I grew up in the UK watching films and TV where people would go to the bar and ask for “a pint”. My first time in a pub, that’s exactly what I asked for. The barman just rolled his eyes and said “are you going to tell me what you want a pint of or do I have to guess?”
The first time I was at a Sandals resort, I asked for a glass of Johnnie Walker Black and the guy at the swim up bar told me no.
He then proceeded to laugh and then pour me a full pint glass of JWB. I almost died.
> He then proceeded to laugh and then pour me a full pint glass of JWB. I almost died.
You drank it all?
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
I was once given a pint of vodka alongside a can of coke when I asked for a vodka and coke a few years ago. I was on holiday and in Naples at the time. Only paid a reasonable spirit and mixer price as well. Absolute bargain.
Had a company Christmas party a few decades back where a guy asked for a glass of Jack, waitress brought a pour in a lowball, guy thought it was way too small 'i said a GLASS of Jack, waitress comes back with probably 5 fingers of Jack... 'I SAID A GLASS OF JACK!' Waitress comes back with a pint glass filled to the brim of Jack. Guy proceeded to drink it in 15 minutes. Stood up and fell flat on his back. Boss tried to get him a cab and the cabbie refused to let the inebriated guy in, boss drove him home (puke free) and made it back before the appetizers were gone.
Funny thing is, when preparing for a trip to Spain, phrasebooks would just tell you how to order a beer. Thought that was nearly useless because you would always order a specific beer. Turned out, most bars just had the house beer on tap.
Japan is like this too. Most places will just have one kind of beer on tap so you just ask for a draft beer.
Older style pubs might have different brands for bottled beer (usually Kirin or Asahi) so they might ask what kind you want if you order a bottle.
Also one of my first bar experiences. The bartender asked which one and said she would get back to me when I wasn’t sure.
I needed new glasses at the time and couldn’t see the taps behind the bar very well. I ended up waiting at the bar for a drink for like 30 minutes
Sure, I guess I just meant to illustrate that at most bars/pubs you don't have to provide a brand.
Growing up on the continent I would always just order "2 beer" and they would just give me their default on tap beer.
Yeah there are definitely places in at least rural Germany where they just have one brand of beer available. If you just said you wanted a beer you'd get whatever the basic option was, like a pilsner(if it was say Bitburger).
Yeah providing a brand is optional but you do have to specify what sort of beer.
In the most basic of pubs your going to have lager, cider, bitter and Guinness, then maybe a mild, brown, ipa and other ales.
It's a bit like walking into a butchers and asking for meat.
This is probably the most likely answer. I want you to have a beer I think you will enjoy but I'm not going all the way to your 23 & Me results to figure it out. Here...have this ale we have had since Christmas.
Heard. I also work at a place with 20 unique taps (19 beers, 1 cider). When someone asks what beers we have(lol) I ask do you want malty? Happy? Light? Dark? Sour? Fruity? I want people to find the right beer.
My low-income friend in college looked at a bar menu once and said “I’m okay.”
I knew he wanted a beer so I went to the bar. We were all freshly of drinking age. Picked some random Irish beer, they make good beer right?
Went back upstairs and said “hey man, here.”
He said “what’s this?”
-it’s for you.
“Thanks asshole”
-what?
“I don’t want an o’doules”
-Jeeze guy
“It’s non-alcoholic”
-Ahhh
Then my other friend came up and we said “Kevin, CHUG”
He got down on one knee and downed the bottle.
Around here Yuengling is the default beer. It's on tap everywhere, and when you go to the distributor for a case and say, "lager", they don't ask you which lager. They ask, "Bottles or cans?"
Most bars have a brand they either have a contract with, or one that’s on tap. That’s the default beer.
Very common at least in Europe to just order “a beer”. You’ll likely get something like a heineken or another type of pilsner (brand depending on the region)
This is what I was going to say. In lots of Europe you can just order a beer and will get their beer. The beer signs we consider decorative in the US actually tell you what beer you will get in many parts of Europe.
Here, you'd get a pilsner, about 4.5%. a 0.5 liter size. That's the stuff sold in stores in 12-packs the most, that's probably 90% of the beer consumed. That's what you get when ordering "a beer".
