# Ever left a restaurant after looking at the beer menu?



## Truman42 (18/4/13)

A few weeks back my lovely lady and I went out for dinner to a place that was suggested as having good food. We sat down and the waiter brought us over the drinks menu.

Corona
Carlton Draught
VB
Stella Artois
Cascade light

I asked if they maybe had some stout at least. His reply "Whats stout"

So I looked at the missus said "Lets go eat somewhere else" and we left. Now I dont consider myself to be a beer snob but come off it. This was a place known for its fancy meals and all they had was that crap. Lesson learnt though, now when I phone up to book a table I ask what beer they serve.


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## bum (18/4/13)

Yah. Stout pairs well with EVERYTHING.


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## bradsbrew (18/4/13)

You could have ordered the Stella and paid a ridiculous amount for a locally brewed beer. Snob


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## Ironsides (18/4/13)

I've never left. But i have been very sad


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## Cube (18/4/13)

Way to go to disappoint the 'missus' who was no doubt looking forward to nice meal. There are times when wankery is best left at home. Gossip with the ladies this weekend.... you know it. 



Don't dine out with that guy. To embarrassing.


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## Truman42 (18/4/13)

bum said:


> Yah. Stout pairs well with EVERYTHING.


No it doesn't.

But I have on occasion been to a restaurant that had stout, not on the beer menu but in the fridge as they used it in the kitchen, so was happy to pour me one. And it would have been better than drinking the other crap they had. I would have made sure I ordered a meal to suit then..lol


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## Truman42 (18/4/13)

Cube said:


> Way to go to disappoint the 'missus' who was no doubt looking forward to nice meal. There are times when wankery is best left at home. Gossip with the ladies this weekend.... you know it.
> 
> 
> 
> Don't dine out with that guy. To embarrassing.


Firstly, shes my wife. So wouldn't be telling anyone else not to dine out with me...Well actually she would but not for that reason.

Secondly shes a craft beer fan as well and hated everything on the beer menu too. She also loves a nice stout or IPA and loves my home brew although doesn't drink as much as I do. So she was happy to leave and find somewhere else anyway.

And thirdly if she wanted to stay I would have and probably just had a whiskey or a red wine.


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## Phoney (18/4/13)

This was covered in great detail in a thread only a month or so ago about how Australian restaurants have shit beer menus.

Anyway, my response is no I have not because I love wine almost as much as I love beer so I'm happy to drink awesome wine with awesome food. The beer can wait until I get home.


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## Black Devil Dog (18/4/13)

That's a pretty lame beer list, but I doubt that I'd walk. After all, you did go there for a nice meal. Either go with the best of a bad choice, or order a wine and enjoy the evening.

FWIW I'd be content to drink Stellas.


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## bum (18/4/13)

phoneyhuh said:


> This was covered in great detail in a thread only a month or so ago about how Australian restaurants have shit beer menus.


He may have even instigated that discussion. I am certain he mentioned the stout thing then.


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## lukiferj (18/4/13)

Defintely Déjà vu


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## Phoney (18/4/13)

You could also ask; Have you ever left a restaurant after looking at the menu of cocktails? Or rather have you left a restaurant after eating and then headed to a nice cocktail bar?


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## Feldon (18/4/13)

What's the name of the resaurant?


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## Truman42 (18/4/13)

bum said:


> He may have even instigated that discussion. I am certain he mentioned the stout thing then.


Nope sorry wasn't me. I don't even recall even reading a thread about that. Happy to be proved wrong but I don't remember it and I certainly didn't start it.


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## goomboogo (18/4/13)

lukiferj said:


> Defintely Déjà vu


Yes, they have a good beer list.


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## Truman42 (18/4/13)

phoneyhuh said:


> You could also ask; Have you ever left a restaurant after looking at the menu of cocktails? Or rather have you left a restaurant after eating and then headed to a nice cocktail bar?


Well if this was a cocktail forum and we were all cocktail fans then yes. 

When I go out for dinner its to enjoy everything. Good food and a decent beer. I'm not really a wine or a spirits drinker and either is my wife. We didnt like the beer there so decided to go elsewhere. And that was our choice.


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## bum (18/4/13)

Truman said:


> Nope sorry wasn't me. I don't even recall even reading a thread about that. Happy to be proved wrong but I don't remember it and I certainly didn't start it.


