Category Archives: Opinion

Opinions and general musings on drinking and bar/pub life. Football, beer, the good life and all that

Football and beer, the perfect match

Football and Beer

Football and Beer

Beer gives the buzz, and the game seals the deal.

Beer and Football

Beer n Football

Saw a t-shirt the other day that said “football, beer and women”. Are you crazy? Why ruin it by bringing a woman along. Let her off to the shops or whatever, but football and beer is only a time for male bonding. Can worry about women later, much later. ….

Now when I say football I mean association football and not that rubbish that the yanks play that goes on for hours and is played around kentuckfuckingchicken advertisements. The one that over 90% of the world plays, the one with a World Cup, you know, real football!

So where there is football there is beer, like night follows day, football fans drink beer, and lots of it.

Why is it so? Well I guess football as a sport that risen up from the working classes. From the bottom, where working men played the game, hard drinking men who liked to drink in real pubs drinking real drink. Working class areas in any city in the world have football teams. They don’t play rugby or cricket, or tennis or golf, its football.  People in these places tend to drink beer. Wine is too posh, and sipping fancy cocktails is hardly going to endure yourself to your mates.

Anyway this football and beer malarkey is a dream for beer companies in the advertisement wars. Heineken sponsor the Champions League, Carlsberg the last Euros, while Budweiser sponsored the last world cup. Carling was a sponsor of the English premier, and we also have the Budweiser FA Cup, and a huge number of teams are sponsored by beer companies. Tell me the last time a Wine was sponsored on a football shirt? During a big football game expect a huge hike in the amount of beer sold. Can you imagine how many beers people drank last summer for the World Cup in Brazil?

Beer gives the buzz, and the game seals the deal. Win, lose or draw, back to the pub for the pints to regurgitate the game, and dish the centre forward for missing what your granny could score or some shite like that.

There are generally three types of football fan. The fanatic, the guy who knows everything about his team, all the stats going back years, he has a long log of games he has seen live, and knows the pubs to drink in when near any ground you care to mention. The man who lives and breathes football. Then there is the normal fan,  the guy who can take it and leave it, whose life isn’t totally controlled by football. And the final fan is the flirt (the glory hunter), who just likes to go along with all the fun and be part of something big, the largest group.

I have seen guys who have travelled long distances to only have the drink and the fun outside the stadium. Fellas who have travelled just for the beer, the banter, and if they so wish for, a punch up.

Beer and Football

Beer n Football

(So its world cup year and I will be off the radar for the whole months of June and July, more or less two whole months of football, TV, beer and having a good time. Too early to predict who will win, Germany, Brazil (and a dodgy ref), or Uruguay (people say dark horse, but they have won it more times than England!), but what I can predict is I will have a good time anyway. Thank God for beer and football!)

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No Alcohol!

The Evils of Alcohol and The Non-Believers!

The Evils of Alcohol and The Non-Believers!

Religious freaks who go on about the evils of alcohol, drinking, and other “fun” activities like sex, drugs, and gambling give me a right old pain. It’s fine if that’s what they want to believe and they are perfectly entitled to hold that view. However, it becomes an ache when they try to enforce their beliefs on anyone else.

The evils of alcohol

Recently, British courts tried some fanatical Muslim men for attempting to enforce Sharia law in East London. They stopped homosexuals from holding hands and attacked people drinking outside bars—absolute fruitcakes. Their behavior just shows how bored out of their skulls they are; seeing anyone having a good time really gets on their nerves. Clearly, they can’t find any solace in their shitty religion to comfort them. I’ve walked around that part of London many times, sometimes pissed as a fart. I only wish they had bumped into me—I would have had a good right old laugh at them!

But of course, it’s not just Islam that frowns upon drinking. Similarly, many Christian types also love to have a right old barney about the evils of alcohol. For example, there’s a group called the “Drunken Glory” movement, which is on the rise in the USA. Essentially, they get inebriated and high off the Holy Spirit. Check out the link below. Jesus H. Christ, that’s mad. However, no matter how hard they try, they still come across as a bunch of boring bastards with nothing much to say. In the end, I bet a lot of them are just missing a good pint.