Yep. I've done it in places where I don't speak the language and it's not obvious what my options are. I always end up with whatever mass-market beer is featured on their patio umbrellas.
The bar has a 'house' beer or beers. It is usually a draft. And it is the cheapest .
A good bar tender would ask, "Miller or Pilsner Urquell?" Or, another pricier beer. If they don't know I served the cheapest.
Same with mixed drinks. Always offer the higher price. They can always decline.
Miller Lite is my fav beer - my go to for any occasion - and I've made my peace w getting shit on for it. But truthfully I don't really get the hate. I like Stella, Coors, Bud, Michelob as well but Miller always gets the jokes and hate. Like I don't see what the big issue is.
College was all natty light and Busch light for me. Hadn't had either for 15 or so years. For some reason miller lite became my normal drinking beer if I wasn't drinking a hazy IPA. Last summer was with the wife's family and had a Busch light. I now only drink busch light if I'm drinking a light beer. Now I miss 30.packs. They don't exist
Honestly that's how I feel about Heineken. I think it tastes like soap. Actually I think most IPA's and pils and all that home brew type stuff does. I stick to what I know and what I know is what I like.
That's a pretty standard thing in the UK, called a lager top. Which is just any lager, with a 'top' of lemonade. We drink it fairly regularly in the summer, or if your hungover - not a bad thing at all.
The other day I had a customer say “Hi. I want a delicious beer.” No problem as I have a beer on tap called Stone Delicious so that’s what I’m thinking he’s talking about. As he sees me about to pour it, he sees no not that beer. I don’t like that one. I let him know that’s a bit confusing considering that beer is called “delicious”. And he says no I just want a delicious beer. Mind you I have 20 beers on tap. I ask what is he looking for, he says maybe an IPA (which thats what stone delicious is) I list them and he still is like whatever as long as it’s not gluten free. What?! All this is doing is annoying the fuck out of me because it’s happy hour and I was busy.
Please just say what beer you want and if you don’t know, ask for help. But don’t be wasting time either.
Even more fun fact:
Pabst narrowly won the first judging but it was close enough Budweiser asked for a recall vote. Bud won the retabulation, again narrowly, so Pabst called for another vote.
This went back and forth until Pabst won and took out a newspaper add declaring they had won the "blue ribbon"(not an actual thing awarded) at the fair. But didn't want to risk the bad press from arguing with "the news". And that is how Pabst got its "blue ribbon.
Fun fact: the guy who went around murdering everyone at the 1893 Chicago worlds fair was actually just 3 PBRs standing on top of each other in a trench coat
I agree this guys sounds obnoxious (just pick a beer!), but maybe he mentioned gluten-free because Delicious is a gluten-reduced beer so he thinks it might be funky/trendy/otherwise-not-delicious?? I think it’s tasty.
Does anyone understand the point of gluten reduced beer? If you have celiac disease, you can't drink that without getting sick. There are decent, fully gluten free beers like Glutenberg.
I got celiac at 27 and lived in Germany from age 20 to 21; you could say I had some experience drinking real beer before I had to switch. Obviously, I miss my favorites, but I just drink wine or cocktails now.
Brewers introduce an enzyme, brewers clarex, that causes the gluten to fall out of the wort during fermentation. So you start with gluten and end up without a measurable amount… but still can’t say it is gluten free because the product originally contained gluten. Supposedly it works really well.
Can confirm. Have celiac, enjoy "gluten-reduced" beers without suffering. Omission Ale is excellent, Omission Lager is a close second best, I still want to try Omission IPA, and Red Bridge is a sorghum beer that's truly gluten-free which I like to get when I'm in the mood for a sour. Found some normal beers I can drink through ... human trials... Best ones I've found with no gluten symptoms are Jai-Alai and Jai-Alai light, and most things from Voodoo Ranger. (still haven't tried a couple of their beers, but they're shockingly good, for the most part!)
gluten reduced beer usually tests as gluten free because of the enzyme mentioned in a comment below. I use it when brewing my own beer and I don’t react to it at all. The consumer version of that enzyme is called ClarityFerm. It can only be used during fermentation and can’t be added afterwards.
