Why would a pub do this?

the beer revolu

I was in Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare this week.
I passed a pub-Logues Lodge (sic)-with a bottle display in the window - mostly English ales - Wadworth 6X, Cornish Knocker, Old Leg Over, Black Sheep, Hop Back Thunder, Hen's Tooth, Prinzregent Luitpold Dunkel to name a few.
In I went like a shot asking if they sold any of those beers.
Nope!
Barman even seemed surprised that I thought they might sell them.
Needless to say I left pretty sharpish and, thankfully, found O' Loclainn's, a really lovely pub without anything exciting beerwize but with a whisk(e)y menu and an extremely friendly landlady!:D

Why would a pub display a range of beers in the window if they don't sell them?
I've seen pubs display odd bottles on shelves but not in the front window.
I felt so cheated!!:(

rubadub

the beer revolu wrote: »

Why would a pub display a range of beers in the window if they don't sell them?

Looks like something different, and some of the ones you listed have humorous names. I have seen old bottles etc in front windows. And then no doubt like all those wise publicans they say "it won't sell"

Happened to me in a pub a few months ago, and my mate was working as a barman there. I had been drinking krombacher and spotted a bottle of pilsner urquell on the shelf, so asked for one next, he had never heard of it and I asked why they have it, he shrugged and said "just for show" it was sort of stacked in a line. I told him to stick it in the fridge for me but it was out of date years ago so I passed....

Strange thing is that they have budvar, budvar dark, erdinger and a few others.

BeerNut

"I see from the sign outside you're a whiskey bonder. Any interesting releases coming up?"

Sundy

Ah yes and how many pubs have Fine Ales written outside?

Brodick

Yeh I got real exited when I saw a sign outside a Pub in Stillorgan years ago that said "Real Ales opening soon".

I waited and waited until the pub eventually opened. I rushed in, all exited and asked "what Real Ales do you have?"

"Smithwicks, Guinness and Harp" was the cheery reply.

Real Ales are still as rare as snowballs in Africa. Does anyone know where my search might end?

Bigcheeze

Brodick wrote: »

Real Ales are still as rare as snowballs in Africa. Does anyone know where my search might end?

A handful of pubs in Dublin or Belfast. Possibly one or two in Cork city.

oblivious

Brodick wrote: »

Real Ales are still as rare as snowballs in Africa. Does anyone know where my search might end?

Bigcheeze wrote: »

A handful of pubs in Dublin or Belfast. Possibly one or two in Cork city.

But the issue is that casks need stillage, proper cooling and prove training to handle them, I can't just see this happen in the vast majority or Irish pubs.

Even those that do serve it it can be common-ish to be a badly served pint

BeerNut

Brodick wrote: »

Real Ales are still as rare as snowballs in Africa. Does anyone know where my search might end?

In Dublin there are handpumps permanently installed in The Porterhouse Temple Bar, The Bull & Castle, Against the Grain, L. Mulligan Grocer, Messrs Maguire, Porterhouse Central and the Cobblestone so you'll usually get draught Real Ale there. Plenty of places have bottle conditioned beers as well.

Brodick wrote: »

Even those that do serve it it can be common-ish to be a badly served pint

This hasn't been my experience at all. There's the occasional wonky one, and sometimes the temperature is a few degrees either side of what it should be, but in general I think Dublin's cask ale is in decent nick.