I like a quiet bar. I have since I was 21. This isn't an unusual desire; any time I'm at a bar past eight o'clock, someone (sometimes it's not even me!) eventually says "Sorry, I couldn't hear you. The bar got so loud!" Even the quietest dive fills up now and then with people shouting to be heard, when each person individually wishes the place were quieter. Why, as a culture, have we failed to find a way out of this loudness war? Why are most bars so bloody loud?

I'm a bit of a nervous flyer, so I always get to the airport early to sip on some courage at the bar. It helps me keep calm and, well, it's hard to pass up a good Bloody Mary. Over the years, I've learned a few tips to ensure the airport bar is always a good experience.

You're visiting a new city and you want to find a nice bar where you can grab a decent drink. Where do you go first? Close the Yelp app and hit the hotel bar, of course. Here's why.

The lemon wedge in your drink has a bad reputation, and the evidence for it seems obvious: No one at a restaurant washes the outside of a lemon, but then they throw that wedge onto your glass, sometimes letting the rind soak right in the drink. And according to HuffPost, several studies found all kinds of germs on lemon wedges from bars and restaurants.

So should your drink order always include "No lemon, please"?

Free drinks always make a night out better, but you don't have to cosy up to the bartender to get them. Instead, use these simple bar bets to pull one over on your friends (or other bar goers) and win yourself a free drink or two.

Really good, expertly made cocktails can cost a pretty penny, and I'm OK with that. What I'm not OK with, however, is paying $20 for an over-shaken beverage garnished with sad, dried-out fruit. Any bar can claim to make "craft" cocktails, but how can you be sure you're getting what you pay for?

On Sunday afternoon, Aussie boxing fans will converge on pubs and sports bars around the country to watch Conor McGregor duke it out in the ring against Floyd Mayweather. It's going to be quite the spectacle.

If you want a rowdy, ringside-esque experience, Australia's authentic Irish pubs are the ultimate venue. There will be cheering. There will be chanting. There will be drunken debauchery as only the Irish know how. With that in mind, here are the best Irish pubs in each capital city - all of which will be showing Mayweather vs McGregor on big screen TVs!

While cocktails aren't exactly good for you -- alcohol is a toxin after all -- some drinks can be more dangerous than others. These dicey craft cocktail ingredients can be found in bars all over the place.

For a fun night at a bar, all you really need any more is a smartphone with a ride sharing app and maybe a credit or debit card. But using cash can get the bartender on your side, and actually save you some money if you're not planning to stay very long.

Being a regular at your local bar, restaurant or cafe is about more than getting free drinks or good service -- it's also a solid way to improve your happiness and build a community. But to get that, you can't just be a regular, you should be a good regular. Here's how.

Looking for a tasty new beer to try? This interactive periodic table based on the 2016 World Beer Cup will guide you in the right direction, whether you prefer lagers, ales or hybrid brews.

If your glass of beer is mostly foam, you can make it drinkable faster with a simple chemistry trick. All you need is a little oil.

Sun Tzu once said "the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting." And that goes double when the drinks are flowing. People can get a bit hot-headed when they're on the sauce, and in some cases, physical. Based on my experiences as a security guard, these smooth talking tips will help you calm an intense situation and escape a potential beating.

The mob spoke and the government (sort of) listened: from 2017, Sydney’s draconian lockout laws will be softened to allow people into bars until 2am. However, the relaxation of the rules will only be permitted under certain conditions. Here's what you need to know.

Video: You don't need to spend a ridiculous amount to get your home bar up and running. A lot of common kitchen tools you already own can be used to make the perfect cocktails, and if you just stick to a few fundamental ingredients, you'll be mixing drinks in no time.

Debit and credit cards make it easy to start a tab at your favourite bar, but for bartenders, cash is king. If you pay and tip for your first round using cash before switching to plastic, your bartender might thank you for it later when the bill comes.

iOS: Bar Roulette, the clever service that sends you and your buddies to random top-rated bars in your area, now has a dedicated app for iOS with a new premium service tier and support for Foursquare.

There's no reason for you to have a dozen different types of glasses on your home bar, so why do bartenders serve cocktails in so many different types of glasses? Well, this video from PBS's IdeaChannel explains where all those glasses came from, and whether they matter.

A night on the town can be pretty costly -- but the amount you spend varies considerably depending on which Australian state and suburb you live in. The following infographic from online bar tab Clipp ranks each major city based on the average price of a meal for two. Surprisingly, Sydney didn't come out on top.