The beer-(un)educated public.

Our hard earned cash is good everywhere. I'd also write them a letter and take my money elsewhere.

Funny story though.

ISO: Bell's & Dogfish Head collaboration two hearted ale.

 

This is somewhat related. A while back I wanted to see where I could get Alpine beers, and a search turned up that Holiday Wine Cellar carries them, but they aren't always in stock. So the first few times I asked different employees about the Alpine beers - last time I went there, they had some short of "meme"-ish poster with two smiling people saying, "lol, he came in and asked for 'Alpine Beers!'"

I asked once, and they got some out of the back that they were hiding, so I guess that it's worth the embarrassment of knowing what you want!

 

Wait... did they have Hair of the Dog or not?!

 

I just cant imagine anyone saying anything that douchey, especially a retailer that sells craft beer. "Now this is a perfect example of someone that thinks they know about craft beer but really doesn't know anything."... people don't even talk like that. This sounds contrived.

 

I actually had the complete opposite thing happen to me at my local craft store. The owner was a complete jerk to me, but one of the college aged employees that worked there bent over backwards trying to help me find some things. The younger guy, who is clearly only working there a couple nights a week while going to school (this store is on a univeristy campus), is doing everything possible to get my to keep spending my money there, while they owner is acting like he has much more important things to do than answer questions.

I do not go to this store anymore. I actually drive much further out of my way than I need to so I can support a store that treats me well and offers many great products and good prices.

 

So.... Not sure if this just goes without saying or if I'm the only one aside from the originator that caught this... Two Hearted Ale is made by Bell's. Not DFH.

 

I'm not clear what "a shelf of DFH" means, but if it has been a year since they last had it, why do they have space reserved for it, or a shelf promoting it? It sounds like the manager does not know his ass from his head.

 

Honestly, I dont know how you can work at a bottle shop/liquor store and not come to know the products that are sold.. Maybe not how they taste, etc but at least be familair with brand names. I work at one myself and ring DFH up all the time. It baffles me that you would have to ask the manager a question like this. Its not like its some obscure brand that never sells. How does a manager not know that Dogfish is pretty big in the craft beer market? He's making out beer orders every week right? Seems hard to believe.

 

I would say I don't live here so I have absolutely no idea what your distribution system is like and you have DFH swag in your store. I would have added and because you are so ignorant and rude I will not be purchasing anything you have here and I will never endorse this store in any way in fact I may even use social media to shine a somewhat negative light on your establishment, have a lovely day and enjoy restocking the purchase that I would have made, and losing my business.

As someone who sells beer regardless of what I think of a customer I would never disrespect them. That being said I hate when people use the this beer came out yesterday why don't you have it yet, and I politely say well sir or madam that beer in made in california and unfortunately stone just hasn't saved up the scratch for a telaportation system yet. Or people asking me where we keep PtE or even PtY I understand its out of ignorance but who ever keeps telling these people to just go buy some is giving me an ulcer. People who come in having called a brewery first or a distributor to see if something is in and when we don't have it were holding out or didn't even try to get it??? Never mind the fact that most of our competitors have 100 times our buying power and there are less than 50 cases in the state. I am entitled to my opinion as much as they are entitled to polite helpful service, and even if in my heart of hearts I despise someone they will get nothing but my friendliest most helpful service.

depending on how steamed I was I may also inform him just how little HE knows about craft beer and thrown in some American Sign Language and maybe smashed a bottle over his head... I would of course pay him for the damaged merchandise.

 

Wait... what? So it's cool if I juggle a few baby birds then put them back in their nest? My kids will be happy to hear this.

 

I would have mooned him right then and there.

 

I don't know the ratio of the two groups and I've seen a lot on both sides, however in my experience those who work in the industry in some direct or indirect capacity usually seem to think they know their stuff (they often don't), whereas consumers I meet are more humble but enthusiastic. I think it's because of working in the area that there's a psychological need to look like you know what you're talking about, regardless of personality. On the consumer side, you're only getting a certain personality type that feels the need to posture like this.

The salient feature of the example is that this is a retail store situation where the customer should never, never be treated like this even if they are dead wrong about it. And that's the case regardless of which group of people tends to overestimate their beer knowledge.

That's the larger issue that is a horrible, growing problem - retail/service is not what it should be.

 

Well its a great story, but its really silly to ask a new store to you anything. Your a BA and a Adult, walk around all the isle , learn the store.

I learned long ago asking minimum wage employees anything is stupid.

Decent bigger beer stores have a manager desk, be smart go up and say, HI I am from out of town. NEVER tell them your a BA, why ? they will just think you think you know it ALL. Better to play dumb. Ask for the beer by name and ignore anything they say, you want the answer to an logical (binary) question you got it or not? If they got what you want at a price you want to pay buy it walk out and be happy. Life is too sort to deal with stupid people and the world is FULL of them....

never believe a web site from a store either, they make it and forget it.

 

Try being a young female asking about certain beers.. I had one "beer guy" at a bottle shop tell me that as a girl, I should stay away from stouts and DIPAs because they would be too strong for me. He then recommended a Frambozen since it had a nice "fruity" flavor.. Needless to say, I walked out.

 

I do not know what its like to be a BA girl, but I think I would had to at the very least, punched him in the nose and called him a sexiest pig. Then in spite of his words I would have found the strongest stout they had bought it....

 

In hindsight, I wish I would have done exactly that. But unfortunately, I am non-confrontational to a fault. I just politely set the beers I was going to purchase on the ground and left.

 

well let me say the punching part was tongue in cheek, I do not recommend that part really, you could end up in jail over a silly beer. Funny I never seen a women working in a beer store yet.

 

I love the fact that the person who doesn't know, is pulling the same elitist know-it-all attitude.

 

You could have stopped at "i was passing through Indianapolis". =X

 

didn't happen