The usual [beer] suspects

So you're wanting most restaurants to have a craft beer-centric rotating selection?
Remember, craft beer is what, 8% of all beer sold now?

 

Around here, most places carry at least one Sam Adams product, but I would agree that what I have seen in eateries is mostly the usual suspects. I don't usually look for beer with dinner, but I do check out the tap lists. Some places do a lot with a little - thinking of a small vegetarian joint that has six taps, two of them usually locals and the rest from different regions and usually outstanding choices. A couple of small places are hooked up with local nanobreweries, so the variety is obviously limited, but it is good to see them supporting each other. The opportunity is certainly there for local non-chain eateries to "partner up" with local brewers, but I don't think it is used as much as it could be. More used to seeing a SA seasonal plus Boston Lager and maybe a Stella or Pilsner Urquell tacked on to the usual suspects, maybe a Magic Hat thrown in the mix. Chains - forget it - most of them can't even keep things straight. Since when is SA an "import"??? I had to look twice to make sure I wasn't seeing things!

 

Im finding lagunitas to have enough of a different selection, and quality to match, to keep me happy if a Pub exclusively sells their product. One near my work does.

On the other hand Ive been blessed with such a love of many Beer types and makers it has to be a truly downtrodden pub to make me unhappy. I guess I would vote with the "change the selection regular" crew. Life is short and why not try every quality brew?

 

Agreed. Anytime I step into a chain restaurant (which I can only assume uses its larger buying power to get at least some kind of discount on volume purchases) and see Sam Adams I consider it a victory. Remember, people go to these places because they know what they're getting, not because they want to be surprised. I wouldn't expect to see draft rotation in such a place in either of our lifetimes. If you want specialty treatment, you really need to go to a place that markets itself as such.

 

Permit me to tell a story. There is a new restaurant that recently opened near me that is a Burger/Hot Dog/Shake place called Shake Shack (a chain). I want there for the first time yesterday to get a hamburger for lunch. To me surprise they had beer there (GOOD BEER!). On draft was a beer brewed by Brooklyn Brewery called Shakemeister Ale (an APA), Victory Headwaters Pale Ale, and a beer from Abita. Not a single BMC on tap! There were also a number of beesr available in the bottle/can (I only recall Sly Fox Dunkle in the can). I would never have guessed that a simple place like this would not only have a liquor license (and only serve craft beer on tap). It reminds me of the old Yakov Smirnoff comedy routine: America, what a country!!

Cheers!

P.S. The hamburger was awesome!

 

At the heart of this, I want to trust that the beer served is in good condition. There are a couple places I've written off because I've been served stale Sierra Nevada or Sam Adams.

 

In MN quite a few restaurants have Surly and it's rare to go to a place that doesn't at least have Summit.

Most foodie(sp?) spots have a pretty good craft selection.

 

Some chain places give you better selections than others. Local chains dont seem to have as much variety as more national chains. Im sure you RI people know Chelos, well their beer selection sucks ass and Uno Chicago which is a more national chain gives you better options.

 

all I can really say is stay away from buffalo wild wings .... and jax ale houses, which BTW have no ales in them period.

 

I've run into the usual suspects at a restaurant near my house. Out of 10 or so taps, most are BMC plus the local favourite Yeungling Lager, Stella, Sam and maybe Heineken. It seems that they figured out that they must have one IPA on tap so they will rotate DFH 60, Torpedo, Two-hearted and Stone IPA. All great beers IMO, but I would like to see more variety. And it seems like once a keg is tapped it lasts for a long time. I've had Two-hearted there on several occasions and there have been times when it was fresh and very tasty, and times when it was old and disappointing. I used to look forward to going there, but now I that I've figured out their routine, not so much.

 

BWW really varies by location. My local one is so-so but the one in downtown Indianapolis has a great beer selection.

 

Some restauranters/bar owners are uninformed, lazy, or don't care enough other than to let their Bud or Miller guy choose their beers for them. Don't get me wrong, some BIG distributors are very good, but you will always see Shock Top or Blue Moon. It's all about demographics, employee knowledge, and enthusiasm if a truly "interesting" beer list works well. This is truly changing more and more because there's good money in selling good beer. If a place has 16 taps and they're not selling through product, they sure as hell don't need 16 taps. Pick the places you patronize because of their discretion in beer choices, fresh beer, and clean keg lines.

 

I don't know if you realize this, Jack, but Shake Shack is run by Danny Meyer- a pretty high end restauranteur in NYC, and it is known for high standards in everything they serve. That place (and Brooklyn's beer) started out in a kiosk in Madison Square Park; it's good to hear that the quality is still up to snuff now that they are expanding.

 

off topic but i keep wanting to go back to nyc and eat a real kobe burger, and with a great beer of course, sounds like a plan for bd #70 if i make it, lol or a kobe steak if i could afford one

 

For a better burger and beer (on topic ) experience you should probably hit up Blue Smoke, which is another Danny Mayer place and close by. Shake Shack is a top notch fast food style burger, but that's still all that it is. Both establishments utilize a custom grind by Pat LaFreida meats, and is probably even better than Kobe for a burger (imo).

 

Michael, thanks for that education. I have no idea who Danny Meyer is but I will now research him. The burgers at my local Shake Shack were of very high quality (Angus beer) and reasonable price (I paid 5 bucks for a good sized burger). I will most definitely be going back (and drink a Victory Headwaters Pale Ale with my burger).

Cheers!

Jack

 

“even better than Kobe for a burger” I hear you there! I only had one Kobe Burger (at an excellent restaurant) and it was too rich (and I dare I say ‘greasy’?) for my taste. Needless to say but for others: YMMV.

Cheers!

 

Constantly. I can't get excited about that stuff any more. If I'm just dying for a beer, I'll go with a SNPA or BBCSA. Other usual craft suspects out here in LA include Hangar 24 Orange Wheat, Scrimshaw Pilsner and Firestone DBA. I'll order the Firestone, but the rest? Case-by-case basis.

I suspect most places that don't really "get" craft beer don't rotate their selection because most people drink their beer, their one beer, all the time and might order something different once in a blue moon (har har har) just to try it out.

Every time I go to bar, craft or otherwise, when a waiter or bartender sees I have an empty glass, they ask if I want another. As in, another of the same one.

I'm pretty sure I personally have never ordered two fo the same beer in one day. Ever. I'm just not wired up that way. But as I send above, I think most people have "their" beer and that's what they drink.

 

I see a couple chain restaurants at least trying to provide some other beer options. My wife loves Uno's and recently they have dedicated 3 taps to NE craft options. (Berkshire, Longtrail and similar) I've been twice since this started and the taps had even turned over more than once. That's progress. I also went to dinner with my inlaws at Smokey Bones and noticed a couple good draft options and some reasonable bottles. (Allagash, DFH etc.,.)

We will never see these places become craft beer meccas in our lifetime, but if the market continues to grow like it has I'd be surprised if it doesn't become more common.