Not actually in the thread I recall but here's the post:



Truman said:


> I took Shalla and Belle to Daveys for dinner. Not a bad feed. I asked the barmaid "Do you have any stout", she looked at me and said "Whats that?..
> 
> Saw the Fat Yak on tap and was a bit hesistant, but had it anyway and was pleasantly surprised. You could smell the hop aroma as soon as she put it down on the bar.


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## Truman42 (18/4/13)

Ok so on two occasions I've had a waiter or a barmaid say "What's stout". Not very surprising considering my wife and I both drink it and most younger barstaff wouldnt come across it especially if they didnt sell it. But this thread has nothing to do with that which was June last year and they clearly did have decent beer because I had the fat yak. 

The restaurant in question was Yaringa Marina in Somerville.


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## donburke (18/4/13)

Truman said:


> A few weeks back my lovely lady and I went out for dinner to a place that was suggested as having good food. We sat down and the waiter brought us over the drinks menu.
> 
> Corona
> Carlton Draught
> ...


i'm surprised they had corona on the rsl menu


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## slash22000 (18/4/13)

As an omni-drinker myself (wine, beer, spirits), I'm always blown away that restaurants have a 10 page tiny font booklet of wine choices when 90% of people couldn't pick a Shiraz from a Cabernet, let alone two Shiraz from two different vineyards, so why do they need to offer 20 bottles per variety?

Then you get to the beer and it's Australian lager, Australian lager, Australian lager, Australian lager, maybe some kind of foreign lager that's basically the same, maybe a Coopers pale ale. ******* Corona, probably.

Seems to me like there is a much greater variety of beer than there is variety of wine. Even the snobbiest wine drinker has to admit that on a basic level red is red, white is white, and while there are of course major differences between varieties of wine it's nothing like beer where there are dozens of completely unique, independent styles.


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## donburke (18/4/13)

i think you need to consider whether you are gong out to drink beer or experience fine dining

every place i've been to that focuses solely on the beer has compromised the food

most, if not all, fine restaurants i have had the pleasure of dining in have had some decent beer on the menu


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## barls (18/4/13)

have sent beer back and told them im not paying the imported price for the local stuff.
never left though


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## Yob (18/4/13)

I have the other problem… they never let me in the door to start with


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## Nick JD (18/4/13)

I don't go to restaurants for beer.


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## waggastew (18/4/13)

Been to many a work dinner/function/smooze-fest and watched people (who are not paying) down loads of $7-9 Corona's.......

Makes me sad for a bit but then I cheer up when I realise that if all of these people started drinking hoppy craft brew then my next bag of Simcoe would be $40/100g.

Shhhhh, let the toolz drink shite beer.

PS. The best restaurant in my local area (Fusion 7 in Port Mac NSW) serves the best craft brew (Wicked Elf Dubbel) in the area. Lucky me!


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## Cocko (18/4/13)

Yob said:


> I have the other problem… they never let me in the door to start with


I have the same issue mate...

Although, I do tend to turn my pockets inside out and make elephant noises whenever I am in public... 

h34r:


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## Yob (18/4/13)

It's the metho and oj that does it.. Not to mention the trench coat and gumboots


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## WeaselEstateBrewery (18/4/13)

If places don't have VB New or Carlton Draft I ban them for life


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## bradsbrew (18/4/13)

Cocko said:


> I have the same issue mate...
> 
> Although, I do tend to turn my pockets inside out and make elephant noises whenever I am in public...
> 
> h34r:


Always wondered what the sign at your local was about;

After 6.00pm​​No Thongs​No singlets​No short trunked elephant impressions​​Cheers


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (18/4/13)

I have avoided a place when I've looked at their menu & seen rubbish or no menu for beer at all.

If I'm paying for food, they need good beer& kids menu. Its not worth going out otherwise.

In Brisbane, it was bittersuite - they doted on my kids & served me good beer n food.

Took others there at different times, so it was worth it for them to be in that niche.

Some places don't choose that path & I respect that. My path leads me to choose a place that suits me & what I want to pay for. There's enough room in this world for all sorts.


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## Mr. No-Tip (18/4/13)

There's such a growing market for a Ciccerone or similar to go into these resteraunts and help them realise how they could match beer in the same way. More and more customers will go for it - owners just need to be receptive/inventive.


