MdV: Merchant du
Vin beer e-newsletter – Wednesday July 23, 2008: Beer Etiquette
Merchant du Vin's benchmark
imports continue to gain more attention in the media:
-Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale and Ayinger Brau-Weisse are listed as
"Best Summer Beers," on P. 84 of the August 2008 Men's Health (.pdf right here);
-The August 2008 Pilates
Style covers organic beers, including Samuel Smith's and Pinkus (.pdf here);
-Samuel Smith's Organic Cider was in the
Boston Herald on July
2, '08;
-Both Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and Samuel Smith's Pure Brewed Lager were
featured in the June '08 Forbes
Life magazine article on lager beers.
A
full current news listing is always on our news page; you can
also check local beer tastings, dinners and festivals on our national events page and
read previous html versions of this newsletter at our e-news archive.
If you are interested in beer glassware, clothing and collectables we also have
an online e-store.
Beer
Etiquette
We've
spoken at times about how when you are out to get a beer "on-premise"
it's almost always appropriate to tip well - servers are working evenings &
weekends, and cleaning up your dirty glasses, so you can have a nice time. It's always nice to say
thanks to your server - to be a good customer.
But what about guidelines regarding grabbing a beer
with friends or co-workers? Here's a
few suggestions that may make your next beer with friends even more enjoyable -
if you have suggestions of your own, feel free to reply and we may discuss them
in a future e-news.
1. People are entitled to their own
opinions about beer. Even if the beer reviews call it a
"five-star A-plus," even if it's the first choice of five
out of the six in the party . . . someone may just not care for it.
For balanced enjoyment, don't let the homebrewing,
advanced-beer-hobbyist, double IPA
fan order a huge, strong beer for someone who wants a soft, light cream
ale or sweet dark lager.
2. If your group is buying rounds, don't
feel locked in by the second or third round. People drink at different
paces - it's OK to order a beer on your own if other folks aren't ready; it's
certainly more polite than sitting with an empty glass or forcing someone else
to hurry up and finish their beer faster than they want to.
3. Use a coaster. If your bartender
or server doesn't give you one, ask. A beer glass sitting directly
on the bar or table sets some people's teeth on edge - maybe someone in your
party.
4. Be careful
of beer vs. wine vs. cocktail comparisons. They are different.
They all range in flavors. People are entitled to choices, but saying "I like wine better than beer," can
be upsetting to a beer lover. Try this: "I'm still
searching for a beer I really like."
5. Remember: your wine by the glass may be
oxidized, and your cocktail may be expensive or slow to prepare on busy nights
. . . your beer will likely be perfect, and delivered quickly.
6. Ask your server succinct questions about
a beer you haven't had. If he or she doesn't know, that may be a sign
that the bar or restaurant often tries a number of new and interesting beers -
a good thing, huh?
7. When out for food, say this to a
restaurant that offers limited variety of beer: "We prefer to find a
variety of beers when ordering food." (Then say) a. "Sorry, but
we're leaving now for a restaurant that has more than light lager. " (Or) b.
"We'll stay, but we are a lot less likely to return until you bring in a
wide range of beer flavors."
8. It's about
flavor. Alcohol is a component to flavor; beer is not an alcohol delivery
medium.
9. Beer is a value. Some places will
charge more based on rent, overhead, neighborhood, etc.
. . . but beer is generally a "flavor per dollar" bargain.
10. If you are a homebrewer, don't
broadcast your beer expertise to your friends unless they ask. While deep
knowledge may enhance your beer enjoyment, it may disrupt somebody else's
enjoyment.
11. Be careful of generalizations
like "I prefer dark beers," or "I don't like dark
beers." It's like saying, "I like movies whose titles start
with the letters A through L," or "I don't like red foods."
12. Never order "a beer," - order by style,
by variety, or by specific name. (As the late Michael Jackson said,
would you order "a plate of food"?)
13. Be grateful for the variety of beer
that is out there, from down the street or from a classic brewing nation.
You are living in the best beer time in history.
14. Ask if a brand you are unfamiliar with
is independent, or whether it's owned by a large entity. Then,
assuming the beer is good, decide whether it matters to you.
15. If you get a frosted mug or glass, politely ask your server if
they have any non-frosted glassware, maybe for the next round. Cold kills
flavor nuances.
16. Read beer publications. They are fun, sincere, useful,
and they want readers.
17. Attend a beer dinner, tasting and/or a beer festival.
18. Never assume that a dark beer is high in alcohol.
19. Remember that brewers make wort -
yeast makes beer. Brewers consider yeast to be something somewhere
between a business partner and a beloved pet . . . or even a beloved child in
some cases. Respect yeast!
20. Push your chair or barstool in after you get up!
Ayinger Oktober
Fest-Marzen:
Merchant du Vin
and Ayinger Brewery are very pleased to announce that
the 2008 Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen is arriving at US beer spots soon. Highly awarded, hugely respected
by critics, writers, and brewers . . . and enjoyed by all who drink it, this is
a very special beer in a classic style. A news release as a 364 KB .pdf can be found right here.
A rich, full-bodied lager, Ayinger
Oktober Fest-Marzen
highlights the beautiful flavor of barley malt, brought to
you through Ayinger's committment
to quality, their state-of-the-art brewery, and their firm roots in
Bavarian tradition. This beer sells out every year, so get it when you
see it!
(There are Oktoberfests,
October Fests and Octoberfests held worldwide
throughout the fall, but to determine the start date of Munich's Oktoberfest,
count backward 16 days from the first Sunday in October. In 2008, it starts on
Saturday, September 20.)
If you are reading
this newsletter for the first time, check our archive at:
http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/1_about/enews_archive.html/
and sign yourself up for
e-news at:
http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/1_about/guestbook.html
Merchant