Real pubs versus college town bars

Lliving in college towns has many perks, the art, the music, the plays, the lectures, the various events, but really good pubs are not usually not one of them. The reason for this is simple; the drinking establishments cater to the least common denominator, which while not the most sophisticated drinking crowd, is certainly spending more money, and the economic bottom line dictates the outcome. The usual college bar is way too large, way too crowded, way too noisy, way to ordinary in terms of beverages, and worst, way too young. It’s hard to enjoy a pub where the beers on tap all have “lite” in their names, where you cannot hear or be heard without shouting, and worst of all, you are way more than twice the average age. The days when my shoes sticking to the floor did not matter are long past. As an alternative there are sports bars, where you are surrounded by gigantic TV screens at every angle blaring inane commentary, surrounded by fanatics enjoying the vicarious pleasures of reacting to the joys of winning and the agonies of defeat all the while knowing that the actual sporting participants could not give a damn about who is paying their inflated checks or cheering/booing for them, and worst of all, you are way more than twice the average IQ. So it was a special joy to find myself in a real pub over the weekend, one filled with people of all ages and sorts, with families, and real live entertainers who knew who Patsy Cline and Janice Joplin were and whose music did not ruin your hearing, and lastly, one sophisticated enough to serve pints of dead Irish guy (half Guinness, half Rogue Dead Guy Ale).