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## angus_grant (19/4/13)

slash22000 said:


> As an omni-drinker myself (wine, beer, spirits), I'm always blown away that restaurants have a 10 page tiny font booklet of wine choices when 90% of people couldn't pick a Shiraz from a Cabernet, let alone two Shiraz from two different vineyards, so why do they need to offer 20 bottles per variety?
> 
> Then you get to the beer and it's Australian lager, Australian lager, Australian lager, Australian lager, maybe some kind of foreign lager that's basically the same, maybe a Coopers pale ale. ******* Corona, probably.
> 
> Seems to me like there is a much greater variety of beer than there is variety of wine. Even the snobbiest wine drinker has to admit that on a basic level red is red, white is white, and while there are of course major differences between varieties of wine it's nothing like beer where there are dozens of completely unique, independent styles.


A term I always use is "I am beer-nivorous", a hopefully obvious play on words on omnivorous. I am fairly happy to drink any beer. If I go to the rugby then I know the guys I always go with will drink Carlton mid. If I go to a normal Aus pub then hopefully Coopers Pale is on tap, if I go to Scratch or Superwhatnot then something freaky better be on tap, etc. I always adjust my expectations to the place I am going to.

With the rugby and normal pubs, aprt of the experience for me is drinking Carlton or Coopers cause it is the tradition. I drank a crap-load of Heineken during the world cup and still do now when there is a international test on because it is the tradition. I enjoy drinking any sort of beer a long as it suits my mood.

So to finally answer the question, no I have never walked out of any place due to the beer list.


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## Pickaxe (19/4/13)

As someone mentioned earlier, most wine drinkers wouldnt ******* know what their drinking and have a cursory knowledge they gleaned from Better Homes & Gardens. Some places over compensate to this, and dont need to. But its part of the snobbery and bullshit the AUS & NZ wine industries have successfully pushed to build their industries. I dont know how many people that come to my pub that order "South Island" Sauv Blanc and huff like its superior to any other - it's not. Its a blend of shitty Marlborough wine for $6. Its people buying into spin. Its a rare restaurant with an outstanding wine list, and a (what do they call those wine expert buggers) to do it.

Talking to many chefs and restaurant owners I know, they don't stock craft beer because the big breweries give them massive discounts they can make money on and survive (1 out of 5 cases free), (My mate was telling me, his biggest seller in a fine dining Noosa restaurant was Crown Lager. ******* crown lager! I reckon his diners had more money than sense!), craft beers are expensive and they would have to charge too much so people would either complain or just avoid them, and people generally just dont drink it. People are safe - they go with what they know. Enter Marlborough Sauv Blanc - the safest white wine on the market right now - it could taste like cat piss battery acid, people would rave about its taste!

If you're looking for craft beer and food together - I find really only good bars known as bars first, ie. primarily for drinking that do food, are the places to go. Its more often food first with restaurants, drink as accompaniment - esp. to people that run restaurants. Booze subsidises the food side of the business. The only businesses that would satisfy an adventurous beer drinker would be a bar first, food as accompaniment - food subsidises booze. Bar and Grill places seem to be the go for me. I'd say the same to someone looking to try good wines with a meal. Go somewhere that focuses on wine first ie a Bar or a winery. There's a brilliant wine bar in the Sydney off George street that is all about wine, and the food is tailored to your wine choice, not the other way around. Brilliant, expensive.

Craft beer and fine dining - it's just not going to happen that often. If it does, share please the experience here.

The other option is dining at BYO restaurants. Bam! - there's the beer list you wanted.



And I agree with waggastew - +1 let the bastards have their cat piss, and leave our hop prices at a decent level! HAHA, classic mate.


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## Truman42 (19/4/13)

donburke said:


> i think you need to consider whether you are gong out to drink beer or experience fine dining
> 
> every place i've been to that focuses solely on the beer has compromised the food
> 
> most, if not all, fine restaurants i have had the pleasure of dining in have had some decent beer on the menu


Im going out to do both.
Nothing wrong with wanting to have a nice meal and enjoy a decent beer at the same time. Its my money and thats how I wish to spend it.
I dont expect a huge range of craft beers but even just one or two choices. Im sure if these restaurants were to stock just a carton or two of craft beer they wouldn't lose out. Quite often we wont go to a restaurant if we know before hand there beer menu is shit, so theyve lost our $150 for the night. 

