Question about Place Ratings: "Selection"

Help Discussion in 'BeerAdvocate Talk' started by Dewpoint79, Jan 4, 2023.

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  1. Dewpoint79

    Dewpoint79 Initiate (140) Jul 19, 2022 Delaware

    In rating a place, does "selection" refer only to the beer offered? Seems like it should ... here, anyway.
     
    #1 Dewpoint79, Jan 4, 2023
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  2. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    Yes. As we focus on beer here, it's referring the establishment's overall beer selection.
     
    #2 Todd, Jan 4, 2023
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  3. beerjerk666

    beerjerk666 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,155) Aug 22, 2010 Florida
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yes, as @Todd answered: how are the beers that are being offered? Are they worthy or not?
     
    #3 beerjerk666, Jan 4, 2023
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  4. slander

    slander Pooh-Bah (2,568) Nov 5, 2001 New York
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    Let me say it like this.

    You go to a bar and they have:
    96 taps, and they all have the words 'ultra' or 'dry' or 'ice' or 'light' in them, or...
    48 taps, and they're all 'beers of the world' (Heineken, Fosters, Corona, Modela, Stella, Presidente, Labatt, Guinness, Newcastle, Becks), or...
    24 taps, and they're all US craft beer options from coast to coast, or...
    12 taps, and they're all localish craft beer options made within 10 miles of where you're sitting, or...
    6 taps, and it's a well curated selection with a single amazing Belgian Farmhouse offering, a beautiful Lager, a clean IPA, a really well done sour, a roasty non-pastry sonofabitch, and something amazing that happens to be local.

    A larger selection does not make it a better selection.
    And an okay selection in one market/city is an amazing selection in another market/city.
    Writing things like "they have a great selection" or "this place is worthy" are the most useless things you can do when writing a review without providing context & content.
    Gimme detail, detail, detail!

    "2 dozen taps, a good mix of regional craft with a few of the usual suspect macros", or
    "2 dozen taps, 1/2 of them craft beer offerings and the other 1/2 meh imports", or
    "2 dozen taps, an even 3 way split between high end imports, local craft, & cider/seltzer", or
    "2 dozen taps, all hazy, pastry, and youshouldnotdothattoa sour"

    Do they have a variety? Do they have anything exciting? Do they care? Are they beer people or money train people? Do they also have bottles & cans? Do they have a handpump? And tell me what you had there!
     
    #4 slander, Jan 4, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2023
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  5. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (4,423) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I've always thought selection meant beer.

    That said I find my place reviews take a more comprehensive approach. I'm typically not going somewhere to just sit and drink, so I try to encompass the full experience and include food, service, and the vibe. I don't usually count taps or try to account for every beer available, but I'll take note of variety or style-centric tendencies, and I usually check local vs "imports".

    But I don't care if a place has ten taps that are sublimely curated - if it's an uncomfortable and unwelcoming vibe or service is surly or food sucks, it's not getting a good review from the standpoint of the overall experience.

    A lot of our visits are breweries where we will sample variety, but we also value the other aspects of the experience. If a brewery doesn't offer food that's fine, but everything else should be on point. I can sit home and be miserable and drink beer.
     
    #5 LeRose, Jan 5, 2023
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  6. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    The main thing to note is that selection != quantity. Meaning that a bar might have 24 taps, but the overall selection sucks to you. And a place with only 8 beers could have what you might consider to be an awesome selection.
     
    #6 Todd, Jan 5, 2023
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