Samples. How many is too many?

Please don't tell me you're one of those people who writes bad yelp reviews that read "The food was great, the beer was great and the space was great, but I would've scored higher if they had given me more free samples"

 

This is where there's that gray area where it's impossible to make a hard, fast rule. People who regularly support their business with their frequent patronage do deserve some leeway in certain situations, sample-giving being one of them. It's tough to gauge when a stranger is asking for a sample because they genuinely want to try that beer and maybe buy one or if they're just pilfering. The latter is the reason why some places have a no-sample policy. A bunch of bad apples spoil the whole bunch.

 

Ok, let's not stray off topic and get into the whole "stop solely relying on ratings" debate which has been discussed in tons of other threads. I check scores to guide me in my buying decisions also. That's what they're there for.

 

Totally understandable but it's impossible to know what the person on the other side of the bar's intentions are if they're a stranger. Explaining that you're trying to decide what to get for a full pour could help the situation if you ever run into resistance.

 

The majority of the time the waiter/waitress has always asked if I wanted to sample something unless the place does not have much of a selection. when I go out I want to try at least one new beer so I may taste a couple to decide. I can also say in my case the person waiting on us always is well reimbursed for the question or running I may ask for samples. If there are several I am not sure of I will do a flight but if I want to decide between a couple I want to sample, again I cant remember a time when I was not offered and I had to ask.

 

LOL - Jaded much?

I didn't approach saying that. If I stop at a joint - peruse their beer menu - and ask to sample a beer only to be told, "No, we don't give out samples." I'll likely walk. So there's no way my review would say, "The beer was great, but...," because I'd already be out the door before I tried anything they served - food, beer or otherwise. That's just me - there are too many fantastic beer bars in the Charlotte area that go out of their way to please their customers. I frequent the hell out of those establishments and I can guarantee you they're not losing money on me or my friends by providing samples - no matter the limit. We run up tabs, brother. In fact, I'd wager that I and the other regulars at the more popular beer bars in Charlotte more than make up for any money lost on a couple of folks trying to fuck the system by getting a couple free sips of sampled beer. And yes - at the finer beer bars, I consider those cats to be in the absolute minority.

I believe you're a bartender, right? Or am I confusing you with another poster - if so, sorry. But if you are a bartender - mind me asking where you work?

 

But that's why "reviews" are more important than "ratings". If you read a couple of reviews that say "big bold boozy flavors, etc" - that lets you know what to expect, regardless of whether the reviewer liked or disliked those specific flavors.

 

The bottom line of the story is this. If you're ever at the Thirsty Monk, drinking 13% beers with @JdoubleA until you can barely speak. Don't accept a ride home with a perfectly nice stranger. You may end up with white dog hair all over your black jacket. Wait - what were we talking about?

 

Why do you expect this for beer, when you don't expect this for food which is equally as subjective. Or frankly any other business that sells something that is cheap (ignoring high $$ purchases like car which you can test drive)?

 

I learned it from you, dad. Okay? I learned it from you!

 

References to the 1980's "Just Say No" advertisement aside, I don't get your joke.

I think you are saying that you see it as an already established cultural norm long before you?

 

But man......if I could sample steaks? That'd be so freaking awesome. "Yea, could I try the NY Strip medium rare? Oh, you know what, actually could I try the filet rare? I'll just take the porterhouse."

 

A customer that expects free stuff is probably a customer that a business can afford to lose.

I hope you realize that playing the "I'm a high roller" card sounds pretty douchey.

 

Availability.

Pick up tiny glass, give tap handle a brief tug, hand glass to beer geek - 30 seconds and what, a "loss" of a quarter or so by the bar? You're not suggesting every food item on the menu be available for sampling, right? You're just speaking in general terms.

In general terms, it's part of the culture. Tasting a beer and discussing it with a good bartender is fun.

Let's not lose the fact that bars want people to purchase alcohol. If I eat a cheeseburger, I don't immediately want another cheeseburger. Not the same case with beer - and I'm often purchasing pints that cost more than a joint's burger.

"Ah, shit - I told myself I was gonna be good tonight, but let me have another cheeseburger." "Sorry," sez the bartender, "you've reached your limit."

 

1. That's a broad and highly ignorant statement. Bars that keep customers happy, tend to stay in business.
2. No bar's ever lost money on me by providing me samples - one or sixteen. That's my point. If I came across as douchey - so be it.

 

I also have the strength of twelve men and thick lustrous hair. Since we're being honest.

I just noticed you're in Pennsylvania @jmdrpi. I'm in NC. Perhaps, because 99% of the bars in my area offer samples... I've come to expect it. Perhaps that's not the case where you're bellying up? Here, for me, it's part of the dance. Bartender turns me on to new brew - we talk about it - I buy it or I don't. Perhaps that happens twice - maybe three times, depending on the bartender and establishment. If I pass on full pours of those sampled items I typically take a shot on the rarest thing on the menu - because I'm an absolute beer geek and don't want to miss out on anything special I may never have another shot at. I too - like a lot of folks on here have mentioned - often consult reviews on BA to help guide me. I'm a brewer - and typically know what styles get me off - but BA still comes in handy. I'm not a high roller by any means... but I complete the dance, and the bar and customer part ways happily, eager to dance again.

 

And I would always go to the bar which gave me free beer and tip the bartender well. However, the bar itself does not profit in that situation.