On the weekend I took the missus camping to Port Albert, a tiny little one pub town. They had a restaurant on the jetty there and we looked at the menu on the wall. LCPA and JSGA. Now while they're not what some of you might class as great craft beer, its certainly good enough for me. We had a great meal and enjoyed a few LCPA's with it.

I just think some of these places need to get with the times. Gone are the days where everyone drank megaswill and the beer yuppies drank Corona. Craft beer sales are growing for a reason every year and they need to accomodate the growing craft beer fans at these establishments.


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## Screwtop (19/4/13)

Been a long time since I weighed in on one of these threads, my opinion is well documented but here goes.

Most restaurants have pretty crappy wine lists. Honestly, they are mostly mainstream wines, similar to their beer list! But! there is always greater choice in wine than beer, I call 'not fair'

However if I prefer a restaurant due to location/position/ambiance/service/food, then I will ask for a better beer selection, suggest a few, then decline either beer or wine and ask for tap water.

Missing out on av$40 spend on alcohol on each visit usually results in change. If not then we will wait, we have wine storage and plenty of beer at home. Restaurants are businesses and will stock what turns over most. We need beer loving restaurant owners/chefs.

Luckily here in Gympie we have a Restaurant located in a beautiful old Queensland Homestead on a golf course. The Chef loves good beer and features craft breweries on tap and in bottles. The food is fantastic, great wine and beers, and dining on the verandah overlooking the river and golf course is pretty tough. 

Screwy


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## jaypes (19/4/13)

I have never left but I always look at the beer menu first before the food menu.

On another experience I usually find the more "non standard" beers are usually sold out or old old old stock. Sometimes I ring ahead to see what they have got on hand

I have come to the conclusion that if you want good craft beer you either:

Make it yourself and bring it along (if possible)
Bring some from DM (if possible)
Eat at Craft Beer Pubs (a few great ones in Sydney) - this one being my preference
I dont go out that much as I have 3 little ones, when I do go out I like to be not dissapointed


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## treefiddy (19/4/13)

I've never thought to do that before.
Can you take HB into most BYO places?




jaypes said:


> I have come to the conclusion that if you want good craft beer you either:
> 
> Make it yourself and bring it along (if possible)


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## WeaselEstateBrewery (19/4/13)

treefiddy said:


> Can you take HB into most BYO places?


I take it to BYO places all the time. Bottles are OK, they might be challenged if you turn up with a keg


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## Truman42 (19/4/13)

treefiddy said:


> I've never thought to do that before.
> Can you take HB into most BYO places?


Ive taken HB to BYO Thai restaurants before with labels on the bottles. I had someone on another table ask me where I brought it from and what was it.


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## pk.sax (19/4/13)

I have a double problem, if you can call it that...
I don't eat meat, or seafood. So I'd have a look at a menu to see what sort of dishes they serve. Doesn't necessarily have to be vege but if it is a decent menu showing the chef has some skill making food I'd take a chance if I'm going with someone and ask the chef to surprise me even.
Generally, at places like the above, I've found they are also good with their beer or at least cocktail offering. Talking with friends in hospitality - bar staff - seems like restaurants and bars with good/creative chefs tend to appreciate good beers. I'd rather give them my business any day over the overpriced snobbish, we can't handle anything more than 6 items on our menu that use 2 types of meat in total... Stupid assholes. And I blame the Gordon Ramsay types for making that such a ******* mess, everyone that used to have good menus seems to be trimming them down so they can hire dumber cooks and get away with fewer chefs.
Even at an Indian place (being intimately familiar with that food ), I'd walk away if I don't see anything but the most basic dishes on the menu. Shows complete lack of either skill or confidence. And no, mixed vegetables tossed in korma is not special... Maybe spicy eggplant or okra...


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## treefiddy (19/4/13)

WeaselEstateBrewery said:


> I take it to BYO places all the time. Bottles are OK, they might be challenged if you turn up with a keg


That was my next question.

Not even a little 9 L keg in an esky you made to look like a Dalek?


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## mosto (19/4/13)

I've been dissappointed by a beer list but never walked out, as I am happy to drink most beer. I won't go back to a certain restaurant though after I had this conversation with a waitress while reading the beer list.

