It's funny listening to the various comments about beer, and how drinking habits have changed. When i first started going to the pub (early 80s), quite a lot of "older" people drank various "mixed" pints like Brown ale over Bitter, Lager over Bitter, Brown ale over Guinness/Mild and the dreaded snakebites (Cider over lager).... and most Pale Ales were bottled (mainly for export) and favoured by women... as were milk stouts etc. The main breweries had a vice-like grip on what was sold then, and people could be quite partisan about their choice of pubs based on the brewery. Over the years choice increased, with the addition of the odd exotically named foreign Lager or new generation of Bitter.... and eventually small brewers started supplying small batch "real" ales to "free" houses.
After the initial experimentation of youth, I eventually followed my uncles' advice and went for the Guinness. It was an acquired taste, but available everywhere and normally regular in quality. I have a few mates who love the rigmarole of trying new real ales and extolling the virtues of the various brews on offer. Most of the ones I've tried (not that many tbf) have been absolute swill, with a certain brand of Plum Porter guaranteed to fill my kecks mid-pint..... but my mates still swear by the quality of their £1.99 favourites.