IamA Bar owner in Dublin, Ireland AMA!

I live in Tallaght and my question is... Can I have a job?

No.

I just wanna say, for the record: This here, this is an AMA. I’ll take this any day over B celebs promoting their latest movie.

NEXT SUMMER. HES BACK. FROM NOWHERE. THIS TIME ITS PERSONAL.

My band from Las Vegas played your bar last December, was a fucking riot! We're coming back in August.

Tell Kevin I said Hi.

Nice to see you and the Thomas house doing big things!

Here's a photo from the gig with our singer wearing the "Defend Thomas House" shirt. http://imgur.com/i3kCO2p

Shameless plug: Like The Delta Bombers on facebook https://www.facebook.com/thedeltabombers, we're utter facebook whores. Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

Edit: Thanks for the gold you mysterious reddit hero you.

Shampless Plug 2: Sound Cloud https://soundcloud.com/thedeltabombers/

Delta Bombers in the house!

What's the most stereotypical Irish thing you have witnessed in your pub?

Falling asleep while standing up. Ordering 3 pints at last orders and failing to finish one of them. Trying terribly to chat up members of the opposite/same sex.

How often do you get a tourist come in and say "top o't'mornin"? How do you react to this?

I high five them.

Not really a question but more of a request...can you come to the States to teach bartenders how to pour a proper pint of Guiness?

The biggest problem with Guinness abroad isnt the pouring technique (though I have seen some shameful examples) its the gas used to propel the stout from the cold room to the cooler to the tap. Its a different type of gas thats used from other beers. From what im told a lot of bars in the states use Lager gas to proper Guinness, which messes with it.

In what ways is the American perception of Irish drinking different from the reality of Irish drinking?

Edit: Forgot crucial word "different"

Having spent some time in the states I feel like theres not a massive difference between the drinking cultures at the moment. Maybe at one stage there was, but currently most of our American visitors can keep up with all of our regulars. Except for one. The infamous "Toner" who is a drinking machine.

IAmA request. Toner

I will sort out a Toner AMA if this one goes well. Seriously

On average how many glasses are lost per day? (You know, someone drops it, or "accidentaly" leaves it in their pocket, etc)

And what's your favourite Irish Beer?

Porterhouse Hop Head is my favourite Irish beer. Its amazing. I would say between 10 and 30 glasses go "missing" a night.

How the hell do you cover those kind of losses? Are glasses just much cheaper than I think?

Glasses are free from the breweries. Except for Guinness glasses.

What is the biggest misconception that tourists have of Irish pubs?

If theres any misconception its that there will be musicians in the corner with fiddles and tin whistles and bowls of stew all over the place. That happens the odd time. I think most of them get "it" when they walk in and see the decor of the place though. We are always more than happy to point tourists in the direction of more "traditional" pubs if thats what they are looking for.

where do you find the most obnoxious tourists are from? And do people all really love Canadians everywhere?

Ireland. Without a doubt. Ive had nothing but amazing experiences with tourists from all over the globe.

Haha no shit! I'm one of the Americans with Champlain College hanging out at Thomas House all the time this semester. Most of us leave the country right after our final exams on either May 3rd or 4th. Is there any way we can throw a shindig/send off to celebrate our time in Europe the night of the 2nd? :)

Edit: Haha, I don't usually like when people do this, but I think it's funny that my first gilded comment is when I was asking for a party. Thanks stranger!

Of course you can. Drop in and talk to me or Kev. Gar.

Do the Irish really detest the green beer on St Patrick's day phenomenon that occurs in north america?

We dont detest it, its just a bit unnecessary. But its all in fun so no harm no foul.

Have there ever been any assholes who've ordered a car bomb?

Edit: huh, just realized this was the first comment.

Thanks for answering!

We dont sell them to be honest. Not because of any political stuff. Just because they aren't nice. Well that and we feel a bar should be a social club and not a race to get smashed drunk!

Can I come party with you?

The Thomas House. 86 Thomas Street. Dublin 8. Dublin. Ireland. Open from 5 every weekday and 2 every weekend. So of course you can come party with us.