Waitress: "Can I get you something to drink?"
Me: "Yes, could I grab a Kronenbourg please?"
W: "Certainly"
She returns after a few minutes
W: "Sorry, we don't have that beer"
M: "OK, maybe a Heineken then"
W: "Sure"
She returns a few minutes later
W: "Sorry, we don't have that either"
M: "Oh, um maybe just a Coopers then"
W: "Sure"
She returns a few minutes later
W: "Sorry we don't have that either, we only have the beers that are on the menu"
Without saying anything, I point out where the three beers I've ordered are on the menu
W: "Oh, um, ah...."
M: "Look we could do this all night, but we do want to get to our movie, so maybe you take the beer list and tick off what you do have"
W: "Um, ok"
She returns a few minutes later with four beers ticked. There were twelve on the menu!

Now, if there were only four on the menu, no problem. If they had six on the menu and had sold out of a couple, no problem. But to list beers on the menu, which they clearly don't stock, is bullshit!


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## dago001 (19/4/13)

Lord Raja Goomba I said:


> I have avoided a place when I've looked at their menu & seen rubbish or no menu for beer at all.
> 
> If I'm paying for food, they need good beer& kids menu. Its not worth going out otherwise.
> 
> ...


Looks like you will be eating at home a lot then. NW Tassie is not the best place for what you descibe. We don't like kids or craft beer in restaurants here.

There isnt much choice around here for mixing beer with food. Craft beers are a rareity in a restaurants, most common things are Boags, Crownies and Coronas. The local Italian was good food with BYO, but they are only BYO with wine now.
It always amazes me that Pubs/Restaurants underestimate that they will sell craft beers if they supply it. Sure the regular punters dont want it, but they are missing out on so much revenue by not providing it. We don't go to Pubs/Restaurants much these days, mainly because of beer selection. I'm not a beer snob, but generally I don't like paying overinflated prices prices for run of the mill beers.
Never walked out of because of the beer menu, but have walked out before ordering because of the vibe/atmosphere.
Cheers
LagerBomb


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## JDW81 (19/4/13)

waggastew said:


> Been to many a work dinner/function/smooze-fest and watched people (who are not paying) down loads of $7-9 Corona's.......


Are you saying you've never partaken in a few freebies at a function, irrespective of the brand?


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## sponge (19/4/13)

If there's free drinks, I'm a happy camper. I will happily drink free coronas or euro lagers. I do seem to struggle a lot more than I used to drinking some aussie swill though, but still wouldn't turn one down. It even makes the next mouthful of craft beer all that more enjoyable...

Most of the restaurants myself and my partner go to are BYO. Granted, some are only BYO wine, but even then will bring along a nice bottle of red since that is primarily what my partner drinks and I don't mind a nice glass of red (always struggled with white wines). Never walked out of a place due to the beer menu though. As previously stated, we're there for a nice feed and if the atmosphere, food and service is nice, then we have got our monies worth. We can always go to a nice pub/bar for a drink before/after dinner if we like, and I know for a fact there will be taps waiting for me when we get back home


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## mckenry (19/4/13)

I've never walked out, but subtly let them know I'm unhappy with their range.
I'll ask - Is that all the beer you have? Usually the answer is yes, so I ask for a coke.


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## Pickaxe (19/4/13)

I'll reiiterate a previous point - unless craft beers can be affordable and profitable, most restaurants are going to stick with the big boys and big suppliers who offer deals like buy 4 get one free. You cant argue with a restaurant going with a supplier that offers them a clean $170-250 extra profit each order.


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## hsb (19/4/13)

It seems like a massive hole in the market to me. You can go to a Michelin-hatted restaurant complete with Sommelier here in Sydney and be regailed about the fine Eastern slopes of this village, or an interesting discourse in subtle differences between this champagne and that champagne and yet they still have Crown, Coopers or Stella as the beer range. I find it bizarre sometimes.
Fair enough in smaller establishments, but if you have a sommelier, get some decent beer for god's sake!
There must be an opening for a better beer distributor to supply some of these restaurants, you give customers better choice and they'll spend (and you'll make) more money on better beer.


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## Bribie G (19/4/13)

When I visited NZ the Indian round the corner had big longnecks of proper Indian Kingfisher 7% - I drank 3 . On eating out on the Sunshine Coast later that year I noted that the Kingfisher here is now brewed by the same mob who do Haagen but still listed as "India's favourite beer" and priced accordingly.

:huh:

Apart from HB my major passion is cooking - currently working through a Sri Lankan phase - and we rarely eat out except for roast of the day at the RSL or schnitzel night or something like that where I can see the value.


