When did it become so hard to get decent beer and service at a bar?

[verysupple]

The other night I met up with a mate visiting Melbourne from WA. So I thought we'd go somewhere with a decent selection of beers and because he was staying about a block from Cookie we went there.

They've got a great beer list, but I have to say, for a place that prides themselves on being a beer hall the quality of beer handling seemed to leave a bit to be desired. I figured being such a popular place they'd turn over their stock pretty quickly and that their Weihenstephaner hefe weissbier (possibly my favourite commercial beer) would be nice and fresh (which can be hard to find). Nope, it tasted pretty old and dull so I checked the label and sure enough it was just over a year old. Also, they gave me a Warsteiner pils glass to drink it out of. *Sigh*

After that I had an Erdinger Pikantus which was actually hard to find in the list because it was under "bock" (I mean, yeah, it's a weizenbock...) and then the bar tender took forever finding it, also thinking it'd be near the other weizen/weissbiers. This also tasted pretty old. It was a couple of weeks past the best by date on the label, but being a bit bigger wasn't as bad as the Weihenstephaner.

Time to move on. Sacrificing variety for (hopefully) freshness we moved up the street to Father's Office. It doesn't have a very interesting selection of beers but it was close and I've never had a bad beer there. I ordered a JS Stow Away IPA and my mate ordered a JS The Chancer golden ale. The two beers looked suspiciously similar in colour. Sure enough, they were both IPAs. As a Carlton Draught drinker my mate was struggling with it a bit but refused to send it back because "She'll be right".

I know I didn't choose the best venues in town, but when did it become so hard to get a decent beer that's served properly? Or am I just a fussy bugger? Well, either way we still had a good catch up. Maybe it's more important to drink with good people than to drink good beer. Wait, I just realised what I wrote. Blasphemy!

 

[NewtownClown]

Or am I just a fussy bugger?

I don't know, but you are painting with a very broad brush. To paraphrase Aristotle, "Two swallows does not a summer make".

 

[Moad]

When you pay close to $10 for a beer I think you have the right to be annoyed. If i read this post 3 years ago I would have thought "what a wanker" but now I'm with you!

 

[Blind Dog]

I don't know, but you are painting with a very broad brush. To paraphrase Aristotle, "Two swallows does not a summer make".

Are you sure that was Aristotle? I thought it was Monica Lewinsky?

 

[tavas]

Your mate from WA should be used to bad service and paying over $10/pint.

 

[verysupple]

I don't know, but you are painting with a very broad brush. To paraphrase Aristotle, "Two swallows does not a summer make".

True, it's only two bars. But how hard is it to get the right beer and serve it properly? Actually, I know the answer to that because I used to work in bars and restaurants - it's freakin' easy.

Your mate from WA should be used to bad service and paying over $10/pint.

Ha, yeah, he's used to it but that doesn't make it OK.

 

[JDW81]

It seems to be pretty par for the course VS.

Just because a place has a decent beer list, it doesn't mean that it is fresh or that they know what they are talking about. Even at so call "beer bars" the majority of the bar staff couldn't tell you the difference between an english IPA and an american IPA and all their beers are served at one temperature i.e. frigidly cold.

Beer has certainly come along in leaps and bounds the last few years, but it still has a long way to go before it matches wine in the care that is taken to build knowledge in staff, store and serve appropriately.

JD

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Do any bars ever serve beers at different temps? Unless they got a fridge and a real ale keg?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I don't know, but you are painting with a very broad brush. To paraphrase Aristotle, "Two swallows does not a summer make".

African or European...?

 

[GrumpyPaul]

"Two swallows does not a summer make".

What season is it if she doesn't swallow?

 

[Bribie G]

It's not just the beer.
Forster McDonalds the other day:

Two medium McFeast meals please, one of them with a cappuccino and one with a coke Zero.

Was that the McFeast?
yes
Medium meals?
yes
And what was the coffee?
Cappuccino
Cappuccino?
yes
And a coke?
Coke Zero
Coke Zero?
Yes

4 mins later.

Hello, there should be a cappuccino with that
Oh sorry, (goes to coffee machine)
Was that a Cappuccino?
Mate then walks back to the counter
"You didn't give me any fries with that"

Oh sorry... was it a meal?
Yes a McFeast meal.

Probably the same in a lot of pubs, young staff who are forced to endure the horror of several hours when they can't go peck peck peck at the smartphone or see what likes they have on Facebook.

 

[Bridges]

What season is it if she doesn't swallow?

Duck season

 

[Dave70]

What season is it if she doesn't swallow?

Is courtesy tap a season?

 

[Florian]

Verysupple, why are you taking your Carlton Draught mate to those places anyway? A bit inconsiderate don't you think?

Hope you didn't force him to drink anything else than Warsteiner at Cookie or he might never want to come back.

 

[spog]

Is courtesy tap a season?

No,but an ear grab is a reason.

 

[verysupple]

Verysupple, why are you taking your Carlton Draught mate to those places anyway? A bit inconsiderate don't you think?

Hope you didn't force him to drink anything else than Warsteiner at Cookie or he might never want to come back.

I didn't know he was a Carlton drinker when I decided. But he was happy with Boag's Draught. And no, I didn't force anything with flavour on him. I'm quite happy for others to drink megaswill as long as they don't call me a wanker for not drinking it. So we just had a few (and then a few more) and enjoyed a chat.

 

[philmud]

Cookie's got a reasonable tap list, Maybe their packaged beer moves slowly. No excuse, but its worth considering when you're at a venue.

 

[verysupple]

Cookie's got a reasonable tap list, Maybe their packaged beer moves slowly. No excuse, but its worth considering when you're at a venue.

Yeah, good point. It's not exactly obvious when you arrive that there's more than what's on tap. There are a few lists around but you'd have to be looking for one to notice.

I'll still go back just because they do have such a good selection. But next time I'll be that wanker that asks to see the bottle first. But that's alright cos I'm OK with being that wanker.

 

[danestead]

Ive had a bottled beer past its best before date at a craft beer bar here in perth. I think its more common than we think.

do bars possibly grab cartons of beer on special because they are going out of date? Surely you would sell at least a carton of everything you have every few weeks?

 

[philmud]

Yeah, good point. It's not exactly obvious when you arrive that there's more than what's on tap. There are a few lists around but you'd have to be looking for one to notice.

I'll still go back just because they do have such a good selection. But next time I'll be that wanker that asks to see the bottle first. But that's alright cos I'm OK with being that wanker.

Absolutely - I check dates in the bottleo, well worth asking if you're paying bar prices!