As an Irishman: This is all it takes to warrant an AMA?

Because I know this semi interesting binman from Dubai.

Put him on the blower, ill sort him out. Everyone knows the binmen in Dubai are robots anyway. That place is the fucking FUTURE.

I haven't been in Ireland since the 1980s. Are the licensing hours still ridiculously short / abbreviated?

Standard opening hours are 10.30am till midnight during the week. Then 12.30am on the weekends. There are special exemption licenses that allow you to stay open until 3am though.

Has anyone ever asked for something really ridiculous? I was also wondering if there are ever any bar fights.

Nothing too crazy. The worst thing is when people come in and order stuff without looking at the taps or in the fridge. People come in and ask for a pint of Budweiser. We dont sell Budweiser, so they get a long hard stare.

Bar fights in our place are incredibly rare. We are very much a self policing bar. We dont have door staff or anything. We refer to our customers as "Defenders"

"Defenders"

Is this one of them here? http://i.imgur.com/wajAfWk.png

Only on Sundays.

What percentage of your beer and overall sales are Guinness?

I would say that a good 20% of my sales are just Guinness.

so what did you do with the drunken sailor?

Early in the morning? Or late at night?

So, many tourists I suppose

What are the stereotypes that are most applying?

Japanese people are very polite. Most American males were in the military at some stage. Germans drink hard. Spanish people take HOURS to drink one drink. Thats not across the board though.

I was curious what it took to get a bar started or if you had any advice?

I worked for a group of bars and venues as a promoter beforehand. I brought over punk, rockabilly, hardcore and whatever bands to play in Dublin. I had never poured a drink before I took over here. I had no savings at all but I had a history with The Thomas House. Essentially my family and friends helped me get involved.

If someone wanted to buy you a drink, what would it be?

Anchor Small Beer. Or St Bernardos APT. Failing that a Powers Whiskey.

Do you sell st bernardus abt 12? That's dangerous beer (10.5%) to be serving to us Irish!

I have a cousin in Brussels and he says when he has visitors over they end up totally wasted because they have no idea how to drink strong beer. They don't take their time and they ask for it in pint glasses!

Thats the one.

On average, how many pints of Guiness do you sell a day?

It all depends on the day and if I have the venue open too. Could be between 50 and 400, theres no real standard number.

What is some Irish bar culture that would leave tourists flabbergasted?

Kicking out time is like open day at the zoo. Most people just do not want to go home.

What is something about Ireland that would surprise most people that aren't Irish?

We are all actually banshees and leprechauns.

Do ye like dags?

Edit (ye in place of you : correction thanks to Hemingway

I love dags. https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1514017_10153991710165647_599731101_n.jpg Thats me and my dag.Bane.

Do Americans or other tourists get dirty looks when they enter the pub like in the movies?

Never. Ever.

What's your best selling beer?

Here in the states (at least in California) heavier microbrews and hefs are pretty huge right now.

Its up an down. Excluding Guinness. I'd say Veltins Pilsner, Aspalls Cider and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Haven't been over in a while, My question is do bars still refuse to allow customers to mix drinks? What I mean is, would I be refused a lager after I'd just drank a couple of pints of Guinness for example? In the 70's/80's the bar staff wouldn't serve this way 'cos it lead to too many fights.

You can drink whatever you want, whenever you want.

How do you feel about the Canadian/American sort of "Irish Heritage" obsession and the desire to recreate aspects of it over here? In my neighbourhood we had a bar called Dora Keoghs that worked pretty hard at the stereotype (All wood, fiddlers in the corner ever sunday). I'm curious how an Irish tourist would take it.

I mean, I know this isn't strictly bar-related but I'm always curious. A lot of people don't see "Canadian/American" as a primary identity/nationality (I've been asked when I said I was Canadian "No, really, what are you?) but I know if I said "Irish" most folk actually in Ireland would roll their eyes at me.

So, Gar, just curious if you have two cents on any of that?

