Quote Originally Posted by Banquo's Ghost
Americans like to invent a sport and then continue to be World Champions at it forever. This usually means ensuring no-one else is interested in playing it apart from Japan and Cuba.

The British invent sports that everyone (aside from the Americans, see above) loves to play, and then spend centuries losing to Vanuatu fifth XI/XV and being bewildered.
Our most cherished cricketing trophy celebrates one of our most famous defeats. The Ashes urn must be, on looks alone, the most pathetic trophy in sport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ashes

Drinking beer is, of course, necessary to survive both these rituals.

The ritual of playing those sports, or the ritual of being British? AFAIK beer is necessary for both, and so playing sport while British requires double the amount. Proper beer with flavour, not the bland stuff across the (and mixed with) water. Lager is only drinkable if it comes from Germany or the Czech Republic, whose brewers are superb.