Lewis' favorite beer?

[iota]

Anybody know if Jack had a favorite ale?

[Alan]

I can possibly narrow the selection down a little.

During his Oxford years Jack and the rest of the Inklings favoured a pub called The Eagle and Child ( aka The Bird and Baby ). During the time that the Inklings met at the Bird and Baby there were two breweries producing beer in Oxford; Halls and Morrells. Morrells supplied the Bird and Baby. Their flagship brew was 'Varsity Ale'. Apart from Morrells own beer there would have been any number of other beers including Guinness but few would have been dispensed through the beer pumps.

Statistically if Jack was drinking pints in the Bird and Baby there is a greater probability it would have been 'Varsity'.

Of course nobody drinks statistics so sadly I haven't got you any nearer to a definite answer.

[The Bigsleep J]

That's a pretty good educated guess, Alan. ;)

[iota]

I was thinking probably Guinness. I wonder about Bass.

Is this Varsity still available today?

[Alan]

Varsity is still very much available.

Guinness and Bass would have been available in bottles but not on draught ( i.e. served as a pint ). Draught Guinness only became available in most English pubs in the sixties. Bass were a seperate brewery and in order to serve draught Bass the pub would either have had to have been a 'Bass house' that is to say owned by the Bass company or a 'Free house' that is to say that the pub was owned independently by a landlord who had supplying agreaments with Bass brewery.

As a small footnote I'd like to add that the Bird and Baby is now a free house. It is now owned by St. John's College along with the Lamb and Flag on the other side of St. Giles. Both pubs are run by students and the profits go to staff wages and student welfare. Both pubs thrive and serve an excellent variety of draught beer.

[Bill]

I'm surprised that one of the local breweries hasn't come up with a "C S Lewis Bitter" or a "Narnia Ale"

Bill

[Alan]

It would be difficult to select one author over another.

Probably the most popular author would be Tolkien but how would you justify Tolkien over all the other famouse Oxford authors ?

In all fairness there is one author who has done more to preserve the great pubs of Oxford than any other - Colin Dexter.

Fany a pint of Morse's Mild or Lewis' Lager anyone ?

[The Bigsleep J]

I'll take Phantastes Scotch, thank you very much. ;)

[Alan]

Of George Macdonald

"I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him." C.S. Lewis

I'll make it a large one Johnnie, you'll enjoy it.

( quickly hangs sign on bar saying 'Beware of the Pullman Porter - it may not be to your taste' )

[iota]

I'll take a pint of Mr. Beaver's home brew, then it's off to the Green Dragon for a few dark Shire Stouts.

[john]

My favorite beer, so it should have been Jack's...

[jo]

Oh well noone's perfect ;). Shame he wasn't a Foster's drinker though!

[David]

When Ransom returns from Malacandra he orders "a pint of bitters." Those of you from the other side of the pond, what is bitters? Is it like India Pale Ale? A very strong, biting, bitter type of beer (the kind I like)? We don't use the term "bitters" in the USA. Maybe that's what Lewis liked.

DWL

[Bill]

When Ransom returns from Malacandra he orders "a pint of bitters." Those of you from the other side of the pond, what is bitters? Is it like India Pale Ale? A very strong, biting, bitter type of beer (the kind I like)? We don't use the term "bitters" in the USA. Maybe that's what Lewis liked.

DWL

Its a pint of bitter actually; no 's'.

Your description is reasonably accurate I suppose although I am not familiar with India Pale Ale, but it sounds truly awful put like that.

First of all in a pub, it always served on draught. Second I am not sure about the biting bit! Third it is not usually very strong in alcoholic terms; generally round about 4% or maybe just a bit more.

Then there is keg or cask; oh dear this sounds very complicated for what is a very basic simple pub drink.



Bill

[David]

Your description is reasonably accurate I suppose although I am not familiar with India Pale Ale, but it sounds truly awful put like that.

India Pale Ale was developed for British soldiers serving in India in the 1800s. The brewers would put a lot of extra hops in the beer so it would not spoil on the long voyage over to India and so it would survive in the hot climate. Hence--well, let's not use the terms I used before. It has a sharp, tangy, hoppy taste that I like. I don't like light beer or sweet beer--which is what the most popular American brands like Budweiser, Pabst, and Miller are. They are insipid in flavor. India Pale Ale is certainly not insipid but full-bodied and robust in its taste.

Thanks for the information on "bitter." There's a great liquor store in our town run by a family of Sihks who specialize in international brews and who came over from England. I'll go there and see if, like Ransom, I can pick up my own "pint of bitter."

DWL