I think that family legacy and heritage is a powerful thing. It can draw people to far flung corners of the world in search of information. I have nothing against anyone claiming to be Irish. Im a human being, I was just born here. I like some aspects of our nation and I hate some others. If someone wants to mix and match I have no issue with that at all.

Looking to visit Ireland in the next couple years. Aside from your own bar (which I'll be visiting) any other recommendations?

Brogans on Dame street. Hogans on Fade Street. The Voodoo Lounge on the quays. The list goes on and on. Drop in to us and we will give you a few other places to check out.

Just a general question, my friends who have visited both Dublin, and Galway are confounded with the high functioning alcoholics that might be frequents to some establishments. What would you do as a barkeep to aid them in their troubles? Taxi, cutting them off, a friendly ear to listen?

We said from the very start that we didnt want to add to the downfall of civilization. We wont serve drunk people or people we know to have drinking problems.

Is there a noticeable difference in atmosphere or clientele during St. Patrick's Day?

Also, what lesser-known beers do you wish more people drank or ordered?

I wish more people tried the Irish craft beer products as a whole. Paddys day is a bit like taking a couple of hundred people, throwing them in a room. Flashing the lights really quickly while you play mad music and hosing them down with Guinness. Its mayhem.

I'm in Dublin right now for work ... I'm coming to find you.

COME TO ME

Have you had any experience with Eastern European clients? Was it negative/positive?

My girlfriend, best friend and dog are all Polish. I love Eastern Europe. I have EE customers all the time. Nationality doesn't come into it with us. Nice is nice, arseholes are arseholes. Doesn't matter what piece of land they were born on.

I'm afraid we're going to need a picture of that dog. For verification.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1514017_10153991710165647_599731101_n.jpg Me and Bane.

How good was the hand job from Bart? :p

Solid bar, epic beer and hilarious twitter accounts.

10 out of 10

What the craziest thing a band has done on stage and did it involve a bagpipe?

Fireworks and spit. Thats all the detail im going into.

What POS system do you use?

We use old fashion push button tills.

what kind of music do you play in the pub outside of live performances?

We deal in Punk, Hardcore, Oi, Ska, Rockabilly, Soul, Psychobilly, Americana and more.

If you own a bar in Ireland isn't it technically a pub? Never heard an Irishman call a bar a pub.

Both terms are acceptable.

What is it like being a bar owner in Dublin, Ireland?

Tiring and exciting at the same time.

What's the best toast you've heard at your bar?

"To your ma. Fuck her!"

Great response so far folks. Keep em coming.

I have to run out for a bit to walk the dogs (How professional of me) Keep the questions coming and ill get to them all!

DEFEND THOMAS HOUSE

how old is the building your pub is in and how long has it been there?

There has been a pub on these premises since 1710. Its pretty old.

What beers do you currently have on tap? Is there a beer you would like to serve but can't get your hands on?

Currently its Guinness Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye Brooklyn Lager Brewdog 5am Saint Gulden Draak Porterhouse Hop Head Porterhouse Red Ale Pilsner Urquell Aspalls Cider Kozel Pilsner Veltins Pilsner

We rotate the taps every few months so I will get to all my favourites at some stage. Im excited about St Bernardos APT on tap soon though.

My boyfriend played two gigs at your bar, he wanted me to ask you, "what the fuck is up with your toilets?"

There are two options in our toilets. Sit down or stand up.

Is it true you guys can single handedly rescue a bundle of baby kittens off a 100 story-high skyscraper on fire while screaming in Gaelic?

All the time.

Do you like tacos?

I like tacos.

Is running a bar a fun job? It seems like you get to just hang out with people all day and they give you money.

It can be fun but its the most exhausting thing I have ever done. There is literally a new emergency every week. From plumbing to electricity, everything will fail when you really need it to work. But yeah I get to hang out with random people every day.

I read this as "I'm a bear owner in Dublin" over excited myself.

I would be excited too.

What are your operating margins?

50/60% on products but within that theres all the background money that goes out. We operate on low margins here to survive as we are an independent bar.