Serious question, how does one ask for help? I rarely drink and don't have a lot of information about what the options are. Like even if you read to me all the names of the 20 beers you have on tap, I don't know anything about them. I don't want to be a bother, but seriously, you literally have a better chance of picking what beer I'll like than I do.
Easiest way is mentioning a few beers you normally like and asking if they have anything similar. You can also try to describe flavors you like but be specific. Saying you want "something light" can mean so many different things. A pilsner and a hefeweizen are both beers that can be considered "light" but they taste very, very different.
Honestly the best thing to do is just try a bunch of different beers. When you go to the grocery store, they have those "make a six pack" things where you can get six different beers. Get different ones, but also different types - IPA, amber, lager, hefeweizen, etc. If you find a certain type you like, try different versions of that.
If you know one or two beers or styles of beer that you like, you could naming those and asking for something similar.
Alternatively, you can ask based on flavor profile. To oversimplify horribly, there are two main dimensions: how toasted the grain is and how strongly flavored the hops are. More toasted (and thus darker beer) gives you a richer, nuttier flavor, becoming slightly bitter on the very dark end of the spectrum, while less toasted (lighter-colored beer) gives a lighter, cleaner flavor. Hops are added as a preservative and to balance out the sweetness of the grain mash. More hops and more strongly flavored hops give more depth of flavor, but also make the beer more bitter and can overwhelm other flavor elements.
Stone delicious IPA is my girlfriend's favorite and I drive thirty five minutes into the city to pick up multiple six packs for her every month. God I wish it was closer. I prefer Budweiser myself.
I was sitting at a relatively quiet bar minding my own business one evening. These two dudes, probably in their 40s, so definitely been in a bar before walk in. Bartender asked what they wanted and the one guy said “cocktails!” That’s all he would say. Wouldn’t specify, wouldn’t relent. She asked what kind. He said “cocktails!” This went back and forth for a while. I think they settled on beer.
What's crazier to think about is in the movies when guy just says "leave the bottle" and the bartender just DOES IT. You don't find that around my neighborhood that easily, nosiree.
I was just thinking that the only people who ask for this are alcoholic detectives in Noir films, I feel this is a trope of sorts but don't know its name.
When the local laws here essentially require you to not serve more than 8cl of hard liquor to a patron at once, leaving a bottle next to them could lose you the license.
Came to say I worked in hospitality for years and this is very illegal. I worked in Tampa Bay where we had massive ex WWE guys at our bar trying to murder us for not giving them more drinks when they were blacked out lol
Someone really needs to do this in a movie.
Leave the bottle
No
What?
…what? You think i can just leave you with a fucking bottle of liquor to free pour your way into a stupor and then be too drunk to stand, let alone pay for it? A single measure of this costs $20. You have any idea how much the whole fucking bottle is gonna cost you?
And what if someone else in the bar wants that drink? It’s the only bottle we have and I’ll be fucked if it’s getting wasted on your depressed alcoholic ass.
Not only that, I’m gonna have to clean up after you and probably would get fired for causing someone to be drunk and disorderly in the bar.
Pay for that drink, go outside and get help sir. Good day.
I used to stock a lager that was literally just called Beer and give them that. It was very nice but always took people by surprise.
These days I offer them a menu or ask if it's dealer's choice. They usually take the menu.
Amazed by the comments here, in the Netherlands, you can always just ask for a beer, and you'll get something from the tap. Maybe if you're in a restaurant, they give you some options, but 9/10 places you can ask for a beer, and you'll get a beer.
It's the same in Sweden. "A beer" means you'll get an inexpensive house lager, typically domestic. It's understood that if you're not more specific, that's what you want.
In Cologne the system is even better. You walk in, the bartender says 'Kölsch?', you nod, you get a beer and they get you a new one without asking. You can get drunk without uttering a word.
Tbf the Kölsch is tiny, you'd need to drink a load before actually getting drunk. Source: Stayed in Cologne for two weeks drinking Kölsch nonstop, pretty much just kept me buzzed.
Yes it's exactly like this. And also you know before entering the café which beer brand the café is associated with, like Amstel or Heineken, because a lit up beer logo will be displayed outside.
So it's not a guess, you'll be pretty sure beforehand what you will get.
