How to be a better craft beer customer

If you don't know what you want, or if they're out and you need to make a new choice, let the bartender serve someone else while you think things over.

You fuckholes who spend all your time in line bullshitting with your friends, and now there's 7 undecided people, each of which is gonna the bartender the same 6 questions, then order the kiddie-sized taster tray? Y'all can just go play in traffic. Quit wasting everyone's time.

 

Haha, if we didn't have people and situations that make our jobs harder for us they would call it "fun that we get paid for", not "work".

That said, in today's world shit is hard enough without being douchebags to each other on top of it. In all our interactions, perhaps especially business, being nice to everyone is not only good, it's smart

 

One brewer/owner told me it was partly that, partly not wanting to get robbed since his place isn't in the best part of town, but mostly due to the extra insurance costs in the form of higher premiums AND an additional policy to specifically cover money loss due to theft (said the standard policy only covers property/equipment/goods/etc.).

 

Pfft, you fanboy FUPA gods are all the same.

So funny this was posted a few weeks before

https://www.tiktok.com/@beercruncher/video/6855673399549725958

Cues Creed.....

 

Help people new to craft beer out.

Hahahaha. I forgot about that. So good.

 

With respect and empathy for the people working behind the bar, I think when we're being asked to pay $8-10 for a taproom beer (especially when no distributor is taking a cut), then we should have no qualms about asking for a taste and thinking on it for a second before deciding. Snappy decision making is easier when a miss doesn't cost $10. With that much profit per pour, the brewery can hire enough help to keep the line moving regardless of whether I need a minute or two to make up my mind.

 

Great minds...but that's probably because we both live in MA.

That being said, I really hope systems like the one which Notch has stays in place. It alleviates ALL of these problems...because there's no more lines.

Because of the pandemic at Notch you just go to their website for contactless ordering. From there you order exactly what you want (it's a digital menu so it's likely been updated), pay/tip online, then you receive a text when your order is ready.

You then go up to a table and pick up your order. When you're done, you get up and leave.

 

I haven't been to Notch recently (it's a haul from Central MA), but I actually don't like these systems much. I like being out in public precisely because I'm on screens too much otherwise. I prefer to leave my phone at home when I go out for a beer, and these systems become a big pain when you do that. And even today, not everyone has a smartphone, so requiring one for ordering isn't great.

I understand why places are doing it now, but I really hope it goes away after all this is over.

 

Sure, just exercise some basic situational awareness. If the place is packed and there’s a long line (I’m referring to pre- or post-COVID here), and/or the place seems understaffed, try a couple samples quickly and make a decision. There’s probably no need for a lot of chitchat with the staff. Ideally breweries and taprooms could set up separate “undecided” and “people who know what they want” lines but that’s not feasible in most places.

 

Take the beer off the menu and remove the taphandle- which is SOP.

 

I’m guessing OP is referring to that small window where the keg is being changed out and the board/monitor and tap handle haven’t been updated—which sometimes takes a few minutes. Thankfully, we still live in a mostly analog world. If they happen to order a beer that recently became unavailable, the customer can choose to handle this minor disappointment like an adult, or whine about it like a little bitch. Either way they’re going to have to choose a different beer. So it just comes down to whether you want to contribute a little positivity or negativity to the world.

 

I think yes and no.

If you check Untappd on a NEIPA from some brewery that just got distro into your area and the rating is a 3.79... you should likely stay away from that beer. NEIPA ratings are inflated so it being that low is a probable red flag.

If you check Untappd on a pilsner/kolsch/schwarzbier from some brewery that just got distro into your area and the rating is a 3.79... you should likely grab the shit out of that beer. Ratings on those traditional styles are low thanks to IPA hypebeasts so when they're high (see: Pilsners from, say, Suarez) it's likely for great reason.

Which is all just to say, if you're aware of where ratings typically are for various styles, Untappd ratings can be great guideposts, just don't use them as be-all-end-all.

 

Interesting you mention this, because more and more places are going digital and include the amount left in the keg in a graphic. I have missed on empty taps before (not sure how there could be a time lag), so I just pick another no biggie.

 

Do you notice much difference in ratings when you bounce between the 1-5 and 1-100 scale? I know the scoring system has changed a few times during the years and I wonder if people unconsciously score differently depending what scale is in use. Just for example I give a lot of beers I think are pretty good 4 stars. I would rate most of those beers higher than 80 on the 80/100 scales just because for some reason in my brain "80/100" looks worse than 4/5 and I am perfectly capable of reducing fractions.

 

I don’t think I’ve seen the “amount left” feature, and can see where that would be useful—though it could also encourage a “run” on a certain keg right before it kicks. Either way, I don’t see the point of getting bent out of shape if you can’t always get the beer you want. I think there’s a song about that.

 

My read from OP was more along the lines of working at some sort of destination type brewery taproom, and dealing with a non-local visitor who’s taking the news badly that they don’t happen to have specific marquee XYZ beer on tap at the point this person was visiting

i.e. (pulling this out of my butt - I don’t know if this is an applicable example in real life, but just to make a point using a beer/brewery that most beer nerds will be familiar with) someone from Ohio goes to Treehouse for first/only time, was hoping to have a pour of Julius, but that beer happens to not be available (and is not even listed) when they visit and they take it personally

 

You could well be right. But it doesn’t make a difference. You’re disappointed, fine. You can even let the staff person know, “Oh man, I came all the way from Ohio to try Julius, what a bummer.” But to take it beyond that, to berate/antagonize the person behind the counter because of your sense of entitlement, is just not acceptable (unless you were personally promised by the owner of the brewery that X beer would be available on X day, or some other extremely unlikely example).

 

Hospitality workers are still workers and deserve respect. Found out from an old friend of mine in Philly, who is the chef at a brewpub, apparently ever day is a Saturday for them due to take-out, because folks are realizing that their attempts at making food actually suck after eating a few months of it. It ain't that hard, but it requires a knack.

When you can reserve beer online, do so. It works out better for everyone. Leave a tip. If you show up in person to grab a couple sixers, leave a tip. If you're actually hanging out or whatever, you better leave a VERY generous tip. You're risking your health for a good time, the folks there are just trying to earn a living, and are risking their health versus paying bills. I wish we could get rid of the tipping system, but that's another topic...

 

I see where you are coming from on bolded point #1, because I do agree ratings seem to be dictated by juicy ipas and pastry stouts. But I still find

I somewhat agree/disagree with your second post. I think Suarez and the likes are also inflated as they are talked about amongst hyped breweries and also have inflated ratings. Two beers as examples I just looked up sunshine pils (3.44) prima pils (3.45), both perfect lagers. My local favorite double nickel pils (3.42) also perfect IMO.

I like discussing this stuff because I think untappd ratings are very flawed these days because of the rarity/hype aspect. Flawless examples of lager still get horrible ratings.

 

I thought buying $25 4-packs made me a pretty damn good customer in the first place.

Only sorta joking but since some of the behavior described in this thread is atrocious.