If you find yourself wandering around Kiev, near the national circus and find yourself thirsty yet not adverse to a bizarre experience (as happened to me but a couple of years ago) I can highly recommend Out Pub. It is a football pub with live bands at the weekend. Friendly, fun and nae bother. The local beers are good and although going up in price a lot recently, still hover around the quid a pint mark. The name ‘Out’ relates to getting out of it, smashed, suitably refreshed, you could say.
Fun fact: the gent’s urinals have a picture of The Russian President Vladimir Putin on them. You get the message. Please do not shoot the messenger here. We at The Yard of Ale have no political opinion; we are only interested in the politics of drinking.
As mentioned, it is a football pub and the owner is obsessed with legendary British footballer league players Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne and George Best. The place is festooned with photos and hand painted murals of them. I will leave it there and add no more as I do not wish to ruin your surprise if you are ever cool enough to venture here.
The last time I visited this most august establishment (which funny enough was in August) I noticed it was much brighter inside than I had ever noticed before. At this point I must tell that I was wearing a pair of grey jeans and a smart red shirt. Inside there were many locals lads in football top. It transpired, they were showing a big match; an international, no less. I went straight to the bar and ordered a pint and sat at the bar.
Now I am no expert on football and if you are not too / aren’t either (little help here please ed) but the national Ukrainian side wear yellow and blue which happens to be the same colours as their flag. Portugal, who Ukraine were playing wear red, which is also, you get the idea. Anyhoo, I quaffed a draught of beer and turned to see what was happening in the bar. A reporter was interviewing a local fan about his feelings on the match. Strangely I then turned to the screen which was about to show the match to the nation and saw the same man and interviewer. It was a live interview on national television. Behind them I could clearly discern a devilishly handsome chap wearing a smart red shirt grasping a pint of beer. Weird.
Final score: Ukraine drew 0 – 0.
I lived to tell the tale. Putin did not fare so well.
