Ever try to dissuade someones beer choice?

I have a similar problem with my sons, one only drinks Coors Light and the other Michelob Ultra! Thank God my daughters' got a pair, and will try anything fermented! Magic Hat #9 is her favorite. Just keep offering the good stuff for him to taste and eventually he'll find one he likes! Appletini's huh? Try some Faro or Kriek or other fruity Belgian maybe?

 

TOOOOTALLY!

 

Or, possibly a " la fin de monde"?

 

They wanted Busch Light. I suggested PBR. Everyone was happy.

 

the one time i offered unsolicited advice about beer to a stranger, he turned to me and asked, "would you like to learn about jesus?"

i got the hint.

 

What's wrong with Mucinex?

 

I tell them it is terrible and then I buy the bottle.

 

I've never chimed in at a store when others are buying, but I've been tempted to. I don't think it's wrong to drop knowledge bombs on people especially since most people always look so confused when they are trying to buy better beer. I feel like I would just be providing some insight that they would find helpful.

There's a difference between offering advice to the people in the craft section because you know a lot about beer and trying to convince a BMC drinker to drink craft.

 

I have never discouraged the BMC crowd, but there have been times when i've seen people browsing the craft sections at the bottle shops i frequent and have chimed in. Always in a friendly way; Just a suggestion like, "i've had that one, and can tell you worth it's a try" or "that beer isn't bad, but this one is a better value". Just a few weeks ago i helped a couple pick out their labor day weekend haul for the lake. I've also been seen doing the same thing in the bourbon isle.

 

I have a few times but not when it was unwelcome. Some lady was asking the Total Wine Manager (total idiot) for recommendations on fruit beers and was looking at Orange Blossom Pilsner and I said it was one of the worst beers I'd ever had and recommended her some other stuff. She thanked me and I think I saved her from a drainpour.

If they are buying a beer they love, that's fine but some people just randomly pick shit beers and have no clue.

 

YES! working at a liquor store, i do it all the time. But you have to know how people work in order to not sound like an annoying sales-person.

-Sees customer looking at the cooler of beer-
"Hi customer, looking for something in particular?"
No, I'm just looking, thanks
"ok no problem, if you need anything, feel free to ask"

-sees customer still looking 5 minutes later-
" have you ever tried (so and so beer in the beer door they're looking at), its very good and priced well, if youre into that style"
O i haven't, I like (so and so beer), is it similar?
-then i proceed to have a nice discussion while helping them pick a beer they will like-


I would never walk up to someone with a 12 pack of BMC and say they should try a RIS, DIPA, etc. A LOT of people just drink to get a buzz, and the cheapest thing works.

 

I'm not convinced the Chelada would be worse.

 

Only if they ask my opinion, which actually happened once to my amazement.

 

Ive never given any unsolicited advice on the subject of beer; the thought of approaching a random stranger and trying to dissuade them from purchasing a bmc product seems beyond arrogant. I have meet people, I kid you not, who have tried several styles of craft beer yet swear bmc tastes better to them. Who am I to say that, to them, bmc is just not a better beer? Some people like an alcohol delivery system that is watered down and bland. If someone approached me in a store and attempted to persuade me to abandon my current beer selection, I would not only find that person to be arrogant, but also lacking social skills. Seriously, when is it ok to walk up to random strangers and make suggestions in the middle of a store? Unless your somebodies " beer guy", leave people alone.

 

Right on. Some people need to realize that a good taste in beer is exactly what it is, not a virtue.

 

In a bottle shop, never. But occasional at beer bars around town, I'll offer up suggestions after a nice conversation with the guy or girl next to me.

 

I don't think I've ever talked anyone into buying a beer, but I may have talked someone out of NOT buying a beer. I remember showing up at my local beer store one day a while back and it was closed for 10 mins while the guy snuck out for a snack or to get smokes or something, and there was a couple waiting around outside arguing because the girl wanted to see if they had 'that Chouffe beer she had in Belgium' and the guy didn't want to wait around. I chimed in with 'Excuse me, but did you say Chouffe? I love that beer. I'm pretty sure they had it last time I was here'. With that the guy's attitude completely changed and he was happy to wait around. Because, you know, fuck your girlfriend's opinion on beer until some scruffy hungover dork you don't know agrees with her.

 

I've had times when I really wanted to say something, but it's really none of my business. A lot of times I'll be shopping the craft section at my store and a customer will be getting recommendations from an employee, while looking at different crafts beers....fast forward to 10 minutes later and I see the person walking up to the counter with a six-pack of Stella or Leinenkugels, or worse, MGD bottles. I wonder if the employees ever get tired of wasting their time like that over and over again.

 

We have the spread the gospel of good beer talk about once a year, just let them drink what they want to. It is not your job to convert folks. Depending on what part of the country you live in, telling someone they made a bad beer choice could get you a black eye or two. It is none of your business. But you posted about it and now you know how most feel.

 

I saw someone contemplating buying a Big Sky Kriek. They grabbed one off the shelf after a minute of thought. I made a B-line right towards them and warned them it's the worst fucking beer of all time. They thanked me and put it back. Another life saved. I'm no hero - just looking to protect my common man.