British Pub Culture

Pub Culture in the UK

• Tipping is not common in UK pubs; instead, offer to buy the bar staff a drink, which they can accept or decline.

Drinks in the UK

• Cider is a popular drink in the UK, made from fermented apples and sometimes pears, with 45% of UK households consuming it.
• The UK is the largest consumer of cider in the world.
• Gin is the most popular spirit in the UK, often consumed as a gin and tonic.

Pub Etiquette

• When receiving a drink, it's customary to hold up your glass, make eye contact, and say "cheers" before taking a sip.
• This tradition acknowledges friendships and the social gathering.

Bar Customs

• Last orders are usually around 10:30 pm or 11 pm on Sundays, signaled by a bell; a second bell means the bar is closing, and no more orders can be placed.

Popular Pub Drinks

• Pimm's is a classic British summer drink made with gin, lemonade, and chopped fruits, popular during Wimbledon.
• Lager is the most popular beer in the UK, accounting for over 70% of beer sales.
• Shandy is a mixture of beer and fizzy lemonade, known for quenching thirst.

Beer Types

• Bitter is a popular pub beer, draught, and served at room temperature, with a relatively low alcohol content.
• Mild is a sweeter, darker version of bitter beer.
• Ale is a type of bottled beer available in most pubs.

Other Alcoholic Beverages

• Whisky is a distilled beverage made from grain, fruit, or vegetables, often aged in oak barrels.
• Scotch whisky is a type of whisky produced in Scotland from malted barley, aged in oak casks for at least three years.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

• Squash is a popular non-alcoholic drink in the UK, a sweetened fruit concentrate diluted with water.
• Fizzy drinks, or soft drinks, are non-alcoholic and made from carbonated water and fruit flavoring.

Discover the ins and outs of pub culture in the UK, including tipping customs and popular drinks like cider. Learn about the social norms and traditions that make British pubs so unique.