Why do restaurants neglect beer?

Good article. I always wonder the same. I went to an expensive restaurant that even boasted of craft beer on thier web site (no list). They had 120 different wines and then offered Red Hook, Sam Lager, and Harpoon....bottles only. I was disappointed. With what I was paying there should have been some top notch options.

 

The author actually posted that in a thread here, but it seems that the thread was deleted...

 

Sage in Las Vegas does meals with beer pairings. Most of the matches were european beer, but don't let that dissuade you.

 

I'd also liked to add all of Michael Symon's restaurants do a good job of offering beer. Beer is gaining respect amongst foodies, but it's not achieved the level of wine.

 

To me at this stage of the game while I believe that craft beer lovers know what they like I also think beer-food pairing is not well established in our collective imagination. The average Joe Blow knows Cabernet or Merlot goes with red meat and that Chardonnay goes with chicken and fish but there is no well known convention for understanding beer-food pairing. Beer-food pairing is still an evolving thing; with rare exception like Belgian cuisine or pub food mentioned in the article. So untill things move further ahead I'm satisfied with the gastropub scene and certain restaurants who've embraced craft beer and have no real expectation of craft being accepted broadly.

Note: French and Belgian Bistros/Brasseries have long featured good beer.

 

Not trying to divert the thread, but an equally problematic issue is why beer places neglect the food. I'm amazed at how many famous "beer bars" have food on a level in which most patrons would never go to that place again if it was just for the food.

The main answer to the OP's question in the thread title is because it still isn't worthwhile for businesses to do so. Craft beer people are in the minority, and even then they (arguably) don't pay up and go out to eat & exert their preferences at nicer places that have big wine lists. Wine people do. Beer people don't.

 

Well, restaurants don't necessarily have to offer dozens of taps and hundreds of bottles. They could offer a select few that they think pair well with their menu items, and that should mitigate any potential losses there.

As an aside, I would really like to see some some Food + Beer prix fixe menu like places do with wine, including for stuff like Restaurant Weeks.

 

Every one that I've talked to has tried just a small assortment and they always tell me the same thing - most/all sit there, expire, and just take up more shelf space that could have been used for something else. There's always an opportunity cost for having those in the cooler rather than something else, and it can be more headache than it is worth if it is such a rare customer request.

Look I'm on your side and would love to see it happen. I'm just trying to nudge people into actually going out and buying those beers when they have the chance - because right now they DON'T. They either don't go out to nice/decent places often, or if they do they aren't insisting on craft beer. They satisfice and opt for wine or a "macro craft" like Sierra Nevada. In other words the the problem is also largely the fault of the craft beer consumer, and not necessarily the retailer.

 

The opportunity cost is a good and important point; space is certainly at a premium for most restaurants. When you're 2/3rds of the way through a KBS, sometimes you forget to consider the subtleties

I wish I knew how to press the transition, too. Nothing is apparently obvious. As you said, we just have to complain about a lack of craft options. But does that speak louder than not going at all? Maybe not in an immediate dollars sense, but possibly voicing that opinion to the owner does speak louder.

In fairness, I'd venture a guess that most restaurants also serve wine that Wine Advocates wouldn't be too fond of, either. At least some do have lists of higher-quality options, though.

Pardon my stream of consciousness post, here =]

 

Don't know if he's on BA, but if he were, I bet this guy would "like" this thread...

"Scott Metzger founder and CEO of San Antonio's Freetail Brewing Co. is challenging area restaurant owners to offer better craft beer selections on their menus."

http://brewednotbattered.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/beer-reform-your-city/

http://www.tpr.org/news/2012/04/news12040203.html

http://scottapproved.wordpress.com/

 

That's one reason I love Russian River, they make some of the best pizza in the Bay Area.

 

I believe that in due time, when craft beer is more established in the collective mind, we'll see good restaurants with a good beer menu. The question is: How long will it gonna take?

 

do you mean like this?
http://www.cantwells-tavern.com/ordereze/Content/3/Summary.aspx

 

In Hawaii (Oahu) we have many young and innovated restaurants/pop-ups (ie. The Whole Ox, Prima, Pig & the Lady, & etc.) that don't have liquor licenses but allow for BYOB....which is a godsend because it leaves it up to you to do the pairing yourself. Which I take great joy in and the wife seems to enjoy too. I would be remiss not to mention the monthly beer pairing dinners that are provided at Brasserie Du Vin by Andy Baker of Hawaii Nui Brewing & the beer dinners at Sam Choy's in partnership with the Big Aloha Brewery. Though it's not a huge scene by some mainland standards, it is a burgeoning scene & one that has great potential.

 

There is a nice place in town here (Hill's) that has actually had a few beer-centric events. They have had some beer dinners with a local brewer and also hosted a Deschutes base camp event.

I find the chains are taking longer to come around than the local folk. If it's profitable, they'll do it though as the goal of every business is to make as much profit as possible.

 

Lord, that looks phenomenal. Sign me up for some Spicy Duck Sausage and Calamari tossed with Udon noodles and cashews with stewed cherry-miso past, paired with Allagash Triple and Allagash Curieux.

 

Any city that holds a local "Beer Week" tends to be able to get restaurants on-board with upping their beer offerings by way of beer dinners, pairing demos, and brewer-hosted events. Once they see how much of a "new" clientele it can attract beyond their wine-centric customers, they get the idea that it is acceptable, cool, and likely worth it to maintain a decent beer list to increase patronage.

 

Things here in DC are quite good on this end, and I am not talking about the great beer centric places such as Birch & Barley (Churchkey), and so forth. It's changed quite a bit, but still room to grow for good beer.

The selection wont be as vast but it's there.

Yemenmocha pretty much nailed it in general.

 

This is one of the reasons I love Rosamunde in SF. Chicken & pork truffle sausage with a WTF on tap? Yes please!