Bitter

Another group of people who piss me off are the ex-drinkers who endlessly whine about their time in rehab and their ritual of AA meetings, especially the Betty Ford types. They are cultish, moaning and complaining all the time—like Roy Keane, who just stays bitter… ALL THE FUCKING TIME.

Look, you lost the game, you couldn’t control your drinking habit, and that’s fine—not everyone can. But please, stop going on about it, and enough with all the books about your “time in rehab.” No one cares. Frankly, I often wonder what they actually did to end up in rehab. I mean, you have someone like Daniel Radcliffe (nice guy and all) or Ben Affleck or whoever, some celebrity who probably had one or two rough nights and couldn’t hack it. Poor creatures! But, for God’s sake, it’s not like we’re talking about Keith Moon here, so spare us the dramatics.

Anyway, rant over. Just leave me to enjoy my drinking in peace.

Sources:

‘Muslim Patrol’ 

‘Weird’ preacher starts ‘drunken glory’ cult 

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The perfect bar man?

The perfect bar man (or woman)?

The perfect bar man (or woman)?

The perfect bar man?

Not the perfect bar man!

As a patron of many bars, the bar man (or woman) is quite an important person in the pursuit of getting drunk. So what do we look for in the attributes of a good bar person?

They should be fast enough in getting you your drink, I mean you don’t want to be waiting a long time for a drink, especially a first drink.

Personality doesn’t really matter, as long as the person isn’t a complete cunt. Doesn’t even have to say a whole lot. Actually the best bar staff are the ones who say very little and hover around the bar. You are the one who is drinking, so you are the one who is doing the talking, and you can never hear what they are saying in any case. As long as the bar man is friendly, has some basic chit chat about football, the weather, how all politicians are wankers, and the weather, that’s really all you need to hear from him.

How they look isn’t really important. Sometimes the  towel over the shoulder look is cool, but no one really cares as long as the drink is pouring on time and regular.

Good bar staff are the ones who don’t shuttle you out the door once closing time is up. They should give you time to finish your drink. I hate when some get snotty about it. Fuck off, no one is forcing you to work as bar staff, so shut the hell up. The best bar staff are the ones who lock the door and let you continue long into the night. They are far and few between but I have met them!

Having a good memory is good. Nothing better than walking into a bar and giving him the special code, he already pouring your regular drink, “the usual”, while you take your seat. That’s a skill from a top barman, and a special, almost loving, relationship that takes a while to develop.

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Battle of the crisps, Tayto or King crisps

Tayto vs. King Crisps: Which Irish Snack Reigns Supreme?

Tayto vs. King Crisps: Which Irish Snack Reigns Supreme?

Battle of the crisps, who wins, Tayto or King crisps

King V Tayto

Battle of the Crisps: Who Wins—Tayto or King?

When it comes to Irish crisps, the debate often boils down to Tayto vs. King. After a few beers, nothing satisfies quite like a bag of crisps, and these two brands dominate the scene. Crisps are the ultimate bar food—crunchy, salty, and satisfying. But which is the better choice: Tayto or King?

The Rise of Tayto: A Crisp Legacy

Tayto has long been a staple in Irish snack culture. Ireland’s best-selling crisp brand even boasts its own theme park in Ashbourne, County Meath. Founded by Joe Murphy in Dublin in May 1954, Tayto revolutionized the snack world by introducing the first seasoned crisp: Cheese & Onion, which remains a fan favorite today.

King Crisps: The Dublin Favorite

Established in 1963 on Parnell Street, King crisps have become synonymous with a classic night out in Dublin. Their robust flavor and satisfying crunch make them a go-to choice for many. King crisps also offer a variety of flavors, catering to those who crave something beyond the ordinary.

Why Other Snacks Don’t Measure Up

Sure, pork scratchings are tasty, but they’re pricey, and the bags are too small for a serious snack. Walkers have their place, but after a couple of handfuls, the appeal fades—plus, those Gary Lineker ads don’t help their case. Other brands may try, but they just can’t match the iconic status of Tayto and King.

Final Verdict: Which Crisp Comes Out on Top?

Both Tayto and King are beloved crisp brands, but here at This Drinking Life, we give the slight edge to King. The extra crunch and flavor make them the perfect companion for a pint—or two. Whether you’re a die-hard Tayto fan or a King loyalist, one thing is certain: crisps are essential to the Irish pub experience.

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