Why waste Guinness & other stupid carry on

The Hill Billy

I had a pint in Larry Murphy's on Baggot Street last Friday. The barman lashed a good fifth of the pint into the sink for no good reason before finishing it off. In my experience this always leads to a watery head that dissolves to nothing but a bitter ring of brown bubbles after a few minutes.

I've pulled many's a pint home & abroad over the years & have never seen the need to waste perfectly good drink in order to get a good head on a pint. Would scrape off a couple of bubbles if absolutely necessary - but that's the limit! Anyone else agree/disagree?

Are there any other downright stupid or ridiculous bar practices that you think should be banned? For example: Barman automatically asking if you want ice in a brandy.

Blub2k4

I dont believe I ever HAD to scrape the head off a pint unless the keg had just been changed, normally it's just a lazy and fast way to pull a pint of Guinness, I never saw the need for it myself. I also feel it shows a disregard for Guiness and it was normally something I saw women as opposed to men do, although I have seen both sexes doing it. I just find that normally you get a better pint of Guinness off a male barman, I think they have more empathy with Guinness.

WizZard

Blub2k4 wrote:

I just find that normally you get a better pint of Guinness off a male barman, I think they have more empathy with Guinness.

You get the best pint off a bar-person that drinks Guinness - they should serve it like they'd want it served to them. Hence, a great pint

The Hill Billy

WizZard wrote:

You get the best pint off a bar-person that drinks Guinness - they should serve it like they'd want it served to them. Hence, a great pint

There's an undeniable rationale to the above, however, the great pints that I have on a regular basis are poured by a young lady who has never touched the stuff (though she comes from generations of great publicans) & a gentleman who has been on the dry for many's a year.

Blub2k4

Yeah I didn't mean that last statement as misogynistic by the way, I think it's more down to the fact that more male barmen would drink Guinness.

The Hill Billy

Blub2k4 wrote:

Yeah I didn't mean that last statement as misogynistic by the way

Off to Personal Issues with you! BYOB.

rubadub

Hill Billy wrote:

I had a pint in Larry Murphy's on Baggot Street last Friday. The barman lashed a good fifth of the pint into the sink for no good reason before finishing it off.

Go out the back and you will find a gang of winos hanging around the drain pipe, they pay the barmen €10 a week for the sly pints of guinness. Still a better pint from that drain than you get in the guinness storehouse.

monkeyfudge

Hill Billy wrote:

For example: Barman automatically asking if you want ice in a brandy.

I find they rarely ask so I always have to state that I want no ice in it which makes me feel like I'm treating the bar staff like idiots, but it's just not worth the risk..

Really though... why the hell can't the freaks who like ice in everything be the ones who have to ask for it?

mountainyman

The best pints I ever had came from a young woman who didn't drink Guinness.

She would pur the pint very slowly and in one action (no rest).

LOVELY

Degag

monkeyfudge wrote:

I find they rarely ask so I always have to state that I want no ice in it which makes me feel like I'm treating the bar staff like idiots, but it's just not worth the risk..

Really though... why the hell can't the freaks who like ice in everything be the ones who have to ask for it?

My general rule is that clear spirits are served with ice and lemon while others such as brandy or whiskey are not unless requested. Obviously there are a few exceptions to this. What bugs me is when i serve a brandy and people say "can i have ice please" as if i should have put it in without being asked. A brandy should in fact be warmed up slightly before being served.

rubadub

Tackle69 wrote:

My general rule is that clear spirits are served with ice and lemon while others such as brandy or whiskey are not unless requested. Obviously there are a few exceptions to this. What bugs me is when i serve a brandy and people say "can i have ice please" as if i should have put it in without being asked. A brandy should in fact be warmed up slightly before being served.

I would not add anything to any drink, I think it should be offered though. Ice is one thing, lemon is another altogether! Why would somebody add fruit to a drink if not asked to? The oddest one is barmen putting limes or lemon slices in beer bottles, usually corona, without people requesting it.

monkeyfudge

rubadub wrote:

I would not add anything to any drink, I think it should be offered though. Ice is one thing, lemon is another altogether! Why would somebody add fruit to a drink if not asked to? The oddest one is barmen putting limes or lemon slices in beer bottles, usually corona, without people requesting it.

Well that's all part of the Corona experience really. I think it tastes better for it too.

Degag

rubadub wrote:

I would not add anything to any drink, I think it should be offered though. Ice is one thing, lemon is another altogether! Why would somebody add fruit to a drink if not asked to? The oddest one is barmen putting limes or lemon slices in beer bottles, usually corona, without people requesting it.

Because its the accepted way of doing it. Vodka, Gin, Baccardi etc come with ice and lemon. If people don't want either then they should request this ie. they should know the general rule, if not off-hand then by experience!