Ooooh I say, very cutting 
SanVito writes:
> I would suggest that this is a rather antiquated view - certainly true of my
> parents’ generation (70s) and mostly NOT true of mine (30s and below).
I concede that it’s more true of an older generation than a younger one.
And I’ll also point out that the same is true in the US. Though I didn’t mention it, part of the reason I was so surprised was that it was young men (twenties and thirties) who were all a-flutter (and gorram, but some of them were feckin’ adorable!), and I was a later-half-of-twenties chick. Eh, maybe it was the tipping. Maybe it was my tits. Maybe I had just had enough that I started to notice their interest (I tend to be rather bad at noticing male interest). Maybe I was hoping for interest and imagining it!
Apologies if someone else posted this and I missed it:
Social Issues Research Centre: Passport to the Pub (the tourist’s guide to British pub etiquette)
Only two links in the first two replies. Easy oversight 
Why I oughtta don my Jimmy wig and charge to the border and shout “Wankers!!”. 
Usually round buying (in my world, anyway) involves obligation (family) or politics (colleagues). Going out with pals doesn’t usually involve rounds - largely because people drink different things at different paces.
Unless you’re in couples of course, in which case the gentleman’s obligation is to go to the bar when it’s busy, but of course this breaks down after a few. Likely the men still end up going to the bar with a twenty pound note thrust at them by their SO, as the women depart to the toilets to discuss things. Often this leads to having to utter the immortal line “A Guinness, a Best, a vodka and cola, and -sigh- sex on the beach please”. Many of the best nights out involve this.
If you’re out for a pint on your own, I do agree with Gorillaman that if offered a drink it’s ideal that you accept and reciprocate, but there are a few ways out if you don’t really want another drink or are just plain skint. “Thanks man, but I’m driving” or “Thanks but I’m just out for one or two” and the experienced pub go-er will get the message. An exception to this is the crazy old bloke who insists on buying you a drink while you nod and smile at his incoherent rantings. Always, always accept. He will not let up until you do. Salve your conscience by putting one “in the tap” for him to get tomorrow.
Er, I blame the pub.
That “Passport to the Pub” website is written by Kate Fox, who wrote the book that I mentioned above.
Yes, I know. It’s a funny and perceptive site, and the best attempt I’ve read at “pub culture”. Of course, Kate Fox is herself not entirely typical of the pub-goer, but she does a good job. If you ever find yourself north of Stirling Wendall Wagner I’ll get you a couple of pints in.
No, no, no, the best response is “Thanks - remind me to buy you one next time”
As others have mentioned, most bars will have either Blackthorn or Strongbow and Magner’s in bottles. But! This is far from a complete description of ciders - in fact, all of these are ‘champagne’ ciders, which only came to Britain relatively late. This being Britain, ‘relatively late’ means early to middle 19th century. Some other champagne ciders which are worth a taste include Stowford Press, Thatcher’s, and Addlestone’s.
Prior to the introduction of champagne cider, cider was still - you have to look harder to find examples of this in Britain now, but it is possible. One of the most widespread is probably Weston’s, whose bottles were mentioned above. The only non-price virtue that I’ve found in any chain pubs is that Wetherspoon’s carries Weston’s Old Rosie and Organic Vintage on draught. Note that these are viciously strong - Old Rosie is about 7.4% alcohol by volume, while the Organic Vintage is 7.2%. Surprisingly, it’s much easier to find nice cider in a supermarket than a pub - Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s both carry Weston’s.
If you’re travelling to Britain and would like to try some traditional cider, consult with the UK Cider pub guide. Note that the social stigma alluded to above is - at least in my circle of friends - attached particularly to Strongbow and Blackthorn, rather than to cider as a concept. Drinking Stowford Press or Old Rosie is as respectable as any other pint. (Rather more so in the case of Old Rosie, given the prodigious alcohol content!)
Good description of real cider, QuizCustodet (FWIW: my local cider)
Decent still cider is good stuff, says me. 
(With or without a dead dog).
Ah yes, my brother refers to this as " and some old guy who has probably been drunk since about 1945 …"
Whoa! That’s some serious falling-down juice. I thought the 6.9% beers were bad…
If you thought 6.9% beers were bad, keep an eye out for Abbeydale Brewery’s “Last Rites”…at a stonking 11%, it’ll knock yer socks off!
I had a taste of 10.5% lager in Eastern Europe once. It was like beer mixed with vodka. Awful.
Try ‘Roger & Out’ a 12.5% ale from Sheffield, bloody foul…
I had some of that at a beer festival in our local Wethy’s once. You’re right, it was blummin’ awful. So far the best loopy juice has been 9% A Over T from the Hog’s Back brewery. Apparently it stands for “Aromas over Tongham”, but I’m not fooled by that.
Odd, in my neck of the woods going out with pals always involves buying rounds.
Or sometimes we’ll have a kitty.
Everyone put £20 in an empty half-pint glass and then the kitty holder gets stuck buying all the drinks from the pot.