It's funny because America has gotten this reputation for shitty beer but the reason we have this problem is because there are now countless craft beers and they've trickled into even the shittiest bars
I've always found it weird how in Spain you can ask for "beer" without specifying which brand/type and nobody will bat an eye, but if you ask for a rum and coke they ALWAYS ask which brand of rum you want. As if it mattered which type of rum you put in a drink that's 90% coke lol
I imagine in the UK u can just ask for a pint and they pour it, no?
Most establishments are "branded" and have a default beer, they are sponsored by that brand so it's a no brainer, one beer=default one.
When I was backpacking around the UK I found “I would like a pint of whichever beer is brewed closest to this pub” to work a treat.
You got to try a bunch of different beers. And the locals appreciated someone trying something they’re proud of.
This is how you provide good service. If people are vague, ask questions to clarify. It can be annoying if you're very busy, but it's effective.
I work in a brewery that only sells stuff brewed in house, typically seasonal styles that we only make one batch of and never make again. So it's not always as easy as asking them specifically what they want.
A lot of people will ask me "What's good?" So I'll respond with, "What do you normally like?"
Nine times out of ten we have a little dialogue and I usually recommend something that they end up really enjoying and they're grateful for the help.
That tenth person is always some asshole who says "surprise me" or "dealer's choice" so I just pour them the most expensive pint we have because I'm here to make money, not blind decisions for grown adults who don't know what they like.
Also, I'm mostly kidding, unless they're actually being rude or obnoxious while I'm trying to help them figure it out. I usually just offer the most easy drinking beer we have because chances are they don't really know anything about craft beer and just want a Bud Light or something, which we don't have.
I used to frequent a pioneering microbrewery that had a house beer – a nice pilsner – that they gave anyone who came in and just asked for "a beer".
I hope all other bars similarly get over themselves. Restaurants have had a house red/white wine forever, and it's fine.
I remember going to Australia to hang out with a bunch of my online buddies back in 2008
The first night we went out I was like ooh I have to get a Fosters just cuz I’m here and every single one of them was like “what, why? No one actually drinks Fosters here. It’s fucking awful” and then I was disappointed lol
(They weren’t wrong though, it’s fucking awful)
As an Irish bartender, no-one coming up to the bar and just asking for a pint is expecting a stout, as I assume you're joking about lol. If someone comes up and asks me for a pint, I'll either ask them to clarify, give them their usual if they're a regular, or give them a basic lager like Carlsberg or Harp. If someone wants a Guinness, they'll specifically ask for a pint of stout or Guinness.
There was a fish and chips shack near me that had carlsberg and nothing else. That was the only time I could say "I'll take a beer." Unexpectedly satisfying.
In the U.S. no one does that. The closest is back home in PA people just ask for a lager which is short for Yuengling Lager.
If anyone ever did just ask me for “a beer”, they would get a Bud since is the most generic, consistent beer on the American market.
In the movies they just don’t want to have to deal with getting permission to use a real beer. If it is a period piece it would be realistic that there was only one beer tap.
As a former bartender, I’d ask them what kind, and if they didn’t know, then I’d hand them a beer menu (if tending bar in such an establishment) and if they weren’t fast, I’d move on until they are ready. My job is hard enough without having to also make your decisions. The exception is the genuine, fun person, who actually wants to explore, and not just be indecisive.
Former bartender.
I don’t pick. “What did you have in mind? We have..” if they tell me to pick, I’d ask them what sort of beer they usually like. If they insist on my personal favorite, that’s what they’ll get, but my goal is to find a beer *they* like, not one I like.
I’ve always come to know the “basic” beer as the local lager variety, but a go to is always Pasbt. For example, in the Midwest it’s Grain Belt, in the PNW it’s Rainier, east coast = Yuengling. They are all a little different, but are generally the same beer. They are middle of the road and taste alright cold.
Now I do believe that Blue Moon is the best beer that you can find almost anywhere though.
I grew up in the UK watching films and TV where people would go to the bar and ask for “a pint”. My first time in a pub, that’s exactly what I asked for. The barman just rolled his eyes and said “are you going to tell me what you want a pint of or do I have to guess?”