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## tricache (19/4/13)

hsb said:


> It seems like a massive hole in the market to me. You can go to a Michelin-hatted restaurant complete with Sommelier here in Sydney and be regailed about the fine Eastern slopes of this village, or an interesting discourse in subtle differences between this champagne and that champagne and yet they still have Crown, Coopers or Stella as the beer range. I find it bizarre sometimes.
> Fair enough in smaller establishments, but if you have a sommelier, get some decent beer for god's sake!
> There must be an opening for a better beer distributor to supply some of these restaurants, you give customers better choice and they'll spend (and you'll make) more money on better beer.


I know what you mean...one of my regular places that the wife and I go to has more pages for wines, champas and spirits (maybe even some ports) but there beer selection is the grand total of 6 (Pure Blonde, Corona, Heiniken, Hahn Light, Super Dry and Lucky Buddha :huh

I stick to spirits when I go there, 14 year old Oban scotch :icon_drool2:


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## Lecterfan (19/4/13)

...most wine drinkers don't know anything, red is red, white is white ...there's no decent beer...


...meanwhile on the hobby winemakers website:

bloody posh restaurants, they have what the plebs think is a big wine list when in fact there are only two or three significantly different tasting wines - not all reds are red you know, why don't we get some real choice? There are 6 different beers to choose from on the menu, and lets face it, most beer drinkers don't care about the difference anyway, what little beer knowledge they have they picked up comes from their social circle while learning how to be fat, bigoted drunks.


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## WeaselEstateBrewery (19/4/13)

Lecterfan said:


> bloody posh restaurants, they have what the plebs think is a big wine list when in fact there are only two or three significantly different tasting wines - not all reds are red you know, why don't we get some real choice? There are 6 different beers to choose from on the menu, and lets face it, most beer drinkers don't care about the difference anyway, what little beer knowledge they have they picked up comes from their social circle while learning how to be fat, bigoted drunks.


That is HILARIOUS. I find this nearly as funny as another forum I once read about people discussing home brewers. These folk couldnt understand why anyone would bother making beer at home, one guy piped up "I guess it's similar to how ladies enjoy making cakes". Can't remember the forum, one for chicken enthusiasts or something similar.


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## bum (19/4/13)

WeaselEstateBrewery said:


> That is HILARIOUS. I find this nearly as funny as another forum I once read about people discussing home brewers. These folk couldnt understand why anyone would bother making beer at home, one guy piped up "I guess it's similar to how ladies enjoy making cakes". Can't remember the forum, one for chicken enthusiasts or something similar.


What is unreasonable about the comparison?

[EDIT: other than the somewhat unpleasant gender-role thing]


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## WeaselEstateBrewery (19/4/13)

bum said:


> What is unreasonable about the comparison?
> 
> [EDIT: other than the somewhat unpleasant gender-role thing]


Nothing as such, I just found it a funny post. Wish I could remember the link.


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## Pickaxe (19/4/13)

Generally, most food businesses wouldn't be able to go through enough IPA, or belgian triple to either make money, or serve a quality product.

Thing with spirits is they have a huge shelf life. As do wines in comparison to beer. This is a poor comparison to make.

It's just not viable. Beer enthusiasts are a minority, don't get the idea you are a force to be reckoned with economically. Not gonna happen.


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## stakka82 (19/4/13)

A case in point of the above is the freshness of the good craft beers at nice restaurants that DO serve them... often there are staling/oxidation/handling issues or lack of hop arome etc... so obviously they move slowly. 

For that reason I often choose something semi-crafty that I think will move reasonably quickly (LCPA, coopers etc) cause there's a greater chance it'll be fresh.

Contrary to much of the above I actually find that a lot of higher end restaurants actually have a decent craft beer list, at least here in Melbourne, when you consider what 90% of people must choose. I also try to look at the bright side - hey, I'm paying 9 bucks for a white rabbit, but that guy over there just paid 8 for a crownie!


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## Nick JD (19/4/13)

WeaselEstateBrewery said:


> That is HILARIOUS. I find this nearly as funny as another forum I once read about people discussing home brewers. These folk couldnt understand why anyone would bother making beer at home, one guy piped up "I guess it's similar to how ladies enjoy making cakes". Can't remember the forum, one for chicken enthusiasts or something similar.


