There's more to beer than just beer

Beer is not an easy thing to understand in this country for someone from the Continent.

One small pause in my text about beer in this country to notice that I still stubbornly wrote Continent. In fact, I grew up thinking the British Isles were part of that Continent in the end of Eurasia called Europe. However the locals, to my surprise, call Europe to the land on the other side of the Channel.

Going back to beer… I already alluded before to the fact that there are strange things happening with the beers in this country. Well, the first thing one needs to know is that beer is not just beer: it’s either lager or ale.

Now a lager is closer to what we, continentals, call beer: it has a more or less smooth flavour of… Beer! It is supposed to be cold just the way we are used to drink it in the esplanades of those continental cities less cold than this insular one.

Ale is something quite different. To start with it is usually served at a temperature between cold and lukewarm, which makes perfect sense in a cold country like this. Besides, ale has quite a different taste: it’s stronger and bitterer.

What do I prefer? Well, I’m more used to lager, which I grew up drinking. However, I’m trying to acquire the taste of ale. I think that it’s already an offense to locals that I don’t like whisky, I don’t want to risk a mob attack by also not drinking ale… And, in fact, now I’m beginning to like it!

Another important thing to understand is that one doesn’t go into a bar and orders a glass of beer. The measure here is a pint, which is more than ½ a litter. One can also order half pint instead.

Now, this is just a couple of things I learned until now but I know there is much more to learn. As such I need to go and learn more. I’ll now meet a country fellow who, despite being a complete stranger until now, already agreed to buy me a pint given that I forgot my money at home and still don’t have a local bank card. (Mental notes: always leave the money at home and write a post on how complicated getting a bank account in this country is)

The Canny Mans

I heard from many people wiser than myself that living in Scotland would mean getting to know its pubs. Well, I humbly accepted this suggestion and yesterday I went for a drink in the Canny Mans. And was I happy to do so!

Entering the Canny Mans, is like entering a very cool museum. The pub is full of collections of everything one can imagine: postcards, pictures, keys, guns, memorabilia of the wars, etc.. The entire decoration is amazing, and I strongly suggest a tour around the pub.

Outside there´s a nice garden where smokers can head for their nasty habit. For the cold nights, customers can take one of the blankets at the door. 

It's suppose to have a great collection of whiskeys but I don't like whiskey so I can't testify it for myself (maybe I should remain anonymous so a mob of Scots don't attack me on the street after this confession). Instead I ordered a very good beer. I thought it was not cold enough but my friend, wiser than me on the subject, told me that that was the way experts drink beer. I've been drinking and enjoying beer for, at least, 17 years and always enjoyed really cold beer: I guess it's time to change habits...

One last thing: the entrance can be a bit threatening. It was a warning saying "No Smoking, No Backpackers, No photographs...". But don't let this intimidate you. Just don't decide to wear shorts and flip-flops to the place. Not that the Edinburgh weather invites to that, But I never know...