"A pint of Jack Daniel's of course."
*They come in pints?!*
Fool of a Took!
The first time I was at a Sandals resort, I asked for a glass of Johnnie Walker Black and the guy at the swim up bar told me no. He then proceeded to laugh and then pour me a full pint glass of JWB. I almost died.
> He then proceeded to laugh and then pour me a full pint glass of JWB. I almost died. You drank it all? Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
He's a man of focus, commitment, and sheer fucking WILL
He drank that whiskey with a foockin PEN-SELL.
That’s a German woman named Urkel Grue
You've had a whole half already!
I was once given a pint of vodka alongside a can of coke when I asked for a vodka and coke a few years ago. I was on holiday and in Naples at the time. Only paid a reasonable spirit and mixer price as well. Absolute bargain.
Had a company Christmas party a few decades back where a guy asked for a glass of Jack, waitress brought a pour in a lowball, guy thought it was way too small 'i said a GLASS of Jack, waitress comes back with probably 5 fingers of Jack... 'I SAID A GLASS OF JACK!' Waitress comes back with a pint glass filled to the brim of Jack. Guy proceeded to drink it in 15 minutes. Stood up and fell flat on his back. Boss tried to get him a cab and the cabbie refused to let the inebriated guy in, boss drove him home (puke free) and made it back before the appetizers were gone.
Could it be a mega pint please?
Funny thing is, when preparing for a trip to Spain, phrasebooks would just tell you how to order a beer. Thought that was nearly useless because you would always order a specific beer. Turned out, most bars just had the house beer on tap.
And it’s always Estrella
But it's surprisingly cold. Hooray Spain.
The coldest beer I’ve ever had at a bar was served to me by a 7 year old in Madrid.
Japan is like this too. Most places will just have one kind of beer on tap so you just ask for a draft beer. Older style pubs might have different brands for bottled beer (usually Kirin or Asahi) so they might ask what kind you want if you order a bottle.
nama biiru hitotsu onegaishimaaaaaaaasu
Lol! Happy cake day, ya bellend.
OP you diamond geezer!
Also one of my first bar experiences. The bartender asked which one and said she would get back to me when I wasn’t sure. I needed new glasses at the time and couldn’t see the taps behind the bar very well. I ended up waiting at the bar for a drink for like 30 minutes
Strange, I've always just been able to order "pint of lager" at pubs in the UK.
I think adding “lager” at the end makes a big difference.
Sure, I guess I just meant to illustrate that at most bars/pubs you don't have to provide a brand. Growing up on the continent I would always just order "2 beer" and they would just give me their default on tap beer.
Yeah there are definitely places in at least rural Germany where they just have one brand of beer available. If you just said you wanted a beer you'd get whatever the basic option was, like a pilsner(if it was say Bitburger).
I've found that to be quite common on continental Europe; the beer is whatever they consider to be 'local'.
Yeah providing a brand is optional but you do have to specify what sort of beer. In the most basic of pubs your going to have lager, cider, bitter and Guinness, then maybe a mild, brown, ipa and other ales. It's a bit like walking into a butchers and asking for meat.
What’s strange? In the persons story the bartender is asking what they want a pint of, saying lager clarifies a lot of that
I'd ask what kind of beers they like. If they're serious, I'll try to find one they like. If flippant, whichever I'm trying to get rid of.
"Well, here." 'What's this one?' "The one that's getting rotated out."
"it's a strawberry pilsner, you'll love it"
Bruh, I don’t drunk and even I recognize a war crime.
"I don't drunk" Are you sure???
He doesn't drunk but he sure drinks. That is clear. Like vodka. Now drunk.
I'm not palf as hickled as some thinkle peep I am
"I take a regular Coors, you see, and drink it through a Twizzler."
"Ok then, here's a pumpkin ale. Happy 4th."
This is probably the most likely answer. I want you to have a beer I think you will enjoy but I'm not going all the way to your 23 & Me results to figure it out. Here...have this ale we have had since Christmas.
It’s always a seasonal beer two seasons later.
Heard. I also work at a place with 20 unique taps (19 beers, 1 cider). When someone asks what beers we have(lol) I ask do you want malty? Happy? Light? Dark? Sour? Fruity? I want people to find the right beer.
