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First published in 2001 to national acclaim, Notes on a Beermat is
Nicholas Pashley’s ode to the amber nectar of the gods, a witty meditation on
beer and everything that goes with it—from socializing to the solitary pleasures
of a beer and a book, to the qualities necessary in a good pub.
Most books about beer focus on the beverage itself, how to
make it and how to buy it. Notes on a Beermat, the only Canadian book of
its kind, explains how to drink beer and why it is absolutely necessary. With
characteristic wit and charm, Pashley observes, for example, that “to ensure a
steady and regular supply of beer, it was necessary to cultivate grain. This in
turn transformed early man from the hunter-gatherer to the agriculturist. Even
then, beer was making people smarter.”
Whether you’re out for an after-work drink with colleagues or
you’re looking for a seat at your favourite watering hole, Pashley is your
guide. His stories about searching for the perfect pub, the best time of day to
drink beer and the silliest pub conversation he’s ever had will leave you
laughing into your pint.
So this fellow walks into a bar, right? Then he
walks into another bar. And yet another bar. Repeat this action for 35 years.
And that’s how this book got written. . . .
This is a book about drinking. Now, we’ve seen a number of
books about drinking in recent years, most of them telling either sad or
inspirational stories about the perils of alcohol and the overcoming thereof.
This is not one of those books.
—From Notes on a Beermat
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