TRPardoe

If you are in a typical Manhattan bar, tip $1 per drink.

My wife is a born and bred Manhattan JAP, that's what she says and she knows.

Hiro11

This is a little confusing, are you saying you tip every time you get a drink served to you, or that you tip for all of the rounds at once when leaving? If it's the former, I've never heard of doing that and never met a bartender who would expect that.

If you drink five rounds, you leave five bucks on the bar when you're leaving. It would be a little strange to give the bartender a dollar everytime he/she drops off a brew.

Celsius

Are you saying that when you leave, you make a point of returning to the bar simply to give the bartender the tip?

Just trying to understand American bar etiquette.

Ridski

I think what he means is that most bartenders will either ask if you want to start a tab, or automatically start a tab for you. In such cases, you tip about $1 per round, more if the rounds are large. You give the bartender or waitress or whatever the tip when you pay the tab. If you're paying by the round, then things get a little different. If you're buying one or two drinks, $1 per round is fine, but if you're getting four or more, then $2-3 tip should be in order, as you're making them do extra work for you. Having been a waiter in NJ in my time and working almost exclusively for tips, I have a greater level of sympathy for those in the service industry than most Brits who come over here and don't believe in tipping.

Personally, I tend to follow the above formula, then add a little on top to keep the bartender sweet, especially if I know I'll be in that bar again. Front-loading tips always works well, too, if you're paying per round, drop a couple of bucks extra in on the first round and you're more likely to get served faster later on in the evening. IME, of course...

CitySimon

I've been to NYC a few times for weekend trips and tend to stick to 3rd Ave between 14th Street anmd 55th Street (up towards the British Consulate?) and found a number of really good pub/bars there. The Drunken Monk (I think) is about 34th street and is really good. A little lower down 3rd Ave are a couple of really nice bars with Tetleys Smooth on tap (don't know the names of the places though).

I've had a couple of really good pub crawls along that stretch of road. Enjoy.

scrubbedexpat099

Generally there is no Draught beer in the US.

The tap room of my local brew pub occasionally has a barrel on tap, but usually all beer in the US is filtered and kegged.

I have only come across one other place that served beer on draught. To be honest I preferred the keg version, there is an art in draught beer.

Ridski

Well, if you wanna get technical and stuff...

standrews

Blind Tiger on Hudson Street

scrubbedexpat099

There is a Bar in Boulder that usually has Fullers and Waddingtons on keg, 20 oz glasses as well.

But nasty

I would rather drink decent local stuff than badly served versions.

Obviously thre is no way a Draught beer can be properly exported, even an IPA!

BigDavyG

What is the difference if you don't mind me asking between draught and kegged ??

There is a boozer near me called the yard house - 111 beers available on tap. They claim that its the largest selection in the world.
Having initially tested it out with a few home beers like Tennants and Boddingtons I can say that they serve damn fine beer. $2.50 a pint happy hours on Monday's - can't be bad

scrubbedexpat099

I have been to places that have more, in Holland and no doubt Belfium, but not on tap.

Having more than a few on draught I always took as a bad sign, unless they had a massive turnover.

Basically Draught beer is living and keg is dead. The active element in a draught beer provides the fizz, a keg is filtered and killed and gas is used to provide the sparkle.

Personally a good draught is much better than the best keg, but a good keg is much better than a bad draught.

Keg can travel and does not require a cellarman who knows his stuff. Tap and go, just keep the pipes clean.

IPA was developed to be shipped to India, legend has it that there was a shipwreck and some barrels found there way to shore. I have no idea what it would have tasted like once it got to India mind you after months on a ship.

BigDavyG

Cool - thanks.
I assume that the place I'm talking about in the states had all the beers on keg, but I can tell you that the Tennant's there was better that the Tennant's served in the boozer I drink in back home, and the turnover there would be pretty substantial. Must be down to their pipes I guess.

theedge

Guys,

Thanks a lot everyone for the replies, I will check out the places you mentioned and I've already been to a few. I have had british ales in NYC - like Boddingtons, Old Speckled Hen, Belhaven etc... These are very good beers and I enjoy it, but my problem is finding bitter - like Director's or Young or many others that can be found in almost any pub in the UK but for some reason seem to be nonexistent in the US (or at least NYC). I just miss that taste of good bitter, the one that's served warmer than other beers and tastes so smooth and nice. But thanks again for all the tips, I will continue on my quest and will let everyone If I find it. If someone encountered a real bitter here, plz let me know.

CitySimon

I can't remember the name of the place where I found Tetleys Smooth on tap. I was going uptown on 3rd avenue, on the right hand side, north of 14th street but below the Hairy Monk (not the Drunken Monk) on 25th Street.

If you like Boddingtons, you'll like Tetleys.

Hiro11

...perfect summary.