Once I get home I’ll do a proper post on America; the Chinese takeaway chains, shambolic coaches, and irritating habit of adding tax at the till. You’ll be glad you live in Runcorn. Or Canada.
Vegas is astonishing though. Believe me, it’s better than going to the real Eiffel Tower and Pyramids. Fake Venice is less convincing, coffee is marginally cheaper here.
We walked the strip, saw the free stuff, and I managed to get out of seeing Celine Dion as it was $566 each.
The lovely Cem from Gwynedd A Mon CAMRA had given me some tips, including one for $3 suds at Ellis Island Brewing.
He lied. They were $2.50 (plus “keep your own”).
In fact, the guy at the pizza concession told me to stand at the gaming table to get that price, rather than his four bucks.
Choice of five from the in-house brewery (one was “coming soon”), with exciting names like Pale, Light, Weiss and Stout.
In a sterile atmosphere (there‘s not much banter in a casino), and with two “minors” in tow, we couldn’t enjoy it, even with a view of the exciting brewing vessels.
It was tame beer as well, the sort you’d expect from one of those brewing and bowling places in Watford. The Stout was marginally better than an anaemic pale, but you can see why Yanks like Sam Smiths.
BrewPubs, like pubs with a dozen handpumps in the UK, are often a fashion accessory rather than a mark of quality.
Still, I might get to pay £20 for a keg Bass at Gordon Ramsay’s pub later.
Perhaps you can work out how much the craft beer in “H from Steps” bar costs per pint.
retiredmartin 
When I was in Vegas, this was the only microbrewery in town, I believe.
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Certainly looked like an early one. Will try Sin City beer later.
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Just read the Wiki on the pioneer. Don’t believe in giving beer fancy names, do they !
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Consider The Fireside Lounge, too, for an interesting experience, or it was a mere 17 years ago. That was me above too, but cocked up the login…
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Thanks . Beers on tap 0. TVs 32. That’s a good ratio 🌝
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It is easy to see from those prices why we do not complain about £4 per cask ale while visiting beer wonderful England.
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Exactly.
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From my experience Las Vegas may be the worst beer city in the US. Hands down.
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Hands down.
So much nicer than period.
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You mocking me Mr. Pie-Tin? LOL.
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“You’ll be glad you live in Runcorn. Or Canada.”
Oh, we have added tax in Canada as well. Plus it’s more expensive here. 😉
“In fact, the guy at the pizza concession told me to stand at the gaming table to get that price, rather than his four bucks.”
Heh, that reminds me of a trip to New York with my brother and both our wives. We were in Central Park and stopped by a lake with a small concessions nearby selling two sizes of Heineken cans. My brother and I asked how much, he said a price, we said for large or small and he said same price for both.
We chose the larger can. 🙂
“Perhaps you can work out how much the craft beer in “H from Steps” bar costs per pint.”
According to my calculations about 6.78 pounds, but no idea what the added tax and tip would be.
Cheers
Russ
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You can call it ten bucks then 😱
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You mean you went all the way to Ellis Island Casino and didn’t extol the virtues of the cheap as chips steak and chips ?
There’s hope for you yet on this trip lad.
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No curry sauce sadly 😢
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Still waiting for the review of American mobility scooters, and parking space availability at the bars.
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You won’t be disappointed on that front, Scott.
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Loved every line in this, but my favorite was this: “you can see why Yanks like Sam Smiths.”
At the end of all this I’m hoping for two final verdicts, one based purely on how enjoyable the trip was, and the other on the various beer experiences taken as a whole. In regards to the latter, can American places compare favorably to the likes of good GBG pubs? I am skeptical, it must be said!
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That’s definitely the question, Mark. Other countries, particularly Germany, have recognizably pubby places where folk go to drink and talk, but I expect to find LA and Vegas all about drinking as adjunct to dining and sports TV. Hope I’m wrong. Weather here is sensational 😄😁
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I believe your perception is accurate. Pubs in the US are not really designed for conversation. Food, sport or music tend to dominate. Often at a high volume. I do think this is what drives older people out of the pub scene in the US. My father in law goes to the pub with us most Saturdays. I would say my pub is normally reasonable as far as volume, but there are times he just cannot hear. I find it more difficult as I age and could see it limit how often I go.
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Pretty much the same in Canada Dave. My brother notices that whenever he comes over from France once a year when he and I visit our Mom and we manage to sneak out just us two for a pint. 😦
Cheers
Russ
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The only caveat is the tap rooms. Those can be resolutely beer focused.
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But more like Uk taprooms than pubs, I guess
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Yes, stark modern interior. Urban chic. HVAC décor.
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The resolutely beery place in Old Vegas (Banger Brewing) was 21+ only, so one of several places we couldn’t even sit outside with the boys. Not that we cared much, the fug of smoke as you entered casinos to get to bars was much worse.
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One of the last places you can openly smoke in the US.
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Martin – Go to the MGM Grand and into the Hi-Rollers lounge, there’s no loud music, no queuing, comfy seating where you can sit and chat quietly between games, you don’t have to go to the bar because everything is brought to you AND everything is free! I don’t recollect them having any Draught Bass though?
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Passed that yesterday. Ended up in M&Ms shop !
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