Brewery Pet Peeves (2023)

My pet peeve was when I would go to Half Acre’s Balmoral taproom and buy a few 4 packs from the fridge and the geniuses thought it would be a good idea to stack multiple 4 packs in a small paper bag. Cold beer cans + under strength paper bags + condensation equals the bag failing within 10 minutes on a walk home. Of course when the cans fall out the plastic can holder breaks and you have to somehow carry 8 to 12 loose cans in your arms (some of which inevitably roll into the dirty gutter). I salute you (with middle fingers) Mr. Half Acre taproom shop packaging genius.

 

Plastic cups! Get's me going every time...

 

Pet peeve is when they price with no rhyme or reason. A 4 oz pour is $4 and a 8 pour is $9. Like really? I'll just get 2 4 oz pours and save the $1 yo.

 

You no own tote bag?

 

I thought this was gonna be another kids and dogs thread.

 

There aren't too many of these, but I've been to breweries that only pour one size: pints. No taster trays, I understand, but come on! Let me have a half pour!

 

I went to a brewery that refused to serve from the bar if you have a table and server. I know there are a lot of untrustworthy people out there, but I always make sure they have the correct bill because I'm not an a-hole. And what with the staff shortages. Servers have enough anxiety to deal with people yelling at them, so I always tell them to relax. One time I got the wrong beer but it didn't matter because I liked the beer.

 

I’ll second two frustrations expressed above: not having a “canned/bottled on” date is horseshit. And serving it to me in a plastic cup is bullshit.

 

Are you pro or anti brewery’s that serve dogs?

 

Yes, but I don’t carry one around with me 24/7. my trips were usually impromptu on the way home from work if the weather was nice.

 

Pricing crowlers nearly as expensive as a growler kinda grinds my gears.

I.e. $9 for 32oz or $12 for 64oz... A no brainer to me personally.

Also reserved seating for the owners that I've never seen once in nearly 1 year of consistent outings. Reserved to the point that the bartenders flat out won't let anyone sit there.

If you're a owner, pick a night and stick to it. Several even!

But I'm my hours long stay every damn Tues, I've never seen them.

So open it up for the common folk!

*End of soapbox*

 

Music so loud you can't hold a conversation.

With rumors of 3 Floyds brewpub possibly re-opening, this one is timely!

 

I’ve seen breweries like Midwest Coast put a date sticker (like a price sticker) on the plastic 4-6 can holders versus ink stamp cans. The problem is if you buy a single (onsite/to go) or take off your sleeve at home, you are SOL. N/A in your case, since if they have the ability to message ink stamp your cans, they should date stamp as well.

Two more date stamp peeves - Best By (if not accompanied by the actual date bottled/canned) and the large number of European imports with undecipherable or no date codes. There are dozens of European beers at my local markets I would buy if I had any confidence they were not 6-12-24 plus months old. Some have literally been sitting there at room temps for at least a year, and God only knows how long they existed before arriving at the store.

I typically just avoid going to or buying from any business rather than suffer through it. I'd say breweries which don't enforce reasonable restrictions on any patron ("adults" and the children and or animals they arrive with) are ones I pass. For instance, one brewery allowed two patrons dogs to grind their asses on seats and sit/prance on the table they were sitting at. It was gross, the staff saw and did or said nothing to the two entitled women dog owners. Haven't been back.

There are also a few bars and breweries that imposed their own ultra version of "the science" and or engaged in political fundraisers I wasn't comfortable with, and have moved on. Ditto breweries with well known and documented ill-treatment of staff. I'll stick with the 98-99% bars and breweries out there I feel good about supporting.

 

Worst for me is Holy Mountain. They have stamping equipment; they use it to print little joke-like phrases on the bottom of their cans. But not a date. Infuriates me.

 

Like Rogue, but bad haha

 

No dates, 99% no buy. If Bills Best can date then anyone else can too.

Put up something to kill the sound. Cement, metal beams , wood floors are a horrible idea with no baffles. I want to talk to people when I’m at a brewery/bar.

I’m sure I have more vitriol in me but I’m really enjoying this beer and music right now.


Enjoy

 

How about the breweries with date stamping equipment but so many of the dates are smeared or the stamper stutters and over-prints so you're left to try to read gibberish.

Or another issue is the beer list on the wall behind the bar is so low that people constantly block the view to read it.