Blog Archives
Misconceptions about Newcastle Brown Ale
Have you seen the latest Newcastle Brown Ale advert “Misconceptions”?
i just saw it for the first time yesterday and was sure it was a goof — until I Googled it and discovered that it was a real ad. What say you? Yay or nay?
(And for the record, it’s been years since I have had Newcastle, but am thinking of trying it again … I, too, thought it was too bitter at the time).
Best states to drink beer
I like a good beer. My top 10?
1. Boddingtons*
2. Caffrey’s Irish Ale
3. Stella Artois
4. Corona with lime
5. Lagunitas’ A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale
6. Heineken
7. Deschutes’ Black Butte Porter
8. Ruhstaller’s Gilt Edge
9. Blue Moon
10. Pyramid Apricot Ale
*My #1 really varies, depending on the day and my mood.
At any rate, I’m glad to live in a state that appreciates beer – where I can procure some wonderful locally brewed beers, and get my favorites from the U.K. easily.
Thrillist.com agrees – and has put together its ranking of every state based on the quality and quantity of the beer they produce. California was #2, only surpassed by Oregon (which I have to say does have some wonderful brews).
How did your state do? And what’s your favorite beer?
Anna Kendrick’s Newcastle Brown Ale ad
Our house is an American football-free zone, but every year, there is the slightest whiff of interest in the Super Bowl ads.
Love Anna Kendrick and love her non-Superbowl Newcastle Brown Ale commercial, which exemplifies the no-bollocks brand. If you haven’t seen it, check it out! And have a happy Super Bowl Sunday!
20 London bars you should have been to by now
World’s End
Where has this list been all of my life? Check out Buzzfeed.com’s roundup of the 20 best most interesting London bars, including the World’s End, allegedly the largest pub in the world (not to be confused with the latest movie by Simon Pegg).
17 ways to annoy a British person
Bless you, Buzzfeed, for posting this list of 17 ways to annoy a British person and for being so very spot on, especially #1 and #2! Also love #15:
Read the list and feel free to add to the list in the comments here!
Cheers to a good British organic beer
I blogged last week about a very British find at Whole Foods Market. Well, I have another discovery to share: Laverstoke Park Farm Organic Real Lager, made in Basingstoke, near Hampshire!
We bought some on our last weekly shop and I wasn’t sure what to expect (it’s not often you see a child’s drawing on a label advertising beer!) but it turns out that it is truly a great lager. Not too light, not too pissy (ahem, Coors…). Just refreshing with some body and flavor! Best of all, it’s British and organic! Superb!
Make mine a (British) pint
I used to think that measurements were standard. An inch is an inch. A cup is a cup. No matter where you are in the world, right?
Well, apparently not.
Order a pint at the pub in the UK and you’ll get 20 ounces. Order a pint in the US and you’ll get a mere 16 ounces. Yes, a British pint is about 20% bigger than an American one.
This is usually the point when Brits can rightly beat their chests and guffaw at Americans with their tiny pints and their extra-cold lager and their “American football” played with all of that padding (sorry, that has nothing to do with beer. I just felt like throwing that in).
But here’s the science: Pints are units of measurements in something called US customary units as well as the imperial system, which is what the UK uses. And so, although they have the same name, they are two different animals.
Even more fascinating is this little tidbit, courtesy of Wikipedia: “A ‘pint’ of beer served in a tavern outside Great Britain and the United States may be a British pint, an American pint, or something different, depending on local laws and customs.”
The moral of this tale? If you must choose between a pint in the UK or the US, go with the British pint and choose some real ale, while you’re at it!
BRITRISH.COM 