In “old money”, eight bushels make a quarter, and as a bushel is a measure of volume, one bushel of barley is a different weight to one of malt. But here I talk about my four quarters that make for the inimitable pub experience.

I am a pub beer drinker; I seldom drink at home, as I would far rather be in a pub environment. I have been lucky over my career to visit some amazing places, but a great pub with cask ale is where I feel most at home. I am often asked “what is your favourite beer?”. And of course, the answer should be “the one in my hand, right now”, though often this is an aspirational reply. It sounds a touch simplistic, maybe bordering on the facetious, but how do we answer that question? What makes that perfect beer? Well of course brewing liquor, along with the best quality malts, hops and yeast are fundamental; so they are my four quarters? Well, no, as ingredients alone are but one part of the jigsaw. Harnessing the beauty of these raw materials, requires a skilled and experienced brewer to control the inimitable Mrs Beeton’s parameters of time, temperature and hygiene.

But these factors alone won’t produce that perfect or favourite beer – because it isn’t just about the beer. Sometimes people look surprised when I say this, as a brewer, so I then attempt to explain my thoughts. Beer of course is one of the four quarters; but it is often a beer appropriate for the visit – so if it is a well deserved pint (or three) after work on a Friday, I am looking for a lower alcohol beer; one that won’t spoil my Saturday, is not too expensive because we will probably be in a group buying rounds, and it has good drinkability. So, probably not a full-on hop-forward beer, but a balanced beer with light body, presence, and a subtle flavour. Some might say old fashioned beer, but I would challenge that generalisation. If it is a pint with a meal, then I’m probably looking at a fuller-flavoured beer, that will hopefully complement my food choice; sweeter darker beers with lamb, a 5% + IPA with cheese. I am also a strong advocate for a cleansing ale post supper! I could go on, but you probably get my train of thought.

The other three equally important parts are the company I am enjoying a beer with, the environment in which I find myself, and the hospitality I am both enjoying, and paying for.

Company is crucial – and beer is that great sociable drink, which is why I like to drink beer in a pub. Whether with family, friends, work colleagues, or people you haven’t met before, beer is the great social leveller. I have met people as diverse as the late Ayrton Senna’s helicopter pilot, to Miss Great Britain 1968 in the pub.

Environment is important – it could be the log fire on a cold winters’ day, a beer garden when our weather permits, maybe a historic pub, or even a pop up or festival. I am lucky living where I do, with the Cotswolds to the west (you can still find many unspoilt pubs that are not Notting Hill in the shire), and the city of Oxford has some real gems.

Hospitality is key – one positive of the Covid years is that the term ‘hospitality’ entered our dictionary. It’s part of the cost of a pint, and let’s face it, we know we are paying at least double what we could buy beer for to drink at home. So, some recognition/welcome when entering the pub is nice – simple, but so often missed. We know we want and need a properly cleaned glass; but remember the bottom half of the glass is for the server, the top half is for me. But just being made to feel a bit special is something we like, great service is an art, and one which we can recognise, though I’ll make my own choice and not pay a service charge, but rather tip as I see fit.

If all of these four component parts are present, it will be what a great British pub experience should be. The pub as we know it is unique to our shores, in my opinion, and something we should treasure, cherish, but most importantly use. Yes, the beer is fundamentally important, but my other three quarters are equally so.

Have a read of Pete Brown’s piece “My favourite beers in the World”. He puts it far more eloquently than me, but I think we are on the same page.

James Clarke
Managing Director
Hook Norton Brewery