The Best for the Brits

Wha

But what is a beer nerd? Most (beer drinkers) would laugh at the expression (lack of irony etc); it's a tiny minority (mostly young males) who have succumbed to the acceptance this peculiar form of American cultural imperialism in relation to drinking habits. Of course, I would love to try all the beers, but most British people are extremely conservative in their drinking, so you should be a little cautious, at least if they are ordinary businessmen (and I would be embarrassed by someone speaking 'passionately' about beer (lack of irony), but then we English are prone to self-loathing (sort of the equivalent of American optimism), and this is reflected in our attitudes to others. They might, however, be charmed by weird American enthusiasm). But yes, I'm sure whatever you choose will be fine! Incidentally, I'm about to open an American beer that I would love to try closer to its source.

 

+1 to this

 

Just for the record - in case you didn't see my prior post - I'm British as well. I just live here.

At a high level (as there are varying levels of geekery in beer, as in any interest) I'd say a beer nerd/geek is someone who spends time on sites like this, who would consider the seeking out and consumption of different beer to be a hobby/pastime/interest.

I don't disagree that we make up a small percentage of beer drinkers. My point was simply that whether or not the OP should handle them with kid gloves, beer-wise, should be a function of their interest in beer, not the fact that they're from the UK. i.e. if they are a bunch of Carling-swilling lads, then I would expect to treat them exactly the same as an American Bud-drinker. "Let's give them something easy-drinking because they're a macro drinker", not "let's give them something easy drinking because they're British"

Americans are generally just as conservative as Brits when it comes to alcohol. More so perhaps.

 

I agree @rollom it is like we say when in Rome. I'm sure a group of people from the UK do not want to have the same kind of thing they can get in the UK when in the US, part of the fun of travel is trying something new!!! If it was me and I was in the US and was served up a load of beer that I could have got/or similar/ at home I would feel a tad let down.

so... @cmurphycode my advice as a "Brit" (How that term grates me as a Northern Irish man) is give your guests something new, a wonderful experience that you feel showcases the best the USA has to offer.

Good US beer is underrepresented here as we have a plethora of our own beers so go nuts have fun and I'm sure your guests will too and they will appreciate your efforts to showcase US beer and excite them!!!

 

Yes, yes, this all very well, and yet, and yet...Oh, irony...

 

I guess I see your point @LordCrabapple some people here are very conservative in their drinking, example... only last week I asked in one of my local pubs if he had any whitewater beers only to be met with the derisory comment " is that one of your fancy ales? This is a Tennants town there is no market for that shite here...." to which i responded "are you afraid your customers will taste something?" I was then thrown out...

but I would contest that you cannot tar the whole of the UK with an experience of part of it. I know a lot of people who are very into different beers and new experiences and I find the more people I talk to about my love of good beer the more i find are actually very open to the idea of something new. But then this is NI and with the mix of Irish and Scottish here we are just very open to the idea of booze...

 

Trust me mate - it's exactly the same over here. And like I said above, possibly even more polarizing.

But still - in terms of the worst place to ask for a snifter of imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels - a couple of Glasgow pubs come to mind as being the least ideal

 

Haha.... Glasgow is Tennants town...

 

Hop bombs because that is what America is known for in the beer world. I personally wouldn't be interested in anything else. And unless they are craft beer hipsters they won't be interested in sours.

 

I'm sure they'll appreciate your hospitality whatever you offer.

 

Why do you think Brits who have access to hundreds of fresh, complex, and subtle cask conditioned ales would have their minds blown by Hill Farmstead? Typical "American overhopped beer is better than all other countries" attitude.

 

America is the home of the Big Stuff - The Grand Canyon, Empire State Building, sandwiches bigger than your head, people bigger than cars. When in the US, give me the big beers and shove the subtlety.

And make sure you have got bacon, eggs and brown sauce for the morning-after breakfast.

 

Right, and our dicks(and egos) are bigger than everyone elses too.

 

This.

It would be like someone Chinese going to the US and only eating chow mein.

 

Dismissing Glasgow as a Tennant's town is the same as calling Brussels a Jupilar town. Glasgow has many great cask ale pubs. Ever been to The Three Judges or Tennents on Byres Rd.?

 

Great pubs. And I've got a soft spot still for the Bon Accord too. Still miss the Mitre on Brunswick Street though. The best Belhaven 80/ I ever had.

 

Actually, chow mein would be completely new and different to someone from China. It's a long time American dish that doesn't exist there

 

My ignorance is showing.

 

About 25 years ago I was part of a group that hosted a Morris side (Hammersmith) to a shindig in San Luis Obispo Ca. Eight boisterous (to put it mildly) young men showed up and immediately stocked up on Gin as they were certain that there would be no drinkable beer. Well the selection wasn't what is is today, but a keg of SNPA and a keg of Old Foghorn got drained pretty quick. We all had a great time and one of the parting comments was that the beer was depressingly good. I do love the English dry humor. I'd say serve them what YOU like.

 

Have you actually had HF? If I wanted to suggest that American overhopped beer is better than anything else I would have just said "Give them some HT", like others are saying.

HF has absolutely fantastic Saisons and a wide variety of beers available that are far from "overhopped". Their pale ales are a fantastic example of the style and they currently have a German style pilsner on tap as well.