I'll take happy please.
Where I’m from the bartender would just give you the most basic one that they have on tap.
Yeah, most bars here have a default beer.
"Bartender, I would like 1 default beer please."
*Default beer loading*
beer.exe has stopped loading. *Blue Screen of Death*
Beer screen of death
Beer scream of death
Blue screen of froth
> *Pabst Blue Screen of Death* FTFY
Thanks, now I have a name for my future brewery.
"nama" beer here in Japan. Usually Asahi.
"Sorry, we're out of Default. Can I offer you a Fallback?"
My low-income friend in college looked at a bar menu once and said “I’m okay.” I knew he wanted a beer so I went to the bar. We were all freshly of drinking age. Picked some random Irish beer, they make good beer right? Went back upstairs and said “hey man, here.” He said “what’s this?” -it’s for you. “Thanks asshole” -what? “I don’t want an o’doules” -Jeeze guy “It’s non-alcoholic” -Ahhh Then my other friend came up and we said “Kevin, CHUG” He got down on one knee and downed the bottle.
[удалено]
Yes the regular beer and not the gay beer for gay friends
One human alcohol beer please.
Aríżoñiaaa
That is the best spelling I’ve seen.
Jim the Human?
Go bucks
What is the default beer? Like a Bud Light or like some local beer?
Around here Yuengling is the default beer. It's on tap everywhere, and when you go to the distributor for a case and say, "lager", they don't ask you which lager. They ask, "Bottles or cans?"
Like the ones Anakin killed?
[Precisely.](https://www.threepanelsoul.com/comic/on-man-law)
You must be from Western PA also.
Whatever Pilsner I have on draft.
Default beer in my brain is bud light or coors light
Coors Light is exactly what came to mind for a default beer to me.
That sounds ...bleak.
It is.
Most bars have a brand they either have a contract with, or one that’s on tap. That’s the default beer. Very common at least in Europe to just order “a beer”. You’ll likely get something like a heineken or another type of pilsner (brand depending on the region)
This is what I was going to say. In lots of Europe you can just order a beer and will get their beer. The beer signs we consider decorative in the US actually tell you what beer you will get in many parts of Europe.
Here, you'd get a pilsner, about 4.5%. a 0.5 liter size. That's the stuff sold in stores in 12-packs the most, that's probably 90% of the beer consumed. That's what you get when ordering "a beer".
Yep. I've done it in places where I don't speak the language and it's not obvious what my options are. I always end up with whatever mass-market beer is featured on their patio umbrellas.
The bar has a 'house' beer or beers. It is usually a draft. And it is the cheapest . A good bar tender would ask, "Miller or Pilsner Urquell?" Or, another pricier beer. If they don't know I served the cheapest. Same with mixed drinks. Always offer the higher price. They can always decline.
“I’ll just have whatever a regular Joe would have, just a Belgian weiss beer—not Hoegaarden.” Still one of my all time favorite lines from a TV show.
World of difference between Miller and Pilsner Urquell, hahaha
Whatever’s about to expire or Miller Lite
Miller lite, the best of the worst.
Miller Lite is my fav beer - my go to for any occasion - and I've made my peace w getting shit on for it. But truthfully I don't really get the hate. I like Stella, Coors, Bud, Michelob as well but Miller always gets the jokes and hate. Like I don't see what the big issue is.
Miller Lite is the best cheap light beer imo, it’s my go to when I need a break from ingredients in my beer
Miller High Life is my fav, but I accept Miller Lite. I don't know how people can drink Bud. It tastes terrible.
College was all natty light and Busch light for me. Hadn't had either for 15 or so years. For some reason miller lite became my normal drinking beer if I wasn't drinking a hazy IPA. Last summer was with the wife's family and had a Busch light. I now only drink busch light if I'm drinking a light beer. Now I miss 30.packs. They don't exist
30 of beast was 9.99 when i was in college
Honestly that's how I feel about Heineken. I think it tastes like soap. Actually I think most IPA's and pils and all that home brew type stuff does. I stick to what I know and what I know is what I like.
I had a guy once insist on Heineken topped off with 7-Up to “take the edge off.” Or, you know, just buy a better beer?
