Pubs play an important part in the social structure of the country. They are places where all ages and social classes mix to talk, do business, or just spend a couple of quiet hours before heading home in the evening.

There are many different types of beer available in pubs. Traditional British beer is called bitter, or ale, and is usually served at room temperature. As a result, the British are famous for their ‘warm beer’!

If you prefer a cold beer, ask for lager. This beer is a light yellow in colour whereas bitter is usually a darker brown. Another type of beer is stout – you may have heard of Guinness, which is a type of stout. This is a cold, black beer and takes a long time to pour, so don’t be surprised if you have to wait for it.

All beers are served as pints (500 ml) or halves (250ml). To order, you need to ask for a pint or half, and then name the beer. So, you could say ‘A pint of bitter, please.’

Another drink is cider. This is like beer, but it is made from apples so it can taste sweet. Wine, red or white, is normally available in all pubs, as are spirits such as whisky, gin or vodka. These are served as singles (25ml) or doubles (50ml).

It is not, however, necessary to drink alcohol. Non-alcoholic drinks are called soft drinks. You can have juice, lemonade or cola, among others.

If you visit a pub in a group, it is important to pay for your ‘round’. This means that you buy a drink for everyone in your group. Not buying your round is a big social mistake! Remember that you need to order and pay for your drinks at the bar.

So, follow these tips if you want to get the most out of visiting a pub, and, ‘cheers!’

pubs
酒吧

social structure
社会结构

social classes
社会阶层

heading home
回家

bitter
苦啤酒

ale
(淡色）浓啤酒

room temperature
室温

lager
啤酒的一种

stout
黑啤酒

pour
压入酒杯;倒酒

cider
苹果酒

spirits
烈性酒

soft drinks
（不含酒精的）软性饮料

tips
提示

to get the most out of
从…获得*收益

cheers!
干杯！