A US expat in London has stirred up discussion after pointing out a British pub tradition she believes would baffle most Americans – and she’s not sure the British have it quite right
Pubs are a cornerstone of British culture, serving as important community centres and inviting spaces for social gatherings with families, friends and colleagues. They also offer traditional food and alcoholic beverages, including beer, cider and wines.
For those not native to the UK, certain aspects of pub culture may seem baffling, such as the experiences shared by Devin, an American living in London. She uses TikTok to share her observations on the differences between the US and the UK, as well as her personal opinions and experiences in Britain. Recently, she posted a video discussing one particular observation related to pubs.
Devin stated: “One thing that English people do that would absolutely shock Americans is warm beer.”
The Californian expat went on to explain she had some friends visit from the US who were puzzled about why beer is served “warm” in England, rather than “ice-cold” as they had anticipated.
She confessed she agrees with them, expressing that when she orders a beer while out, she prefers it to be “refreshing and crisp”, with the exception of Guinness, which she views as a “winter beer”.
Devin believes any other beer not served ice-cold “just feels wrong”. She concluded her video by admitting her confusion over the practice and asked her viewers for explanations.
In her TikTok post’s caption, she wrote: “Siding with the Americans on this one sorry.” Her video has garnered thousands of views and more than 100 comments, with many Brits contesting the claim that beer is served “warm” in pubs.
One confused user questioned: “Warm beer? No British man will drink a warm beer.”
Another proclaimed: “Warm beer isn’t a thing.” A third added: “Warm beer? As a Brit, I have never and could never drink warm beer.”
Offering some clarification, a different Brit noted: “It’s not warm, it’s cellar temp so around 10 degrees.
“Cask ale is beer in its purest form. The only beer that should be ice cold is tasteless macro lager, ice cold masks flavour.”
Someone else commented: “If your pub serves you warm beer you need to give it them back, tell them it’s warm and go to a different pub but I’m English and [have] never been served a warm beer.”
According to BrewDog, a renowned multinational brewery and pub chain with venues throughout the UK, beer should be served at a temperature between 3-13°C.
However, it explains the ideal temperature for beer varies depending on the style, serving method and room temperature with lagers optimally served between 3 and 7°C, ales between 7-12°C and stouts at the upper end of the spectrum, served at 11-13°C.
BrewDog adds that chilled temperatures “enhance the bitterness and dryness of the beer, leading to a crisp, thirst-quenching feel” but low temperatures “inhibit the aromas of the ingredients, masking the flavour”.
