester, a well poured, draft Guinness can't be beat. And sure, it tastes a little different from across the pond, but most of the complaints that the Irish have about Guinness stems from either the two pours I've come across: the flat-fill-to-the-brim, or the stick-a-spoon-over-the-top-and-let-it-rain-over. Both times I told the bartender to give me a Miller Lite as well, because that was generally indicative of how they would pour other beers.

I have had a couple of good pours in my seven years here, and it made all the difference.

Now, I shall go cry and think of the old days when I could allow myself some of that beverage of the elder gods.

ETA: An amusing story about the Irish poet, Brendan Behan (an alcoholic since age 8), who had been approached to think up a slogan for the good stuff. He asked for a few crates, which he received. The advertisers returned the next day to find all the crates empty, and Behan saying "I've got it - 'Guinness. It gets you drunk!'"

Can you tell I've been rewatching QI? Just imagine the above as related in the silky tones of Stephen Fry.

[seigus]

And a cold Miller Lite is better than no beer at all.

With all due respect, I wholeheartedly disagree.

[Miss Maple Leaf]

It's not very well known, but once a year we pick a random couple from every country and treat them very badly: selling them nosebleed seats to a hockey game, watering down their maple syrup, only saying "eh" once per conversation... that kind of thing. Just to let everyone know we're not always the nice kid next door.

Dude! Don't tell them our secrets!

He's just joking folks. We don't do anything like that up here. Nope, not at all.

And Jester, those guys were pricks, hands down. If they couldn't handle the price of an imported beer (which even those dumbfucks should realise is gonna cost more than a domestic one what with the international shipping) then those cheapskates should have just stuck with American beers.

And off topic, but among your imported beers, do you guys carry Alexander Keith's?

[wolfie]

I say all this as a prelude so you can understand why I was taken aback by their credit slip. For the two 20 ounce draft Guinnesses, their bill was $13. On the slip, they had written a zero in on the tip line, written $13.00 in for their total, and signed it. But they felt the need to explain why they had not tipped me anything. I quote the note they added to the margin of the credit slip: "Thirteen dollars for two beers? Do you think this is Canada?"

If someone thinks that $13 for a couple brews in a tourist town like Key West is too much, then they should order Pabst Blue Ribbon. And if they're drinking PBR, I'll have a Coke - I don't want to be the only one drinking beer.

[Jester]

it's 119.5 seconds according to Guinness.

I think you may have misunderstood the video as far as what they consider the perfect time, but that small detail aside, I pour my Guinness pretty much the same way that the guy in the video did. So props to me, and bartenders the world over who pour a Guinness correctly!

Seemed appropriate.

I am very familiar with this image, as it is hanging in my favorite Irish pub down here. In the men's room, as I recall, though I may have the specific location wrong. (I DO go to said pub to drink, after all.)

most of the complaints that the Irish have about Guinness stems from either the two pours I've come across: the flat-fill-to-the-brim, or the stick-a-spoon-over-the-top-and-let-it-rain-over.

The first one is simply wrong, and the second one should only be used to create half and halfs, Black and Tans, or similarly layered beers.

With all due respect, I wholeheartedly disagree.

And you are more than welcome to do so. And I hold anything against people like you who think otherwise, just as I don't hold anything against people who only drink the Miller Lites of the world. Hell, my buddy Jack, who has fantastic taste in many things, chooses Bud Light as his regular beer. Hey, no one's perfect. But the great thing about all the people that drink lesser beers is that it leaves more of the good beers for the rest of us. And, as I've found out with Spanish wine (which I love dearly), the less people clamoring for something, i.e., less demand, the lower the price will be on said item. That's the one drawback to the recent rise in popularity of craft beers....prices have gone up due to increased demand.

And off topic, but among your imported beers, do you guys carry Alexander Keith's?

Neither of the bars I work at carry it, but I am vaguely familiar with it. I first tried an AK up in Fort Lauderdale a couple of years ago, and have seen it at a couple of bars down here. We also did have it in one of our blind tastings at The Bar to determine what new beers we would be carrying, but AK didn't make the cut.

My personal opinion of AK is that their beers are pretty decent, but nothing spectacular. At least, none of the ones I've tried were.

[Ophbalance]

Out of curiosity, has Yuengling made it to your fair isle yet? Their lager is pretty good on draft.

[Merriweather]

Rule # 1 - imported costs more than domestic
Rule # 2 - imperial pints (20 oz) cost more than american pints (16 oz)
Rule # 3 - towns catering mainly to tourists charge more than hometowns
Rule # 4 - if you can't grasp and accept Rules 1 - 3, then stay home with a sixpack

[Miss Maple Leaf]

Neither of the bars I work at carry it, but I am vaguely familiar with it. I first tried an AK up in Fort Lauderdale a couple of years ago, and have seen it at a couple of bars down here. We also did have it in one of our blind tastings at The Bar to determine what new beers we would be carrying, but AK didn't make the cut.

I figured the answer would be no. Being a "Nova Scotian" beer, so to speak, I didn't think it would find its way that far south, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

I'm pleasantly surprised to find that some bars in your area do have it, even if you guys don't.

My personal opinion of AK is that their beers are pretty decent, but nothing spectacular. At least, none of the ones I've tried were.

I think the reason I like it so much (well, the India Pale Ale anyway. Haven't tried any of the others) is over-exposure as a child.
When I was a kid both my dad and maternal grandfather drank Keith's, and there used to be a bunch of commercials on TV about Keith's featuring this loud Scottish guy which I always found hilarious and loved watching. I still remember the old slogan: "Those who like it, like it a lot."

With all of that going against me, is there any wonder my taste buds were brainwashed before I was even old enough to drink?

[wolfie]

When I was a kid both my dad and maternal grandfather drank Keith's, and there used to be a bunch of commercials on TV about Keith's featuring this loud Scottish guy which I always found hilarious and loved watching. I still remember the old slogan: "Those who like it, like it a lot."

I'm surprised they'd use that slogan. After all, it could be interpreted as "This is the beer for alcoholics". For comparison, let's look at Guinness and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Someone who enjoys a pint or two of GOOD beer will go for the Guinness, while someone looking for the cheapest stuff will swill PBR by the case.

[mharbourgirl]

*facepalm*

Keith's? Really, dude? Yeah yeah, 'Those who like it, like it a lot', and that's certainly true around here, but what they don't say is that either you like it a lot, or you hate it. There's no middle ground with Keith's. If you like strong bitter ale, then Keith's is the #1 choice.

I can't stand the stuff. Ale doesn't work for me. Leaves my mouth tasting like soap for hours. Give me a nice pilsner or lager every time, though no light beers. Beer has to have SOME taste. I'd just like it to be pleasant, or at least interesting. I've tried a lot of different beers once. I'll try most drinks once, because you never know.


And now I know that a Tequila zombie is a mistake and I will never try THAT again. Because I tried it once.