Hey, I'm actually traveling to Ireland from the 22nd to 29th of this month with my girlfriend. We'll be landing in Dublin and just hopping around via bus and hostels, then taking off from Dublin again. Two questions: 1) What should I definitely do in Dublin and 2) What places are nearby that I should travel to?

Also, I will come and find you, Gar from The Thomas House.

That sounded ominous. Drop into us and we'll give you a bunch of places to hit up. I swap information for beer.

Is Jameson as popular in Ireland as it is in America? As a bartender and lover of whiskey, I consider it to be a bland, characterless spirit compared to other Irish whiskeys such as Bushmills, Powers, Knappogue Castle, Redbreast, etc. It's been very well marketed to the point where a lot of knucklehead "whiskey drinkers" think it's the nectar of the gods. What's your take on this?

Jameson is mega popular here yeah. I prefer Powers myself or theres a small company called Teelings that make great Whiskey.

Is your bar different from the types of bars we find in the temple bar district, and if so, how?

Also, I was there last year and I saw signs for Molson Canadian everywhere I found that really weird since it's just your typical blonde beer, do you sell that?

We are a different animal completely from most Temple Bar pubs. We dont take advantage of Tourists. Theres a long complicated story as to the Molsen Canadian thing in Ireland. Suffice to say, The brewery dont control Coors Light in Ireland and wanted to launch a new product over here. They chose MC.

What's your favorite whisky?

Powers.

What's it like being a millionaire?

Ill tell you in a few years hopefully. Im BRRROOOOKKKEEE as a joke. Being a small bar, the staff and the bills get paid before than me.

How do your normal patrons act towards tourists? Are they usually unwelcome by your locals?

They love tourists. Its someone new to talk to.

Didn't you curate the @ireland account recently? If that was you, then fair play to you - I enjoyed that week.

That was me indeed.

What makes an Irish pub an "Irish Pub"?

If its a pub located in Ireland....

But seriously, the idea of the Irish pub is more of a "traditional" pub. We dont fit into that category. We are more of an alternative music bar. Traditional bars usually serve food and focus on traditional Irish music. Most of these bars are Tourist traps if located in the city.

Only the temple bar ones are tourist traps. The bars around trinity are good. I often have a meal in the longstone behind pearse street garda station. You should serve food, Nothing better than a meal with a real pint!

Long Stone is a great pub.

What's your favorite movie?

Way too hard a question!

Hey thanks for hosting this AMA /u/bombidol, I gotta ask, what was the most interesting thing that was left by a customer at your pub?

Someone flushed the tire of a bicycle down the toilet once.

Why are Irish people so prone to violence when drunk?

Source: The only people that want to fight me at bars are Irish.

We are an energetic tribe of people. Its freezing and wet here all the time so we have to move to stay alive.

What is your most popular beer and whiskey for native irish?

Guinness always. Powers or Jameson.

Does anyone actually say "to be sure, to be surrreee"?

Never.

What is it meant to mean?

It's meant to mean "Look at me I'm a bellend".

And, what does that mean?

to be sure to be sure means " thats 100% correct"

Know any "Kilmartins"? I'm from the states but would love to visit the motherland one day.

Ah yeah I know Joey the eyball Kilmartin and Johnny four legs Kilmartin

Hi. I have never been in your place yet. From my personal experience I have to say that Irish barmen are divided in two categories:

1 Smart people, they do get your drink fast, and are very friendly, always willing to have a good conversation about everything.

2 Real assholes, they are fucking slow, capable to give you a lemon slice right on the desk, without a plate. Unable to say even "Hi".

I have noticed that the IQ of the barmen always depends on who is the owner. Cool owners always have cool barmen. Assholes owners have only assholes barmen. Never seen mixed personnel. It looks it is all connected to who owns the pace and hires the people.

What kind of barmen do you hire in your place? Do you check their IQ? Please be honest, I have a really bad temper. If I see assholes barmen, the pace always ends up being blown off.

All of our staff are 100% stand up people. Ask a stupid quesion, get a stupid answer. Be genuine and you will make a friend for life. We also have the best haircuts.