Slainte'!

To all Imperialists, as we celebrate the day when St. Patrick (who was Welsh), cast the snakes from Ireland and brought God to the pagans, let us not forget the glass thru which we celebrate!

Some Sleight of Hand

We've spoken of the corner of Essex and Rivington before. Another great place to pint down, situated on this corner, is The Magician. Although not Imperial, it is still a solid pub that deserves it's due. According to Citysearch, it's named for an Ingmar Bergman film.

Decent jukebox, American 18oz pints, and a healthy selection of beers, all put The Magician on the map. At the very least, they don't stoop to baby pints.


6 out of 10 Pints.

Characteristic Markings

On a recent weekend afternoon trip through a couple of pubs, I've noticed that an Imperialist can put their mind at ease when they find the proper markings on their glass. Some bars have glasses that are the characteristic shape of the Imperial pint, but the volume of the glass is significantly smaller. This is a shame. We've talked about it before. Maybe it's the economy. Maybe it's capitalism. It really doesn't matter in the end, because, sadly, it doesn't work out in the drinkers favor.

The certfied Pint Glass is usually stamped with the Crown and the word "Pint" and / or CE on it (ensuring it has been checked by authorities). These can be also followed by a number (as seen in the glass at right). Each city in England has a specific number. This is the UK law for the marking of a full pint. Further to this, it is illegal under UK law to serve less than a pint (counting the head of the beer is a sneaky way of doing so), and if you do, customers must be told as such. Believe me, they are serious about it. These laws currently do not exist in the US. I feel that US (at least in the east) customers are being taken advantage of (hence this blog). It is unfortunate, because even before the event of baby pints, the US pint is 0.8327 of a UK pint. The standard of glass, which should be marked, is the Nonic pint glass. I have spoke of this earlier. Sadly, this shape has been co-opted and shrunk down to give the feel of an actual pint, but essentially, giving the odds to the house.

The actual origins are a bit less sinister than your narrator would let on. The American pint glass actually started out as a mixing glass for cocktails and other spirits, but eventually ended up as the defacto beer glass (Thanks to a post by Serious Eats for the info!).

During the renaissance, innkeepers / bartenders were called Publicans. Any similarities to Republicans? A sad attempt at humor.

Moral of the post - look for the markings. They will ensure you are getting your due.

Life Behind The Lens

His Majesty is not normally in the habit of throwing out endorsements, unless they are of a brewed nature, but here is one that strangely fits into that category. The Great Books Have Been Written is the photo blog of a fellow Imperialist, Danny Weiss (as in... Weiss Bier). A fine photographer from the school of William Eggleston, he's been shooting the New York streets for years. He managed to capture some familiar Imperialists in their pursuit of the revelry and merriment one evening. The joy of this moment is now forever on film.

A Taste of Old New York

Stuck in the Flatiron district, looking for a pint, can be a dire situation for some. Fear not, however, there is an Oasis. Old Town Bar is a drinking landmark. Thru and thru this is a turn of the century place. Both beers and food are on the level. Just walking inside you know you've arrived someplace special.

I went in one summer afternoon with a friend some years ago. I ordered a beer and the friend ordered a glass of wine and then excused himself to the bathrooms. The bartender brought over our drinks and asked me, "what's wrong with your friend?", as he placed down the glass of wine. Old Town, indeed.


7 out of 10 Pints.

Imperial Cinema - The Prestige

An addition to the annals of Imperial Cinema that might have squeaked by, if I hadn't rewatched it during a bout of unemployment, is 2006's The Prestige. Directed by Christopher Nolan of Batman fame and based on a book by Christopher Priest, The Prestige is the story of two feuding magicians at the turn of the century.

Great movie overall, the kind that creeps up on you after a couple of viewings. There are a few great scenes where Hugh Jackman indulges in the imperial pint in a wonderful looking establishment. Also factoring into this story is a drunken actor, who cannot refuse a "very welcome pint of ale".

The Daughter of a Pagan and a Catholic

A true imperial destination in the East Village is St. Dymphna's pub. A good pour and good food, the only issue being that it gets a little bit crowded at times. Being that St. Dymphna is the patron saint of mental and nervous disorders, maybe its fitting that a nice pint would calm one down in her namesake bar.

8.5 out of 10 Pints.