Old Geezer Complaint

[Pappers_]

A friend from a homebrew club was telling me about his favorite place (in a northside neighborhood that I don't get to often) and Friday they had a BCS release, something like a dozen varieties of BCS. So my spouse and I head up there after work, arrive about 6:30, stay for ten minutes before she asks why the hell I brought her here and we leave. It was unbearable - the music (is heavy metal punk a genre?) was so loud you couldn't talk to someone right next to you. And the place was not busy at all - we found a table right away.

We walked down the block, stopped at another place which was much better. Had a couple of cocktails and a nice dinner. No BCS but oh well.

 

[Jayjay1976]

A friend from a homebrew club was telling me about his favorite place (in a northside neighborhood that I don't get to often) and Friday they had a BCS release, something like a dozen varieties of BCS. So my spouse and I head up there after work, arrive about 6:30, stay for ten minutes before she asks why the hell I brought her here and we leave. It was unbearable - the music (is heavy metal punk a genre?) was so loud you couldn't talk to someone right next to you. And the place was not busy at all - we found a table right away.

We walked down the block, stopped at another place which was much better. Had a couple of cocktails and a nice dinner. No BCS but oh well.

This isnt just a geezer complaint, I don't know how anyone can enjoy a beer when it's super loud. Although it's probably better that way for casual hookups, the music makes conversation impractical and that's likely the crowd they cater to. What neighborhood were you in? Sounds like Wrigleyville.

 

[Oginme]

I fully understand. I can tolerate almost any type of music and find something redeeming in it. Play it (in a bar, restaurant, or brewery) at a volume where I cannot think or converse comfortably with my companions and it doesn't matter what music it is, it is annoying. I felt the same way 30 years ago, so maybe it is not so much an 'old geezer' effect.

 

[JohnSand]

We had a similar experience with a cider/craft beer establishment. The place is new and large. The day we visited was busy, but the music was deafening. We went right back out. I didn't much like super loud music even when I was young. One of the things I like about breweries is the relaxed atmosphere. People are friendly and low key, some bring their children with them, music is often acoustic. Kind of how I picture an old time beer garden.

 

[Pappers_]

This isnt just a geezer complaint, I don't know how anyone can enjoy a beer when it's super loud. Although it's probably better that way for casual hookups, the music makes conversation impractical and that's likely the crowd they cater to. What neighborhood were you in? Sounds like Wrigleyville.

South of Wrigleyville, the place was Local Option, on Webster near Racine, I guess that's Lincoln Park. In addition to the long list of BCS releases, they also had Founders CBS, which was excellent. But my wife was wondering if I'd lost my mind bringing her there.

We ended up at White Oak, about a block west, had a nice cocktail and dinner.

 

[Yooper]

I have never liked music THAT loud, even in clubs. I'm an old geezer now, but I wasn't always, believe it or not. Concerts, yes, because it's all about the music.

But for a time to go out with friends or a partner, to have a few drinks and laugh? No, I actually want to be able to converse without screaming.

The same thing happened at this year's NHC, interestingly. During the club night, they had a pretty good band to the side of the booths. In order to ask someone at one of the booths on that side about their beer, you had to scream at them.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I can't understand why a bunch of people who prize having a wide selection of craft brews to choose from are just fine all listening to the same song.

If I ever have my own brewery, it will be as quiet as a library. Each table will have a low-fi turntable, a milk crate of vinyl, and one of those 'cone of silence' speaker domes overhead that directs the music downward. Or maybe, those old school library headphones with the magnetic pickup on the end, so you can wander around with your pint sampling the sound at each table till you find a groove that suits your mood, then sit down and join a group of like-minded drinkers.

Personally I like to listen to entire albums, not mixed up play lists; you'll find me at the otherwise empty booth in the corner listening to Hendrix and sipping a dubbel.

 

[MaxStout]

I think it goes beyond just a geezer thing (although I'm one, myself). It's marketing--or lack thereof. If a venue wants to be known for beer and loud tunes, that's their niche. But so many of them try to do the same thing and aim for such narrow segments of the public. Craft beer is now mainstream. It isn't strictly the domain of 20-something hipsters, though that remains a large part of its core market. A few years ago, a local beer mag (Growler magazine, IIRC), had a good op-ed piece about how craft brewers should start broadening their base and targeting older (40+) demographics. On other words, people who are well along in their careers and have disposable income to spend on the finer things in life.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Nope, not a geezer thing though yep, I'm at least getting AARP invites so I'm at the crest of geezerhood. Hate it (loud music while drinking with friends)! I head to a pub to "relax, not worry and have a...." brew. I love traditional pubs and love the low din of a packed Sunday cèilidh, but that ear and skullsplitting crap while enjoying good beer? No thanks. You made the right move.

Just found out Nevin's closed in November. Tons of memories, including our son's happiness playing with other kids on Sundays; as with Chief O'Neills.

 

[triethylborane]

I think there are some breweries premised on heavy metal screamo ambiance. You guys will want to avoid that.