What changes would you like to see in bars?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Ernest_Hooper, Mar 10, 2014.

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  1. Ernest_Hooper

    Ernest_Hooper Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2012 Michigan

    This has been on my mind for a while now but really hit home the other night while drinking a local brown ale and Founders Porter at ice cold temperatures in a couple local drinking establishments. Around here it has become fortunate that we can walk into most any random bar and find a good selection of taps. However, it would be really nice if bars could work out at least a semi-reasonable temperature that caters to a particular beer style.

    Now I understand the why in this situation.

    a) Most people, owners and consumers alike, assume a beer should be cold, very cold.

    b) The most popular selling beers are Bud, Miller and Coors Light which are only somewhat drinkable if they are nearly freezing. This has also undoubtedly had a contribution on point A.


    But still, temperature variation would be a more than welcome change around here. It doesn't have to be warm beer, just mildly drinkable and style appropriate. At the very least it shouldn't be about to tip into frozen.

    So that's my comment. What would the rest of you like to see change in your local bars?


    ...Oh and proper drinking glasses would be the tits. In Belgium, with their hundreds upon hundreds of beers available, it would still be ridiculous to serve a beer in a glass other than it's own brewery's. That would be great but pretty unrealistic.
     
  2. TheNightwatchman

    TheNightwatchman Initiate (0) Mar 28, 2009 Pennsylvania

    Most of the beer is being kept in one cooler, so you can't really control the temperature of each individual beer. Since different styles are best at certain temps, it's easier to just set it fairly low. If it's too cold when you get it, allow it to warm up a bit.
     
  3. willth

    willth Initiate (0) Apr 2, 2013 Illinois

    How about no kids allowed ever.... I was at founders a few days ago and there were kids all over the place.
     
  4. DrumKid003

    DrumKid003 Initiate (0) Aug 10, 2013 Oklahoma

    So you're basically wanting every bar to throw a huge amount of cash into installing 2-3 more cooling rooms so that each style of beer can be kept at the right temperature, and throw a few thousand more at buying every conceivable style of glassware just so they can pour a beer into its "correct" glassware style? Keep preaching from your pulpit and I'll be standing in the crowd with all the bar owners laughing at you, because you seem to know their business model better than they do. If you want to drink out of the correct glass and at your supposedly correct temperature all the time buy a set of glassware for your own home and drink there. Or you could do what everyone else does at the bar and let the beers warm for 10-20 minutes after it's poured if you think it's too cold.
     
  5. Ernest_Hooper

    Ernest_Hooper Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2012 Michigan

    You make a solid point, but I did acknowledge that changes would have to be in order. I know a bar near to here that serves each beer at different temperatures. I might pay them a visit in a bit and ask the owner how it all operates.


    The obligatory hostile amateur-economist post. Glad to have that out of the way.
     
  6. paulys55

    paulys55 Initiate (0) Aug 2, 2010 Pennsylvania

    Please get back to us about this because I am curious. I could see 2 maybe 3 different temps but even that is nearly unheard of in the industry.
     
    Roxie_B, Hop-Droppen-Roll and HRamz3 like this.
  7. paulys55

    paulys55 Initiate (0) Aug 2, 2010 Pennsylvania

    Good beer at fair prices.
    Updated beer lists with size and pricing.
     
    Roxie_B, pitweasel, azorie and 9 others like this.
  8. Jirin

    Jirin Initiate (0) Apr 28, 2013 Massachusetts

    Portion size choices for appetizers. Most bars have obscenely big nacho plates that are impossible to touch and still hope to lose weight without a minimum six people picking from it.

    Fewer cheaters at trivia.

    Beer related changes? Better descriptions of beers on the menu.
     
    Roxie_B, Kerrie and JG-90 like this.
  9. joelwlcx

    joelwlcx Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2007 Minnesota

    Turn the god damn music down. If I have to yell to order a drink, you're wrong.
     
  10. prock180

    prock180 Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2013 Arizona

    Less crap and more craft!
     
  11. Donco

    Donco Pooh-Bah (1,615) Aug 12, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I would agree...kids not allowed in taverns/bars. Not appropriate nor pleasant!
     
  12. joelwlcx

    joelwlcx Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2007 Minnesota

    If you want to loose weight, don't order nachos. If you're worried about portion size, don't go out to eat. Save going out for maybe a few times a month, and all this becomes a non-issue. YMMV, however.
     
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  13. NHhomebrewguy

    NHhomebrewguy Initiate (0) Apr 9, 2012 New Hampshire

    You gotta just get over that one man, what do you want the people who have kids do? Just stay home so all the bachelor's get to enjoy craft beer? Or maybe we should go to the part of the dinning room that says "parents with kids only". And we only get to enjoy "crafty" beers like shock top. Now if your kids are out of control then that's one thing, but if you have descent kids who sit there and don't bother anyone then you just have to deal with it. I've gone to Harpoon with my kids plenty of times and they have been fine. When they are acting up I take them outside until they're better.

    Now for what bars really need to change is serving beer in chilled glasses. I was served a Backwoods Bastard the other day in a chilled glass and almost rejected it. I didn't because a bartender's job is hard enough without me crying about a "too cold" beer but I do wish that would just cu t that nonsense out.
     
  14. Ozzylizard

    Ozzylizard Grand Pooh-Bah (5,825) Oct 5, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Maybe throw out the frosted glasses (except for BMC) and turn off the TVs (except "sports" bars). It surely is possible to have reefers at a couple of different temps to better serve the beer.
     
  15. Ozzylizard

    Ozzylizard Grand Pooh-Bah (5,825) Oct 5, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Now if your kids are out of control then that's one thing, but if you have descent kids who sit there and don't bother anyone then you just have to deal with it. I've gone to Harpoon with my kids plenty of times and they have been fine. When they are acting up I take them outside until they're better.

    I agree - if your kids act like humans rather than animals, as far as I'm concerned, they are welcome. We didn't take the kid into public until he knew how to act.
     
  16. sbuysse

    sbuysse Initiate (0) Sep 30, 2005 Arizona

    The Draft Techs in my area say beer begins to foam quite a bit above 37 degrees. Foam=Waste. With many Belgian beers running $35/Gallon you can imaging the money wasted in serving beer at warmer temps. Waste is bad business even on less expensive beer. Maybe CO2 can be adjusted?
     
  17. NHhomebrewguy

    NHhomebrewguy Initiate (0) Apr 9, 2012 New Hampshire

    Ve
    Very true, we didn't bring our daughter anywhere until she could reason.
     
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  18. Rekrule

    Rekrule Initiate (0) Nov 11, 2011 Massachusetts


    Also kegs get a better yield percentage when kept at a certain temp. It's colder than most craft beer lovers want their beer, but saves the bars money.
     
    MostlyNorwegian likes this.
  19. Donco

    Donco Pooh-Bah (1,615) Aug 12, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Amend my comment above: Well-behaved kids welcome. Obnoxious kids (and adults) stay home!!
     
  20. Providence

    Providence Pooh-Bah (2,628) Feb 24, 2010 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    If you have a draft list posted online, update it. I really don't think this is much to ask.
     
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