Home Brewer V.S. Snobby food Critic.....we won

[carnevoodoo]

Oh no you didn't!!

I know this isn't BeerAdvocate, but I had to say it.

 

[weirdboy]

I totally dig those 6-pack carriers. I wonder why they don't use those in the US?

Also 6 Euros for a 4-pack of Chimay?

 

[mdf191]

It's always nice to know that you're better than your customers when you're bussing tables right?

I worked in restaurants and bars for years, the way you acted was snobby to tell the truth, and I hope the guy didn't drop you any tip.

Actually, The Beer Tasting we created was to be: one, an interesting thing to bring people in, and two, a way to talk about and educate people on beer if and only if they are interested. They can actually order the three courses of food...without the beer, the beer is just a complimentary pairing if they ask. Like I said in the post, if people simply want to taste the beers, I tell them the kind it is and thats it. If they want more information: style, why it pairs with the food, how its brewed, where its from, history, I tell them.... if they ask.
My approach is far from the desire to flex my beer knowledge muscles. Instead it is to spread the love of beer to people who are interested.
This was a very out of sort scenario with someone who was a genuinely rude person trying to belittle the choices of beer, and the knowledge of those who are giving FREE BEER when we simply want to share good things with people.
Also as I mentioned in the post, I was incredibly nice to this man the entire time. I just simply held my own with true facts when he was suggesting otherwise. Never once was my professional food service demeanor broken........which makes it all the sweeter if you ask me

 

[mdf191]

Way to represent!! i appreciate the princess bride reference too btw

Haha Any Time!

 

[deviousalex]

How well did he tip you?

 

[alecoholic]

In my experience in Beligum it seems like most beer connoisseurs really liked their local beer in the locality I was in, so saying "Belgians like X beer" is pretty stupid.

 

[mdf191]

His meal was actually complimentary since he was a critic....keep in mind this was his suggestion that he gets a complimentary meal, and we let it slide. Maybe I am wrong but, don't real food critic's go into restaurants without them knowing, eat, leave, write it up later..? This guy doesn't even get paid to be a critic, he is a self proclaimed critic who writes a free article for a mag. But that not here nor there... he tipped me 13% very crappy...but....I wouldn't have expected much better from someone acting like him...beer or no beer. Not a nice guy.

 

[mdf191]

In my experience in Beligum it seems like most beer connoisseurs really liked their local beer in the locality I was in, so saying "Belgians like X beer" is pretty stupid.

Thats what I would have thought too. I am sure there are some heavy hitting bigger breweries people like out there, but local regional would be key. Just like here in the States. I know the breweries I really normally always enjoy, but some of my favorite beers are in the good local brewpubs, and small distributers. Belgium is a lot smaller the the U.S. though...

 

[ZehBaron]

I am a waiter at a fine dining restaurant, the chef and I have created a night in which we pair three interesting beers with three different tasting courses every week.

For the record, what restaurant do you work at? I live in State College and that sounds interesting.


On topic, I think it's hard to tell the tone of your interchange with the snob without having witnessed it. Some people have a definite and intentional air of haughtiness about their words, and if this guy's snobbery was as clear as you say then he probably deserved an unpleasant dinner. Then again, I dunno if I'd have the balls to verbally humiliate a customer...jobs are hard to come by these days.

 

[Mateo]

When I lived in Belgium the most popular beers from daily consumption are Jupiler and Leffe. Jupiler was even on tap at McDonalds in the Grand Place in Mons. For fancy dinners my girlfriend would buy St. Feuillien Blond, which she considered to be the best Belgian Beer, but she was French so I am not sure it that counts. I will confess that only during the beer festival did I see people drinking the really unique beers. On a daily basis it was Jupiler. My buddies laughed at me when I ordered a Framboise. They told me men drink Gueze!

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

As a homebrewer I like it but as a person who worked in restaurants and was always taught that, within reason, the customer is always right, I dunno. But if the tone/demeanor was OK (hard for some people to pull off, easy for others) then maybe. Working in restaurants means you sometimes have to kiss some ass and with a food critic that may be even more true. But having said that, I'd prob have done what you did but in a poor tone.

RE: IPA's
When we make/drink IPAs they are strong and hoppy but I've read that the beer that was shipped to India was diluted upon arrival. So it wouldn't have been as strong or hoppy. These IPAs we make/drink; are they 'cask strength'? Is that 'historically correct'?

 

[BlueSunshine]

My buddies laughed at me when I ordered a Framboise. They told me men drink Gueze!

Mmmmm, Gueze. Getting that style in the US is next to impossible, and when you do find it it's way over priced. I did bring some back from Cantillon's Brewery though.

 

[html034]

I totally dig those 6-pack carriers. I wonder why they don't use those in the US?

Also 6 Euros for a 4-pack of Chimay?

The reason they don't use those type of 6 pack holders in the US is because they suck. I'm here in germany and most beer is bound together like that, and they are awful to try to carry. I can carry 4 american 6 packs, but only 2 of those.

