The Devils Juice!

I just wondered if I was alone in that I like to have a beer in the zoo bar if they have one?
I know that this may sound bad from the 1st line but if I'm spending the majority of the day at a zoo then come mid afternoon I feel a pint of beer is in order as a reward for distance travelled. Is this weird? And do I have a drink problem?

Thanks in advance...

EDIT:- I quite like Paigntons bar, it's a nice set up with decent views!

 

Seems odd to me to serve alcohol at a family recreation spot like a zoo. (In the interest of full disclosure, I have never had a glass of alcohol in my life). Most zoos in America do not offer it, but there are a few that do. I realize this is a somewhat controversial topic and there will be a variety of opinions, but I see no reason why major recreation areas like zoos, theme parks, or nature centers would need to serve it.

 

Of the zoos I have visited Houston and Dallas World Aquarium serve beer (and the DWA has a full bar selection).

 

Thanks for the replies folks.
I just think it's quite a nice way to relax after hours of walking but don't get me wrong, I don't get trashed at the zoo I just have the one. I think every major zoo in the UK that I've been to serves beer somewhere but I've not seen it in smaller collections. Weirdly enough West Midlands Safari Park also have a bar which strikes me as a little odd and possibly dangerous...

 

Kansas City Zoo serves beer. Of course, the average zoo visitor + alcohol + a grumpy free-ranging tree kangaroo, is a very annoying mix. However, that is the only time I've ever seen a visitor "drunk." I see nothing wrong with it, as beer is just another drink, unless in the wrong hands.

 

I've never seen anyone drunk in a zoo and I don't think I'm likely to as whenever I've been to the bar everyone seems to go in, have a beer and leave unless they're having a meal. At West Midlands though, people drive through in their own cars which could be a recipe for disaster if someone "accidently" over did it.
Other than that I'm all in favour of bars in zoos!

 

And now I've been sat here thinking about it, what happened with the tree kangaroo/drunk combination? I have a lot of mental images, I need closure!
Thanks in advance, just please put me out of my misery KCZooFan.

 

Not as bad as you would imagine, just petting it, trying to scare it, and feeding it some sort of human snack food. Kangaroo got pi**ed and hoped ino a tree. Here is the only photo I have of the kangaroo and people, not with any misbehavior though. [ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nvarvel/5414151724/"]Matschie's Tree Kangaroo | Flickr - Photo Sharing!@@AMEPARAM@@http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5256/5414151724_1a1bb0c851_m.jpg@@AMEPARAM@@5414151724@@AMEPARAM@@1a1bb0c851[/ame]

 

I hate to say this but I can't see the photo. I'm sort of disapointed that the story didn't have a more dramatic "drunk getting his comeuppance" ending! Would've seemed more like justice to me!

 

The Los Angeles Zoo offers bottles of beer in its indoor eateries. I don't drink alcohol myself though.

 

You definitely aren't alone, my wife and I often have an early afternoon pint in the pub at Chester Zoo. Just the one, though... and nothing too strong.

Perhaps they could commission a micro-brewery to do a zoo themed ale. Wishful thinking on my part.

 

Summer afternoon, the garden by the manor house and a long walk to get there... Possibly the most rewarding pint of the summer in my eyes! And you can hear the lions roar as well, a very nice experience indeed.

And what were you thinking for your zoo-themed? Absolutely Apes Ale? Could call it Triple A Ale for short... Bound to be able to think of something better in the next couple of hours though!

 

We attended one of the EAZA fundraisers earlier in the year.. Fantastic to sit on the terrace there as the sun set... Glass of beer in hand and the parrots in the breeding centre making an absolute racket.

I hadn't thought of ale names... There's got to be loads of potential with a zoo theme.

Wobbly Wallaby, Trunk as a Skunk, Red Panda Ale....

 

Love it! Especially "Wobbly Wallaby", definitely on to a winner there!
I find it quite nice to actually have a pint rather than some grossly over-priced bottle of warm Stella or similar. And having a beer in the zoo compares to nothing else, as you said the noises add a whole new dimension to it.

 

Just to add to the stories - I have actually seen a chap so paraletic he couldn't stand up one bank holiday at a well known northern english zoo - he tripped on top of the elephants hill and smashed his face into the tarmac with such force I though he'd need surgery - managed to pull himself upright along the fence and staggered off after his family who didn't bat an eyelid (no pun intended). Sad really!

OK - to lighten the mood - my microbrewery would serve the following ales:

Tiddly Tamarin Ale - a small bottle but a quick aftertaste of fruity undertones
The Rollicking 'Roo - a very hoppy little number
The Spotted Avenger - cheetah on the label of course and a speedy little brew
Howling Hound - a strong Hunting dog themed brew only ever sold in multipacks!

 

God, why can everyone else think of decent names for beers. My one was absolutely rubbish compared to yours karoocheetah! Definitely got a high imagination...
What I wanna know is how do people manage to get so drunk at the zoo, surely it takes a little away from the experience?

 

I would imagine that for whatever reason they started they day accompanying a family group on a nice day out, albeit not as zoo fans, then found out there was a bar and sort of forgot to leave.

 

Classy, I suppose that's the sort of thing I do when I'm somewhere I don't want to be and I locate a bar. Albeit without getting slaughtered though!
The thing with Chester is it's such a long way from mine that the journey home can become quite uncomfortable after more than 1 beer. I'm assuming the paraletic guy was much more local than me!
On a seperate note do you think seaside and holiday destination zoos suffer more from this sort of thing? I imagine Blackpool could be quite bad due to all the stag and hen-dos, lads holidays etc etc.

 

I would like to think Blackpool zoo is sufficiently far enough from Blackpool town centre to avoid most of the trouble. I didn't even notice if they had a bar actually.

I have, however, seen quite a few stag/hen parties invading the Pleasure Beach which can be a bit of a pain when I have my rollercoaster head on.

 

Well they have a licensed cafe so they probably do sell beer, can't remember much about it to be honest as it's been a while since I last went to Blackpool. I know what you mean about the Pleasure Beach though. I always thought rides + alcohol = vomitting but it appears a lot of young soon-to-be-marrieds don't agree!
I guess the zoo would be pretty safe though, I guess not many people want to spend their last few days of freedom looking at animals when there's so much more "adult" entertainment around...