How Important is an Updated Beer Menu Online?

It's a must, I usually check to make sure there is something I've been wanting before going out, unless I'm just going to the bar to hang out with friends.

 

I hate beermenus now, it used to be essential. Now its a mess.

 

I agree with @Scott17taylor at local places, with the exception of going to a brewery I haven't been to. Travel = You get what They got. Cheers!

 

For me it's really not that important when traveling. There will be plenty of options you can't get at home, so finding something you want is easy.

 

If you're going to have an online menu, it had better be accurate. Otherwise you shouldn't have one at all...

mostly because you're going to lose goodwill faster by disappointing someone who thinks you have a specific beer and don't than you will not showing someone in the first place.

 

I don't care about pre-referencing a bar or restaurant online. I can decide when I get there. I just might have a glass of wine, a gin and tonic, or nothing. I always check the taps to see what's available "today".

 

My point exactly. Cheers!

 

Not very for a bar I know to have a great beer selection. From a bottle shop / grocery store I really like being able to figure out what I'm going to pick up, what's new (i.e. Fresh) and what the price would be.

 

it's not an absolute must for me BUT it would be the deciding factor between 2 places. if 1 place has an updated (and good beer list) vs a place with an old beer list or none at all i'd choose the update/quality list.

 

My pet peeve is that there are still eateries that don't have a list of their beers at all. Of course, these are obviously not places catering to the craft beer fan but still, even if you only have a very modest selection, tell us what it is in print so we don't have to go by the recitation of a server who only remembers "Craft? Uhh...yeah I know we have Heineken and I think Samuel Adams". But their menu was proud to proclaim the availability of Blackstone Merlot and Beringer White Zinfandel. In the case of craft bars and restaurants, I routinely call around before leaving just to verify something I want is actually on.

 

Can be the difference between a return visit to an establishment or a do not return anytime soon decision.

 

About the only time I go out for beers on draft is when I know a place has beer on tap that I want to try. I rarely drink when out for dinner, and my friends aren't much for drinking, although they are starting to sway to beer. There is only one place in the whole city that regularly updates their list, and even then they are still off sometimes. Despite that last point, I always go there for drafts. I just make sure they have the beers I want before I set up getting a DD and all of that. If I'm going to pay $7 for a beer from a $10 six pack, I might as well save my DD some time and just snag a six pack for some Netflix.

In short: I don't drink at places that don't have updated menus.

 

If it's a place that I know has a good rotation, it's not important. However, for most places, it's a factor and can be a deciding factor in some cases. With more and more choices, it's going to start to impact your bottom line. Get with the program people!

 

I get extremely suspicious when a beer bar has their draft/bottle list updated daily, unless its one of those real-time keg volume systems. Maybe they have an over zealous, non-drinking try hard updating their site, but I expect my beer bars to employ beer drinkers so I'm cool with a 3-6 day lag time before someone behind the bar is like "oh yeah, we better update the site". Over a week, then I might start looking somewhere else. I understand the fast paced, feed me now! society we live in, but I don't need to know everything that's on tap right this instant to decide if I want to stop in or not.

 

There is a place in my town that I go to regularly. The switch kegs daily and I trust their line up will always have something new, especially local beers, and old favorites. If I am going somewhere else I check beer menus. So it is fairly important to me because some places I go is based solely on trying one specific beer.

 

How often can you expect a bar to update their on line menu? Once a day before they open or every time a keg kicks.?

 

More important than an updated Constitution of the United States?

More important than an updated Old and New Testament?

More important than updated fantasy football data?

More important than an updated college syllabus in a class you MUST pass?

More important than an updated travel itinerary?

I could go on for days .....

 

For craft beer bars and breweries taprooms, I think its almost a must. Seeing something I want on the current taplist is what will be the main reason I actually decide to go out to have a beer in public. To get something great I can't drink at home. No info. = nstaying home most of the time (unless its for a social / entertainment reason with friends and such). Beer is much more expensive usually on tap so I hate to waste my trip on gamble, to spend more money on beer options I don't have much interest in.

 

Ironically I was just looking at Dieu Du Ciel's Montreal Online menu which was dated the 18th. Most of the beers are probably still there but What if the one I want isn't? I think if a brewery is known for making lots of good beers I could find something, Nut if they're not? Well than their menu would make a difference. It all depends on the situation!