 

[remilard]

Mmmmm, Gueze. Getting that style in the US is next to impossible, and when you do find it it's way over priced. I did bring some back from Cantillon's Brewery though.

Everywhere I have lived it was stupid easy to find at least half a dozen Gueze lambics.

Its possible that your statement applies to Pennsylvania because who in their right mind buys gueze by the case.

 

[Bru]

Nice one.
I have a similair story - my aunt has a freind whos husband my uncle can't stand (and he can't stand my uncle). But they tolerate each other, barely.
The guy is a real wine snob - sounds a bit like our freind in your story.
So my uncle gets a really bad wine and pours it into a bottle from a good wine and pours the guy a glass. The guy waxes on about how good it is and the aroma etc etc and then my uncle busts him

 

[SumnerH]

Mmmmm, Gueze. Getting that style in the US is next to impossible, and when you do find it it's way over priced. I did bring some back from Cantillon's Brewery though.

Gueze is all the rage right now--even Whole Foods carries a couple of them. There are only a few stores in the area that carry a decent selection of Cantillons, though. Even then getting some varieties is hard--Lou Pepe...awesome when you find it, though.

 

[SumnerH]

His meal was actually complimentary since he was a critic....keep in mind this was his suggestion that he gets a complimentary meal, and we let it slide. Maybe I am wrong but, don't real food critic's go into restaurants without them knowing, eat, leave, write it up later..? This guy doesn't even get paid to be a critic, he is a self proclaimed critic who writes a free article for a mag.

Yeah, not a real critic. Professional food critics try to hide the fact that they're critics, so they can see what the usual service is like. They certainly don't advertise it as a way to get comps.

 

[BlueSunshine]

Gueze is all the rage right now--even Whole Foods carries a couple of them. There are only a few stores in the area that carry a decent selection of Cantillons, though. Even then getting some varieties is hard--Lou Pepe...awesome when you find it, though.

I wish I got beer at Whole Foods here. I'll have to check it out next time I'm in Virginia.

I saw a 12 oz. Cantillon Gueze sell for $20 bucks here, no lie.

 

[Edcculus]

yea, sounds like this guy was just a ****** and obviously deserved his tongue lashing.

I wish I got beer at Whole Foods here. I'll have to check it out next time I'm in Virginia.

I saw a 12 oz. Cantillon Gueze sell for $20 bucks here, no lie.

I know it sounds steep, but think of it this way: That is one of the best beers in the world...for only $20! You can't say that about any wine. It might not be priced for an every day drinker, but its definitely worth it to pick up a bottle on occasion.

 

[mullenite]

RE: IPA's
When we make/drink IPAs they are strong and hoppy but I've read that the beer that was shipped to India was diluted upon arrival. So it wouldn't have been as strong or hoppy. These IPAs we make/drink; are they 'cask strength'? Is that 'historically correct'?

I've never heard this and don't remember reading it in any of the contemporary brewing texts I've read though it may not have been included as it was implied knowledge. Generally though brewers would make two different IPAs; one was for export and shipped to India and the other was for domestic consumption. There would be slight variations in the gravity and hopping between the two (with the export being just slightly stronger and hopped more) but they were practically the same same beer. We're talking differences of 1.065 and 1.070 for gravity and 55 and 60 pounds per quarter of hops. Presumably the export version were hopped more to deal with the degradation they would face on the trip.

 

[pjj2ba]

Last year while in Belgium, I had a Jupiler in a can, that I got from a vending machine on the side of the street, and then drank it in a little park with some lunch we had picked up. I was not too good, but I just could not pass up the experience of a beer vending machine and drinking in public. Later I had a proper draft Jupiler in a small bar. The bartender even did the level the foam off, like in the Stella commercials. This was much better. Not great, but better.

We saw lots of bars with Leffe on tap. We were only in one smallish town though. My wife's relatives had at home, Chimay, Mort Subite and Bush (not the American stuff)


What fine dining establishment in S.C. is byob?

And to some of the reply posters, I believe the OP when referring to the customer as a "food critic" was merely referring to his demeanor, not that he was an actual professional food critic. This is podunk nowhere. There are no official food critics in town, just lots of amatuers.......

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Great story. It still always amazes me that people have this image of home brewers just being a bunch of drunks making cheap swill.

 

[hal2814]

My approach is far from the desire to flex my beer knowledge muscles. Instead it is to spread the love of beer to people who are interested.

That's what you claim, but your original story says otherwise.

"Surely then you know how India Pale Ales got the name then right?" He and his wife gave their normally snobby look and said of course!" "Well then maybe you should tell me, I said?"

Sorry, but that's just being a complete and total *******. I only see flexing of beer knowledge muscles here on your part.

I personally think questioning him about the Belgians was a legitimate inquiry to further your knowledge of the subject. That he didn't know why the beer wasn't regarded highly there doesn't make his assertion wrong. He gave you an interesting tidbit of information that you are now following up on.

I was not privy to the entire conversation so maybe what actually happened isn't how I am interpreting it. But it sounds to me like your feelings were hurt over an assertion that may or may not be true and had no bearing on how the beer tasted or paired with the dish, and you lashed out over it by trying to one-up the guy at every opportunity.

