 | | | Two pints of beer as served in a British pub |
One thing Britain is famous for is pubs, and no trip to the UK would be complete without a visit to one of the thousands of pubs across the country. Pubs play an important part in the social structure of the country. They are places where all ages and social classes mix to talk, do business, or just spend a couple of quiet hours before heading home in the evening. There are many different types of beer available in pubs. Traditional British beer is called bitter, or ale, and is usually served at room temperature. As a result, the British are famous for their ‘warm beer’! If you prefer a cold beer, ask for lager. This beer is a light yellow in colour whereas bitter is usually a darker brown. Another type of beer is stout – you may have heard of Guinness, which is a type of stout. This is a cold, black beer and takes a long time to pour, so don’t be surprised if you have to wait for it. All beers are served as pints (500 ml) or halves (250ml). To order, you need to ask for a pint or half, and then name the beer. So, you could say ‘A pint of bitter, please.’ Another drink is cider. This is like beer, but it is made from apples so it can taste sweet. Wine, red or white, is normally available in all pubs, as are spirits such as whisky, gin or vodka. These are served as singles (25ml) or doubles (50ml). It is not, however, necessary to drink alcohol. Non-alcoholic drinks are called soft drinks. You can have juice, lemonade or cola, among others. If you visit a pub in a group, it is important to pay for your ‘round’. This means that you buy a drink for everyone in your group. Not buying your round is a big social mistake! Remember that you need to order and pay for your drinks at the bar. So, follow these tips if you want to get the most out of visiting a pub, and, ‘cheers!’ | 