I enjoy making cakes (we call it "baking" in the Sisterhood of Cakers). For my young'un's first in a couple of weeks, he's (we're) getting an orange-chocolate marbled caked with orange and chocolate cream cheese icing.


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## Screwtop (19/4/13)

Bribie G said:


> Apart from HB my major passion is cooking - currently working through a Sri Lankan phase - and we rarely eat out except for roast of the day at the RSL or schnitzel night or something like that where I can see the value.


Can vouch for Bribie's cookery skill! My next challenge is making a curry nearly as good as the one he served us in March 2013!

Screwy


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (19/4/13)

mckenry said:


> I've never walked out, but subtly let them know I'm unhappy with their range.
> I'll ask - Is that all the beer you have? Usually the answer is yes, so I ask for a coke.


+1 done this many times,asked for mineral water.


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## Florian (19/4/13)

Lord Raja Goomba I said:


> +1 done this many times,asked for mineral water.


if you're already going down that route you might as well do it the proper way like Screwy and ask for tap water.

for all you know they might even have a higher margin on mineral water than beer, either way they'll be making a 'profit'.

still, i reckon in 90% of cases the person in charge won't even hear about it becuase the waiter or waitress doesn't pass on what happened.


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## esssee (19/4/13)

Restaurants don't need to go to the extent of a Taphouse, but they could try a LCPA or at the very least, something from Matilda Bay.

Most beer drinkers know them, and would "treat" themselves with a couple while eating out.


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## chefsantos (20/4/13)

i walk out all the time. I don't like lager and get pissed off when there is 7 types of beer on a menu all of them lager or lager styles (pils,draught etc ), how hard is it to put an ale or stout on ?


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## tricache (20/4/13)

chefsantos said:


> i walk out all the time. I don't like lager and get pissed off when there is 7 types of beer on a menu all of them lager or lager styles (pils,draught etc ), how hard is it to put an ale or stout on ?


Very since they probably assume an _ale_ is just another name for a beer and no idea what stout is


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## pk.sax (20/4/13)

You just have to talk to staff at restaurants. I sit down with my mate and we're sipping away on some beers, wit for her and orange brown for me. A mate of her's walks by and she invites him over for a drink, I recommend based on what he likes a prickly Moses red. If anything will inoffensively make an impact...
Anyway, talk goes on to matching drinks to food and this bartender proclaims that not much beer goes with much food since 'there is such a small range of flavours compared to the wines they keep'. Ahem, his restaurant actually keeps a decent range of beer. And I explain that there were 3 while years I didn't drink any alcohol but wine, and that his assertion is pretty shallow. Not convinced. Considering that guy wanted to try stuff and they keep a nice range and I know that they have taste training etc for staff, it is very obvious nobody bothers training them properly on the beers.

Might I suggest that part of the problem is the influx of French and Italian backpackers into the bar and restaurant industry. Combine that with ignorant teenage bar staff and there is fuckall appreciation for beer among the staff that work there.

Comparatively, kiwi and Aussie bar staff and especially ones that have worked bars in Europe seem to have a good idea of beer and what and how to serve. There I said it, wogs are killing beer in bars.


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## Pickaxe (20/4/13)

Florian said:


> if you're already going down that route you might as well do it the proper way like Screwy and ask for tap water.
> 
> for all you know they might even have a higher margin on mineral water than beer, either way they'll be making a 'profit'.


You say that like there's something wrong with people making a profit on what they sell? I do get what you're saying though, it does come down to businesses serving what people want, it will take staff training - where I work there are an abundance of people that know nothing about anything we serve - food, wine, spirits and beer. Glorified checkout chicks really. Then again, the company that I work for don't give a shit.

There is a line to be trodden between profitability and serving good quality produce - including beer.

Let me put it this way - if you were to talk to your local restaurant, and ask them to stock something, they'd want to know you'll visit often enough to justify stocking something for you and the few. It's a matter of economics, not taste in my opinion.


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## Truman42 (20/4/13)

Well it could be worse and it is. I'm at Etihad and all they have is Carlton mid, pure blonde or Cascade light. 
I'm glad I brought a couple of home brews sitting back in the motel.


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## mmmyummybeer (20/4/13)

Never left due to beer list, but do find it extremely frustrating not being able to go out for a meal and enjoy a decent beer with it. We are only just starting to get a limited (better than the usual draught VB and Cascade light Corona) choice in a couple of venues. 

