D is for… Drink
Cheers!
For good or ill, we Brits have an international reputation for liking a drink or two, particularly in that quintessentially British institution, the pub. For this edition of the blog, I’m going to take a look at some of the drinks that we love, and some of the best places in London to sample them.
There are two alcoholic drinks that are deeply connected to the British “brand”: beer, and gin. The first – beer, also known as ale, stout, and porter – has been with us since at least medieval times. Monks in the many monasteries and abbeys that flourished in England until the Reformation of the 1530s, were well-known for the beer they produced, using grain grown on the large tracts of land they owned. The earliest beers were very light, in both taste and alcohol, and were consumed by men, women, and even children. It is an oft-repeated story that in the Middle Ages it was safer to drink beer than water, as the alcohol killed any lurking germs, while the water was untreated and often dangerous. How true this is, is up for debate – however, it is certain that most Brits have drunk beer on a regular basis for hundreds of years.
Adding hops to beer improves its shelf life and adds a bitter flavour
In the 14th century a revolution in beer-making occurred, when the hop plant was brought over from the Netherlands. This tall, vine-like plant produces flower clusters (hops) which can be added to beer: at first they were used mainly as a natural preservative, as the bitter oils helped the beer to stay fresh longer. However, people soon started to gain a liking for the aromatic flavour, and English farmers experimented with various types and styles of “hopping”, looking for the perfect taste. Today in London we have over 100 breweries, and by far the most popular style of beer they make is the IPA – or India Pale Ale – which features heavy hop flavours and a bright, amber colour.
Beefeater Gin
Meanwhile, our most famous brand of gin is named after those quintessential Brits: the Beefeaters, who have guarded the Tower of London since the 15th century. It features a picture of one of these guards, whose official title is Yeoman Warder, on its label; every year, each Beefeater receives a free bottle on their birthday, and another at Christmas. Should they finish that, there is always the opportunity to get a pint of beer at the pub located inside the Tower, called The Keys. Yes – as well as houses, a doctor, and two chapels all within its walls, the Tower also has its very own pub, dedicated to the Yeoman Warders and their guests.
The sign for The Keys pub inside the Tower of London
However, if you are not lucky enough to be one of the 130 or so people who live inside the Tower’s mighty walls, where else might you find a good pint in London? Well, there is certainly plenty of choice: there are an estimated 3,600 pubs in the Greater London area, with at least a third of those in central London. To help you choose, I have prepared a list here of some of the city’s most notable pubs, along with a few of my favourites.
The courtyard of the George Inn, Southwark
One of the best-known – and most atmospheric – pubs in London is the George Inn, near Borough Market. This is the oldest surviving coaching inn in the city, with origins stretching back to the medieval era. The current building dates back 1677, and has connections with many famous Londoners, in particular Charles Dickens, who grew up nearby, and whose life insurance certificate hangs behind the bar. It also has a royal connection – apparently Princess Margaret, sister of the late Queen Elizabeth, once enjoyed an after-hours lock-in there with the Bishop of Southwark!
The George honestly deserves a whole blog post to itself, but for now, let’s move on to the next pub.
The Albert Pub, with its parliamentary division bell
From sport we move to politics – and to The Albert pub in Westminster. This charming Victorian pub is named after Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, and has a lovely façade covered in hanging baskets of flowers. Its claim to fame, though – and what earned it a spot on this list – is that it has one very unusual feature inside. Located close to the Houses of Parliament, it is one of several pubs that used to be very popular with the politicians who work there, making the laws of the land. Often they would be in the Albert, propping up the bar at the moment a crucial vote was announced in government, and this pub has a special bell, rigged to go off whenever the real Parliamentary voting bell did inside the House of Commons. At that point the esteemed Members of Parliament would have to down their pints, race to the door, and make all speed down to the Palace of Westminster to cast their votes.
The Anchor Pub in Southwark
For our final stop, we head back south of the river to the Anchor, in Southwark. This venerable hostelry has a long and illustrious history: it once formed part of the Courage Brewery, a huge, 5-acre site on the south bank of the Thames, so large and famous that it was a tourist attraction in its own right in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1666, the diarist Samuel Pepys took refuge here to watch as the Great Fire of London tore through the city to the north, destroying 80% of the buildings in one enormous blaze. And in a final literary connection, this was also where the writer Dr Samuel Johnson lived while he was working on the first ever English dictionary, published in 1755. It may well have been at the bar of the Anchor that he came up with his famous aphorism – “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life!”.
If you would like to know more about the historic pubs of London, and explore them in-depth, please contact me for further information and to book a tour.
