Getting the wrong beer.

While rare, it has happened to me a few times. I let the server know and enjoyed the beer each time. And ordered the correct beer for the second round. They offered the miss-pours for free, and I still paid for them. I found that the servers appreciate the awareness and that I paid for what I consumed. A little grace is always a good way to make new friends.

Now, if I hadn’t enjoyed the beer... then I would have told them so, and asked for a replacement without finishing the beer, nor would I have paid for the miss-pour.

 

Drink it! Mistakes can lead to good discovery. Your story is proof of that.

 

I did not read every post, but about the first 10. My answer would have been “it depends,” primarily on what I ordered vs received, how I liked the first sip, and how bad I wanted what I ordered. But after a recent experience at a pizza place (see below), I’m done. I’ll just make sure I get what I asked for unless they say it is on the house.

I was just in Appalachia working, and we went to this pizza place. I ordered a small pizza and a large salad. The salad was $10, but they brought me the wrong salad (which was $18). I notified them, and they said, “oh, would you like me to exchange it?” And I told them no, it was fine, I could eat it. THEN THAT ********ER charged me for the more expensive salad, and refused to refund me the $8. They would have thrown it away, and I didn’t want them to waste it, so I ate it, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t dream they would actually make me pay for something that was their mistake. Theo logic? I ate it! What. The. Fuck! I didn’t ask for a free salad (I didn’t ask that any salad be removed from my bill), I just asked for the price of the salad I ordered!

 

I don't recall this happening to me, though I have sent IIRC 2 beers back total (lifetime) for having very blatant flaws.

If I was brought the wrong beer, I would ask for a replacement, the same as if I ordered a steak and was brought roast chicken (or vice versa). They are both entries, meat, protein, but not what I ordered.

 

Drink it. Karma.

 

I used to frequent a restaurant that claimed to have Rochester Red on tap. I ordered one and the beer that was served was obviously not a Rochester Red, it looked and tasted like a Porter or maybe a Brown Ale. It was actually very good and for a few months every time I returned I ordered a Rochester Red and this amazing beer arrived instead.

I asked many times, but nobody seemed to know what it was. Eventually, it was dropped from the menu. I'm very glad I didn't send it back that first time.

 

No one could be bothered to check the keg label for you?

So, they either continued to put the "wrong beer" on that line ... or that one keg stayed on tap for "months"...

 

Not to go into non-beer territory even further, but you got off easy.

Went to a local breakfast spot with my cousin. We ordered biscuits with our breakfast. When the food was dropped off, the food runner informed us that the biscuits were still in the oven but would be out shortly. 10 minutes goes by with no sign of our server or biscuits. Once our server finally showed up, we were almost done with our meals and asked about the biscuits. Server says "Oh, the food runner should have told you they're still in the oven." I say "Yes, she did, but that was 15 minutes ago and we're almost done." Server goes to check, says they're still in the oven. By this time, we're done, so we ask for the check. The server drops the check with the full price of our meals. I immediately ask, "Are you seriously charging us for biscuits we didn't eat?" Server informs us that there's only one button on the POS system and she has no control over it. We ask to speak to a manager. By this point, my cousin is livid, but I'm paying for the breakfast and have more patience. Server comes back and says "She gave you 10% off your whole check." ...No apology, no explanation from a manager, just a couple bucks off our check. Had no choice but to stiff the server on tip. While your situation certainly sucks, at least you actually got to eat the thing you were charged for.

 

So wait, you never found out what the awesome beer you were actually drinking was? That's almost worse than getting served the wrong beer, knowing what it was, and it not being as good as Rochester Red. I would've asked to go into the keg cooler to figure it out.

 

I asked them to double check and they still claimed it was Rochester Red. I knew it wasn't but I got tired of asking. And yes, they probably had the same barrel for a few months, it was a place not known for beer.

 

That’s pretty crazy.

I don’t even understand. In hind sight I wish I had simply told him, “I am not paying this”. But the reason I didn’t was because I knew my coworker would have just said he was. Because, “it’s only $8”. My daughter gets an hour of “open gym time” at her gymnastics place for $5. So, that “only $8” can go a long ways.

Nor sure what he would have done if I said I simply want paying. What, called the police? What then? I mean, really. The thing that makes me so angry is that I’m not even wrong. It’s not even like I am convinced that I am right, I just am. They would have thrown it away and had to make a completely separate salad. But instead they wanted to charge me for their mistake? Come on.

I was in DC years ago and at a restaurant where we ordered a tasting course. It was great - like $39 for 11 courses, and the best food we had the entire time. But the restaurant was known for their table side Guac. Well, that was apparently $19, but we didn’t even know because we had settled on the tasting course, which was a once a week thing. Well, a guy came by and did it for us, as had been done for seemingly every other table. The waitress came by and rather amusingly said, “that wasn’t supposed to be for you” and walked off. Did she charge us? NO. It was their mistake AND would have gone in the trash. Why on earth would you charge someone? In my case, I still wanted a salad, just not that salad. So charge me for the cost of the salad I ordered, and I’d be happy.

 

I can't remember getting the wrong beer anywhere.

However, I recently scored a mild victory at a pseudo-crafty bar. I ordered a 10% impy stout that should have been served in an 8 or 10 oz glass. Instead the barmaid poured it into a pint glass. I enjoyed that so much that I ordered two more from her (thankfully I had a driver).

I tipped her well for that mistake!

 

Unless it's a style/beer I hate or a huge price discrepancy, I usually just take it. I'll let 'em know (so they don't make the same mistake again) but I'm not that picky most of the time.

I have run into exceptions, though. One time I was at a nice steakhouse and I ordered a Chimay Blue (which was like $15) only to get a glass of Blue Moon. Normally I'm actually fine with Blue Moon, but it's a 180 from what I wanted and I didn't want to get charged $15 for one.

 

Golden Monkey or Merry Monks, two will do!

 

People mess up sometimes. As long as the beer tastes good, I will drink it. Life's too short to complain about not getting your imperial fruited hazy milk chili stout.

 

I ordered a Quad at a local brewery. We were outside at a table and after the server dropped it off, she disappeared.
At first sip, I realized it was nothing like a Quad, it tasted like some sort of citrusy IPA of sorts.
I took it back to the bar & the bartender poured me a new one. He said, here's the Quad. It was the same nasty ass beer.
I don't know if they switched the kegs around, or they just really suck at making Quads, or maybe it was a Quad IPA?
The Oktoberfest beer I had b4 that wasn't bad, nothing to write home about, but their interpretation of a Quad was quite misleading.
I thanked the bartender for the new pour, went back to the table and choked 3/4 of it down.
Paid the bill & left. No need to return as the food and beer weren't worth the trip. We were in the area, so we stopped in for lunch.
I was quite bummed, as I really wanted a Quad. Oh well.

 

Considering half the time I go to breweries I just ask for whatever they recommend I will never be one to turn down a surpise beer.

 

If you like surprises (and just about any beer style), okay, but that's the first time I've ever heard anyone say that's their method of ordering.a beer. Do you notice if the server always brings you the most expensive beer?

 

If you ordered a steak for dinner and they brought you chicken, would you care? I know beer is different, but dammit man, get what you ordered.

And go ahead and drink the other, unless they take it away..................