I will pick a venue on their beer list often more than the food choice. I find if I can't pair a good meal with a good beer then I just don't enjoy the meal as much. 

Craft beer drinkers may not necessarily leave because of the beer list but I am sure they are definitely attracted to a venue solely on their beer list.

Anyway my 2 cents


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## waggastew (20/4/13)

JDW81 said:


> Are you saying you've never partaken in a few freebies at a function, irrespective of the brand?


Sure have, but I I make the best of the situation by picking the best available. My point was 98% of the drinking public if given the run of the bar will order Corona's because they usually have to pay $7 and therefore consider it a top drop. Nothing personal against Corona, just not my thang.


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## DU99 (20/4/13)

Thats all they serve to the public @ Etihad...carron tavern does have good selection of beers tap..and the food is good.


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## Florian (20/4/13)

Pickaxe said:


> You say that like there's something wrong with people making a profit on what they sell?


nah mate, you got that completely the wrong way. Reason i put 'profit' into '' was that, although they might technically make a profit on the drink they might not make a profit overall considering all their expenses.

what i was trying to say was, if you're already trying to show them that you're not just drinking any beer they have on offer and do that by order water instead, you're better off asking for tap water for free rather than pay for mineral water.


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## jlm (20/4/13)

mmmyummybeer said:


> .
> 
> Craft beer drinkers may not necessarily leave because of the beer list but I am sure they are definitely attracted to a venue solely on their beer list.
> 
> Anyway my 2 cents


Probably sums it up. I have a liking for music that most don't like but won't ignore a joint 'cause they're playing.......dunno......Nora Jones? Is that what's still big in adult contemporary music?


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## pk.sax (20/4/13)

I'd give Norah jones a bj


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## Judanero (20/4/13)

No.


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## petesbrew (21/4/13)

Here in australia we have a lovely thing called BYO. It's pretty good.
Most of the time it's wine only, but that's okay because I enjoy wine as much as I do beer, and as SWMBO doesn't touch beer, I'm happy to enjoy a nice glass of $10ish tightarse white.
I always have a few beers in the fridge for when we get home. Yay!


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## Truman42 (3/2/18)

Truman42 said:


> Well it could be worse and it is. I'm at Etihad and all they have is Carlton mid, pure blonde or Cascade light.
> I'm glad I brought a couple of home brews sitting back in the motel.



Wow 4 years later and hasn't things changed. You can even get fat yak and pacific yak at Etihad which is what we drink when we go to the footy. And just about every restaurant has at least one Craft beer on the menu. Sometimes it might just be LC or JS or even fat yak but at least you can get more than Carlton Draught or VB.


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## Coodgee (5/2/18)

Call me picky but it shits me no end when they have all 3 yak beers on tap like "that covers off the craft beer drinkers". Last time i saw that i had a crown lager and loved it.


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## Dave70 (6/2/18)

We occasionally eat at the local brewpub. I prefer to order an _entree _an save my gut for the beer. That, and I dont go much on their food anyway.
Alternatively we'll eat at a the BYO Thai place and I take my own beer. Or a chilled bottle of _Finlandia _and a shot glass. Oh, you should see the expressions on the other diners faces when that frosty bottle hits the table!
An alternative to that alternatively I'll get a nice glow up before we leave. This addresses two main issues. 
One, dining with children is never a relaxed affair. Now I dont care as much if they bang their cutlery and torment one another.
Two, fucked if I'm paying $8 a pop for an 'imported' (or around $6 domestic) beer that I would normally never go near with any more frequency than necessary. 
I've known a few people in the restaurant game. Its tough. But **** you if you think I'm helping out with the rent while you pay your staff minimum wage and jack the grog up 150%.


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## mongey (15/2/18)

I've never left once sitting down But I def choose based on what I see . the food has to be be pretty fricken good for me to go back if the beer list was shit


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## Mr B (16/2/18)

We went to the hunter valley recently, and browsed a couple of places for a feed.

Ended up at a place and the food was quite good, with a couple of beers on tap. Had a pretty awesome bar setup actually.

The $9-$12 a beer annoyed me in the usual way, but when after a little questioning the chap informed me that all they would sell a beer in was a ‘schmiddy’, and appeared to know **** all about beer but carried on about the three thousand wines they had,I was ******* spewing.

What the fark is that. What about a proper schooner, just like I can get at home.....


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