WHAT'S THAT STUFF?

IN C&EN CIRCLES, "PUBS" MEANS PUBLIcations. But where I was brought up, in Southampton, England, "pubs" meant one thing and one thing only: public houses. In those days, pubs were places where people—mainly men—quaffed beer or other alcoholic drinks, socialized, and played games such as darts, dominoes, cribbage, and shove-halfpenny. Every village and neighborhood seemed to have at least one pub. Nowadays, most pubs in England offer "pub grub" in addition to a range of drinks. Many have become restaurants, the best being so-called gastropubs. Even so, there's still a strong association in British culture between pubs and beer. I must confess: I did not enjoy my first pint of beer. It had a bitter flavor and I could not understand its appeal. However, as the years passed, and with some encouragement from friends, I sampled many of the numerous varieties of beer that are brewed in England. I gradually acquired a taste ...