 

[smizak]

Great story. It still always amazes me that people have this image of home brewers just being a bunch of drunks making cheap swill.

You know? A friend of mine tried one of my beers for the first time and said "Dude! This tastes like beer!". No sh!t! Did you expect pumpkin pie? People expect homebrew to be bad.

 

[Denny]

Fantastic.

I love beating jackasses at their own games.

By being a bigger *******?

 

[BlueSunshine]

Great story. It still always amazes me that people have this image of home brewers just being a bunch of drunks making cheap swill.

Sadly, I don't think this will ever go away in the eyes of the people who aren't in the know.

 

[Fishin-Jay]

I find it entertaining when people who disagree with the OP's approach of punking out the ******* food critic fail to follow their own advice about ignoring people whose demeanor they dislike.

Isn't there a famous saying about "glass houses" that I've heard before?

 

[smizak]

I'm not opposed to grounding somebody every once in a while. I think the OP did it sufficiently and as politely as you can with the Belgian thing. Hell, he did the guy a favor, every one needs to eat some crow now and then, keeps you honest and humble. Maybe a little too far with the IPA thing...

I served some guy a beer at a party of mine who claimed to be a German beer enthusiast because he went to Germany once. As he was sipping the Ayinger Celebrator I poured him, he goes on to say that "it's ok, just not as good as the beer brewed in Germany." He watched me take the goat off the bottle neck and pour it for him. Didn't even recognize the beer. I just nodded my head and walked away. I went easy on him.

I guess for me it comes down to not appreciating people who assume they are more knowledgeable about a subject than everyone else in the room.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

Not pretending to be an expert here, but I lived with several different families in BE and was exposed to individuals from all across the board: high school students sneaking off to get drunk, college partiers, classy family dinners, holidays, up to high class events.

The Belgians I knew would drink their share of fizzy yellow beer, but when it came time for beer knowledge....man did they know their stuff. Most of the fancy beers there (that are even more fancy for us here) have very specific glassware and pouring techniques, which all households I lived in had. They really went all out when it came to beer.

Maybe some breweries in Belgium are looked at the same way we view BMC here. I definitely am curious to learn this as well.

Not really, as others have said since your post, Jupiler, Maes, and Stella Artois as the mass marketed, big "name" beers. The Belgians (in my experience) that also enjoy good beer have a respect for these beers in their place- when out doing physical things, they'll have one. When they want a beer "for the road" they'll have one. When they've just finished excercise, they'll have one. When university students want to get hammered, they'll have 15.

also I've heard that Heineken is hardly sold in the Netherlands and is made pretty much only for export.

(I dont want to pretend to be a know it all, cause I'm really not, but in my experience) it is sold in the Netherlands, and is quite popular, especially in the cities in the same a fore mentioned ways the Belgians enjoy their lagers.

Jupiler is the top selling beer in Belgium, by far. Not sure what beer snobs like, availability of craft beers there is more regional than here. Jupiler is a international mass market lager or whatever you want to call it. Stella isn't that popular in Belgium but is in the UK and in the US obviously.

Agreed, Maes and Jupiler are HUGE with Stella Artois taking up the rear with a performance akin to Miller (popular but not top of the market.)

I was in Brussels last year and really there was no single beer that was preferred by the locals. Jupiler was here and there and the "big" Belgian beers (Hoegaarden, Chimay, Duvel, Leffe and Delirium Tremens) were out in full force too. Here's a picture I took at a gas station in Belgium:

Also, 4 pack of Chimay for 6 Euros..... I'm living in the wrong country.

From what I find the Belgians enjoy all types of beer, with no particular preference to one. They drink each one in its own separate situation, meal pairings, apperatif, after dinner, etc.

Also, the sangria is usually a Euro fifty or two euro's for a bottle, kids buy it to get drunk but usually end up getting sick because its so sweet before they get drunk.

In my experience in Beligum it seems like most beer connoisseurs really liked their local beer in the locality I was in, so saying "Belgians like X beer" is pretty stupid.

Agreed on the first part. In my experience they all support local as much as possible. But they also enjoy the trappist or rarer brews, in their time and place.

When I lived in Belgium the most popular beers from daily consumption are Jupiler and Leffe. Jupiler was even on tap at McDonalds in the Grand Place in Mons. For fancy dinners my girlfriend would buy St. Feuillien Blond, which she considered to be the best Belgian Beer, but she was French so I am not sure it that counts. I will confess that only during the beer festival did I see people drinking the really unique beers. On a daily basis it was Jupiler. My buddies laughed at me when I ordered a Framboise. They told me men drink Gueze!

Seriously? What do the French know about beer? Having a beer at McD's was pretty awesome though, huh? Did you ever get frites at night at the place up the street? (the name escapes me) Supposedly they were the second best in the country.
All festival's I attended were college parties, so those dont count, but in family homes they would often pair a beer with a meal.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

Oh, and as to how OP handled the situation? I think you did just fine. Some people are **** heads cause they think they know it all, and need to be put in their place.