Lennox Pub, Vancouver

by Ash
(UNOB Towers)

Sadly no pic of the library stairs in use is available...

Beer Delegate for Japan, Douglas Gloag and I spent a long weekend in Vancouver in 2006 and the Lennox Pub quickly became our home from home.

In a city which surprised us with a mere sprinkling of bars (we had anticipated a big pub crawl every night), all of which close relatively early, the Lennox Pub is a Vancouver highlight.

It's a traditional pub atmosphere without too many TVs showing obnoxious sports at obnoxious volume. Typical beers are on tap, so don't expect a magical mystery tour through the world's greatest brews.

However, the Lennox is extraordinary for a couple of reasons. The first is the servers, who might have stepped out of some magical beery fairytale, a dream world where you get served promptly and with a smile. Sit at one of the tables and they will bring your beer to you, or you can prop up the wooden bar and get direct attention from the dedicated counter staff.

The second extraordinary part of the Lennox Pub in Vancouver is the construction of the bar itself. Behind the counter are old library-style shelves, arranged on three levels according to the frequency of an order being received for the item. Citrus fruit and regular mixers on the bottom shelf; spirits on the middle shelf; and (here's the clincher!) single malt whiskey on the top shelf.

If you're in the mood for a wee dram, it's absolutely imperative that you are being served by a vertically-challenged girl in a short skirt! The malts are a decent six-step climb up the library ladder and, if you're smart, once she's up there you can dither about which exact malt to order while enjoying her legs.

They even offer a quite decent menu, if you plan on entrenching yourself for the entire evening.

So, for whiskey-drinking amateur pervs and beer fans alike, the Lennox Pub in Vancouver is well worth a visit.