Beer, beer, beer

I complain a lot about England. Deservedly so. Not that I don't like it, but this country is a mess. Too expensive, too small, politicians too mediocre (now anyway), an anachronistic monarchy that they couldn't keep to themselves (they had to export it in the Commonwealth), the cult of Lady Di in lieu of Mariolatry, reality tv shows, etc. I mean, no wonder they lost their empire. But there is one thing I have always loved about England: their beers. They have the best microbrewery beers in the world, the best beer tradition (IMO anyway), and say whatever you think about their gastronomy (which has improved tremendously, by the way), there is nothing that cannot be saved by a pint. Of course, too many brits nowadays drink lagers, or those silly fruit-juice alcoholic treacherous beverages. And not even all pubs have real ales. But one can find real ale in any town in England, and it makes everything more ebarable. Like a token of their past glorious days.

I say that, and Anthony Burgess once said that beer was the cause of England's fall and they should have kept opium as the intoxicating substance of choice.