When people hear the word "pub", most of them immediately imagine a small British cellar with men in check caps, peacefully sipping frothy beer from clay mugs. However, such a picture resembles an ordinary pub or bar. How are pubs really different from other drinking establishments in the world?
What is a pub?
The literal translation of the word "pub" (pub - public house) from the language of proud British means no less than a "public house". But in this case, this famous phrase has a slightly different meaning: a public place to gather the public. Unlike ordinary pubs, from ancient times, visitors to British and Irish pubs came not only to knock over a pint of beer or ale, but also to chat with each other, find out the latest news and discuss any pressing issues.
In pubs, in addition to beer, they sold alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. However, most often these establishments were the property of breweries, therefore, unlike others drinks beer they always had fresh and very tasty, which attracted lovers of this fragrant drink.
Pub History
Original British drinking establishments (pubs) appeared long before the formation of the state of Great Britain itself. Even during the Roman occupation of these lands, a road network was quickly established here. So that traveling people could rest, wait out the unexpected rain or find out where they are and if they have gone astray, enterprising merchants began to open pubs everywhere. Over the years, the Romans left here, but the pubs remained. There were so many establishments that the king was forced to issue a ban on the presence of more than one pub per settlement.
Initially, beer was not served in the pubs, but ale. Moreover, each housewife cooked this drink with her own recipe, which was kept in the strictest confidence. Two varieties of this drink were common: light (often drank instead of water to quench thirst) and strong.
Since that time, a tradition has arisen to tie the green branch to the entrance to the pub, which means the readiness of a new batch of freshly brewed ale. Everyone could come in and have a drink. At the end of the fourteenth century, by royal decree, branches were replaced by signboards. In order to attract as many customers as possible, the owners of the pubs tried to decorate the signs and facades of their establishments with all kinds of drawings and inscriptions, many of which have survived to this day.
In the mid-seventeenth century, Puritans of England laid the blame on pubs for problems in society. However, neither the king nor the parliament dared to close these institutions beloved by the people. Instead, they raised taxes on the sale of ale, but even this did not stop pub regulars, and the establishments continued to flourish.
At the end of the eighteenth century, another additional room for dancing, singing, music and various gambling or sports games appeared in the pubs - the saloon. It was the saloons from the pubs that became the progenitors of the current music halls.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, saloons appeared for middle-income people. They were carpeted, and there were pillows and other attributes on the seats for visitors. Pubs for ordinary villagers and workers continued to remain unsightly-looking rooms with sawdust strewn floors, as they absorbed well both accidentally spilled beer and visitors spitting. By the middle of the twentieth century, the difference between pubs and saloons is gradually erasing, the main measure is the price for entry and drinks.
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, a ban on smoking in pubs entered into force in British society. Despite this, regular visitors will never give up their favorite vacation spot. In addition, today pubs in Britain and Ireland are also peculiar museums, since most of them are several hundred years old. They have their own history and attractions.
Traditional pub features
Having dealt with the question of what a pub is and when it arose, it is worth paying attention to the traditional structure of institutions. To date, there are no special requirements for the interior, and each owner equips it to his taste. Classical institutions of this kind with a long history have traditional features.
Firstly, this, of course, the bar, it not only serves as a kind of table for serving drinks, but also divides the room into a place for visitors, bartenders or other workers. It is worth noting that in traditional British pubs there are no waiters. Basically, the only representative of the service staff (except the cook) is the bartender, who takes orders, pours drinks, serves food, often listens to tipsy visitors and is a source of local news and gossip. In olden times, the owner or manager of a pub, public, played the role of a bartender. However, in modern institutions this is a rare occurrence.
Drinks in pubs are served in classic earthenware, sometimes in glass mugs and measured with pints (a little more than half a liter).
In the old days, the windows of establishments were made of frosted or dull glass, which created a pleasant twilight in the room, allowing visitors to relax. Today this is not a required attribute.
Another integral element of the arrangement of the pub are wide window sills, which visitors often use as seats.
There must also be a menu board with chalk information written on it about the availability of certain drinks, food, and prices. If this is a pub for fans, while watching matches on such boards they write the score of the game. As for food, they are traditionally considered to be institutions for drinking, so bar snacks are among the products on the menu.
They are usually made extremely spicy and salty (chips, nuts, pickled eggs and jerky) in order to cause thirst for visitors to order more booze. There are also traditional dishes. This is the famous “shepherd’s pie” (potato casserole with minced meat inside), “plowman breakfast” (a dish of salted vegetables and cheese, to which a piece of homemade bread is served) and the equally legendary fish and chips (fish fried in batter, and roast potatoes). In the past, apart from snacks, no other food was served in pubs, but thanks to modern technology that measures the level of alcohol consumed by a person, a good and satisfying snack takes on special significance. Therefore, today they serve a separate menu with full food.
Types of Pubs
In addition to traditional pubs, where people drink beer and ale, there are varieties of such establishments, for example, gastropub. The meaning of the word can be understood without knowing the language, in such pubs, the emphasis is primarily on unusual food. So their regulars are more gourmets than drinkers.
There is also the so-called inn - this is a pub whose value is not only to give the guest a drink and feed, but also provide him with a place to spend the night. Sometimes I call such establishments taverns. It is noteworthy that in Australia such pubs are called hotels, although, in addition to the room for the night and food, they do not offer any other amenities.
Also, all modern pubs are divided into two huge categories: establishments owned by private individuals, and breweries.
By nationality, the pubs are Irish, British and other peoples, it all depends on the location and nationality of its regular visitors.
Pubs today
In connection with the spread in the twentieth century of the English language, and followed by British culture, the whole civilized world learned about what a pub is. Along with Italian pizzerias, French bistros and American fast food, English pubs have also become very popular, and in many countries they open similar establishments. And although in most cases they are styled antique, often it's just bars.
Modern pubs are actively equipped with billiards, darts, slot machines and karaoke. People come here not only to drink, but also to watch sporting events, to cheer.
Speaking of women. In the old days, decent women rarely went to pubs - this was considered a kind of taboo. But today, all adult women are free to rest on a par with men in these institutions. And the law on the prohibition of smoking, adopted several years ago, makes it possible to take there even children if they are not left with anyone.
In recent years, pubs began to open quite often in Russia. However, this is not associated with the desire to feel British exoticism at home, but with the fact that the Russians are gradually starting to form a culture of alcohol consumption, as well as the desire to drink quality drinks, and not burda, which is often sold under the guise of beer in supermarkets.
Among the huge variety of drinking establishments, the pub stands alone. Although in recent years, due to new trends, they have gradually lost their traditional features and become more like cafes or bars. However, despite all this, they still manage to maintain their uniqueness, especially in the UK. Anyone who finds out what a pub is will never forget the extraordinary experience of being in such an institution.
