How to be a better craft beer customer

I rarely went to breweries, taprooms or what have you pre-COVID, so I tend to live in a bit of a bubble of my own making when it comes to what I think other people's behavior in certain situations probably is. That bubble is based on what I consider to be reasonable behavior and how I tend to behave in certain situations. Pretty naive, I know.

All of that said, I guess I would be surprised to learn that some of the behaviors described in this thread are very common. They might stand out in people's minds specifically because they are not common, but I just have to wonder how often some of these things happen. I've been wrong before though. There are definitely different norms of behavior in different regions of the country, something that I'm reminded of when I travel and that makes me grateful whenever I come back home.

One pet peeve I have is, if there's a long line at the tap counter and limited staff tending to customers, don't be that guy who spends 10 minutes talking with the person at the counter about all the subtle nuances of the five different IPAs you are sampling before you decide on one to order a 12oz pour. I'm sure it's a scintillating conversation, and I bet the staff who work 10-hour days serving hundreds of thirsty customers just love to discuss the differences between Sabro and Strata, but really you are there to get your beer and go sit down, so other people can do likewise.

 

Yes, it's -- unfortunately -- becoming a thing, especially in Chicago.

 

Agreed!

@draheim FWIW, I've witnessed more behavior described in this thread than I learned of for the first time in this thread.

 

Oh, and I'd been hearing about it pre-COVID.

 

What's the motivation or added value? Potentially less employee error or theft from an accounting perspective?

 

My blood is already boiling. The god damn indecisiveness of people. It’s one thing if it’s pretty mellow at the place, but if it’s busy...you just wasted so much of everyones time to fill out your little sheet just so you can immediately blow out your palate on these 8 little sippy cups.

I respect when a customer commits to a pint of a beer they’ve never tried. That’s how we oughta roll.

 

It's been proven that cash is king and helps keep track of your spending. Wonder what @AlcahueteJ practices?

My wife is a *retired* financial councilor, hard to argue with her results (and I never do!).

 

I haven't looked into the phenom -- but I'll bet you're on the right track.

I've also read a lot of states got ahead of the practice and banned no-cash establishments a while ago.

 

I couldn't agree more, taprooms are not the same as a typical bar. In a taproom it's counter service, just like in a convenience store. That server in the tap room does not have time to listen to customer gripes or compliments as in a traditional bar setting.

That bartender at your local watering hole may have time to shoot the bull but, I can promise you this--they don't care either, they need your tips.

 

Thus reinforcing my desire to avoid these places (though, I have to say, I think the Seattle scene is probably a little more chill than some other areas). This little bubble I’ve created for myself, based on reasonable behavior and simple consideration for others, is such a better place to spend my time...

 

Yes, and not just in taprooms. I used to wait tables, many times I had customers get irate with me because we ran out of prime rib or whatever. "Why is it still on the specials board!!?"

One time a guy gave me some $#!T because the prime rib sold out at about 9:30pm!!!
I apologized first and then I told that it sold out because it was so GOOD. I told him it was rare in the middle, beautiful marbling, a little crispy on the edges, some of the best I've ever seen.
If you could have gotten in here 5 minutes earlier........

 

Remember too with Covid bar space is reduced, so taps will follow. No sense having 50 taps going to lose money on old beer, they might scale back to a dozen or so. Maybe less.

 

I once went to a place in Toronto that was out of the first three beers I asked for. Due to my generally chill and low maintenance attitude, the server brought the manager out, who thanked me for my patience and comped me the first three beers I did drink. Respect, compassion and empathy. Plus, if not getting a beer you want is the worst thing that happens to you in any given year, you’ve had a great year.

 

Dealing with the public is an art. I have been bartender, manager of restaurants, and ran a wholesale beer and wine group for years. That English, political science, and anthropology education helps in the service and sales arena, for sure!!! Kill them with kindness is like the golden rule.

 

I'm sure it is (an art). And I worked in restaurants in high school and college, so I have some degree of experience in these environments—though I did suck at it, and knew it. I'm just saying that as a human person, I can't imagine getting all bent out of shape as a customer because a brewery doesn't have a certain beer I wanted to try, or something equally inconsequential. So then I guess approaching how you deal with such people also as a human person, I would have a seriously difficult time just smiling and apologizing or whatever a person in the service industry is expected to do in such situations. And that makes me wonder if "killing customers with kindness" just kind of feeds this attitude of entitlement in some ways, and in the long run makes the problem worse.

 

People are pretty good at the beer gardens and tap rooms I frequent here in this part of Texas, both staff and customers. I have noted more than once to friends and family that a tap room is often a more friendly environment than a church (I have experience with both.)

I have been disappointed more than once by getting to a brewery and they are out of a particular beer I wanted to try. I have taken to calling ahead or have a Plan B beer as an alternative.

Cheers BAs!

 

I know. For me it's a sardonic undertone to the kindness that makes people not forget the conversation.

 

Need those quarters to do laundry

Enjoy

 

Unfortunately in Boston the way we roll is $9 drafts, which makes taking a flyer on a random beer you may not like a tough call.

I get your frustration though.

Credit card all the way. Cash makes no sense for me. I get a lot of money back when I use my Am Ex that I pay a yearly fee for.

Between this and the first class flights I’m really not helping my case here...