Beer Event Etiquette ...

Was referring to that as a separate issue given that either practices lead to preferrential treatment (i.e. France's tendency to prefer white catholics when hiring people).

If that is more often than not the case - again - then there are no arguments here.

Obviously not. Again², not something I advocate in general. And as someone else has pointed out, what about practices that lead to essentially the same thing i.e. buying for someone who is not yet there?

 

Would you do that at the grocery store?

 

If it's just one person I wouldn't take issue with it. If a whole group walked up to their single line placeholder friend, that's a different story.

I'm also a person that will move seats at a bar if it helps accommodate a group next to us, as I think beer should be shared and enjoyed. I'm not there to be wound up and up tight to those around me.

Like get in a line and then send your spouse to go get that one last, forgotten item without returning to the back of the line?

We should add a poll to this one, OP...

 

No like get your groceries, get in line, then spot your friend near the front of the line with his own groceries and go jump in with him

 

Turn the situation around. You are at a restaurant. You've been seated and your order taken. You see other guests enter and get seated with their orders being taken. A few of them order the same dish you have ordered. As your wait goes on you see one or more of those guests who was seated after you placed your order being served the same dish you had ordered. Soon those tables have their full orders while you and your companion are still waiting for the Appetizers.

Would you consider that bad form on the part of the server/restaurant? Would you leave less of a tip? If you answer yes to either of those questions then you know the answer to your own question.

 

You see a friend in line at Kroger, three carts up and they invite you to join right behind them. That's not going to go over as acceptable behavior, so why would it be different anywhere else? Lines are lines, people waiting get ticked if they have invested time in standing there only to see some Johny come a walkin' zoom on up.

Not even close to the same thing. You network to sell yourself (or business). In theory, those whom you have networked with understand that you or your business are excellent at the trade or profession that you are selling yourself on and that what you do and can be an ASSET to that firm. "Cutsies" isn't anything more than having a buddy that's going to hook you up based simply on "hey bro, can I get in?". Not the same ballpark, not even the same sport.

 

Yeah, this.

 

Yes, that would be completely unacceptable.

I also don't view grocery shopping as a pleasant, social experience nor do I think those around me are there for similar reasons.

 

Please scroll up, I have already responded to that and I don't feel like repeating myself 20 times in the same thread.

Compelling point. Agreed.

 

cutting in line is not kewl. Just wait at the back of the line and meet up with your friends after you get your pours.

 

Do not cut in line. It is the beginning of the demise of civilization. Or something like that...

 

Bro, why is this a question? Did you never preschool?

 

no cuts, no buts, no coconuts

 

Definitely see your point, I probably don't have enough "line waiting" experience to draw from. The longest line I was in somewhat recently was actually for a new "farm" brewery, where the folks were also selling Christmas trees and other such items at separate spots onsite. The owners encouraged people to check out some other stuff for purchase along with the beer, that is more the situation I was referring to above. Like others have mentioned, even if people are on site it can get annoying if you think you are 20 people away from the taps then others get back in line to make it a 30-person line.

What I would like to see those folks (and most every brewery for that matter) to incorporate is a system such as Tree House in Massachusetts, where you arrive and immediately fill out your sheet to get in the queue. Then you are free to hang out in the growler room, or hang wherever outside the building - the crew will give you an idea of how long it will take for your fill to be complete. Very relaxed atmosphere.

 

The big difference I see here is that I view beer events as social ones, I'll go to brewery parties or releases, even if I don't have people I know I'm meeting or going with, because I'm almost guaranteed to run into somebody I am friends with. If grocery shopping is a "social experience" for you, I strongly suggest getting a life (and maybe going to more beer events...)

There would always be the option for friend A to come back to where you are in line, nobody would particularly complain (except the drunk ass 5 people behind you who thinks your friend is cutting in line too)

The people who are taking a hard line on this apparently have never finished a beer pour, had to use the restroom while their friend got back in line. I'm not going to go into the hundred different reasons you shouldn't join a friend in line versus the hundred reasons it's perfectly acceptable. In general, if you're alone and there is plenty of beer to go around, you're cool. If you decide to bring your entire extended family and six dogs to the front of a rare beer release, not so cool.

 

There are situations where it's probably acceptable to "hold" a buddy's place in line. But personally, I could never show up somewhere and randomly join a friend mid-line. Is it an egregious faux pas? Probably not. On the scale of dickishness it's on the low end, but it's still on the scale. And I would defintiely be one of the people offering commentary as you pass.

 

It's funny how, even in the four short years I've been on here, there has been such a shift in attitude regarding so many of the different aspects of the beer nerd world, as good beer (and it's consumer-base) has continued to expand. Four years ago, I don't think this thread would have had such varied viewpoints. Same with the recent muling thread, with people's attitude towards trading, with purchasing more than the allocation of a limited release, etc etc. What used to be black and white, is now various shades of gray to many people. I guess that's just evolution, and natural as more people get interested in beer.

But still I find it a bit distasteful when people talk about "acceptable" levels of line cutting / muling / over-purchasing etc. I'm not saying I'm a saint, and that I've only ever acted perfectly in every situation. But at least I have a baseline idea of what's not cool, and on the occasions when I've stepped over that line I can realise I was being a dick to some (typically small on the whole scale of things) degree. It just makes me laugh when people justify s**t up front as if it's cool, and if you don't think so you should get with the program, cos that's how the game works.

 

haha - me neither - which makes line cutters at beer events even more frustrating

 

It's shocking to me that we are even discussing this.

DON'T CUT LINE, EVER. It's rude.

The simple fact that this question was raised shows that the OP felt he was doing something wrong. If you feel like you are doing something wrong, you probably are.

 

This. So much of this. I don't care at all if they have plenty of beer and someone wants to join a friend just to hang out. If it's a brewery only release with bottle limits etc, that's a different story to me. But i couldn't care less if I'm at a local brewery with 30 people there and someone joins a friend in line. Oh no! I'll have to wait an extra 2 minutes for beer! Chill.