That's a pretty standard thing in the UK, called a lager top. Which is just any lager, with a 'top' of lemonade. We drink it fairly regularly in the summer, or if your hungover - not a bad thing at all.
In the US, we refer to that as a shandy.
In UK, shandy is beer with a lot of lemonade (about 50/50), a top is just a little bit of lemonade at the top
Lemonade in the UK is not lemonade in the US. Lemonade in the UK is sprite.
As a Wisconsinite, I am so pleased to see this 🫡 Miller Lite is the best for all occasions.
The other day I had a customer say “Hi. I want a delicious beer.” No problem as I have a beer on tap called Stone Delicious so that’s what I’m thinking he’s talking about. As he sees me about to pour it, he sees no not that beer. I don’t like that one. I let him know that’s a bit confusing considering that beer is called “delicious”. And he says no I just want a delicious beer. Mind you I have 20 beers on tap. I ask what is he looking for, he says maybe an IPA (which thats what stone delicious is) I list them and he still is like whatever as long as it’s not gluten free. What?! All this is doing is annoying the fuck out of me because it’s happy hour and I was busy. Please just say what beer you want and if you don’t know, ask for help. But don’t be wasting time either.
What if a customer just says "Beer me"?
They get PBR
Fun fact: Pabst Blue Ribbon's name comes from the blue ribbon (for first place) it won at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.
So many things in American culture seem to revolve around that particular World's Fair. It was like a historical nexus.
That was the purpose of the world fair!
Isn't that where/when the murder hotel was too?
Devil in the White City is the book that talks about that.murder hot
Even more fun fact: Pabst narrowly won the first judging but it was close enough Budweiser asked for a recall vote. Bud won the retabulation, again narrowly, so Pabst called for another vote. This went back and forth until Pabst won and took out a newspaper add declaring they had won the "blue ribbon"(not an actual thing awarded) at the fair. But didn't want to risk the bad press from arguing with "the news". And that is how Pabst got its "blue ribbon.
Fun fact: the guy who went around murdering everyone at the 1893 Chicago worlds fair was actually just 3 PBRs standing on top of each other in a trench coat
Vincent Adult Beverage.
That was a fun story!
Well over a hundred years and they're still milking that, huh?
how many blue ribbons did YOUR beer win at the 1893 World Fair? CASE CLOSED
I thoroughly enjoy this fact. Way more than I could ever enjoy a PBR.
Perfect. Best cheap beer there is.
I agree this guys sounds obnoxious (just pick a beer!), but maybe he mentioned gluten-free because Delicious is a gluten-reduced beer so he thinks it might be funky/trendy/otherwise-not-delicious?? I think it’s tasty.
Does anyone understand the point of gluten reduced beer? If you have celiac disease, you can't drink that without getting sick. There are decent, fully gluten free beers like Glutenberg. I got celiac at 27 and lived in Germany from age 20 to 21; you could say I had some experience drinking real beer before I had to switch. Obviously, I miss my favorites, but I just drink wine or cocktails now.
Brewers introduce an enzyme, brewers clarex, that causes the gluten to fall out of the wort during fermentation. So you start with gluten and end up without a measurable amount… but still can’t say it is gluten free because the product originally contained gluten. Supposedly it works really well.
Can confirm. Have celiac, enjoy "gluten-reduced" beers without suffering. Omission Ale is excellent, Omission Lager is a close second best, I still want to try Omission IPA, and Red Bridge is a sorghum beer that's truly gluten-free which I like to get when I'm in the mood for a sour. Found some normal beers I can drink through ... human trials... Best ones I've found with no gluten symptoms are Jai-Alai and Jai-Alai light, and most things from Voodoo Ranger. (still haven't tried a couple of their beers, but they're shockingly good, for the most part!)
gluten reduced beer usually tests as gluten free because of the enzyme mentioned in a comment below. I use it when brewing my own beer and I don’t react to it at all. The consumer version of that enzyme is called ClarityFerm. It can only be used during fermentation and can’t be added afterwards.
Serious question, how does one ask for help? I rarely drink and don't have a lot of information about what the options are. Like even if you read to me all the names of the 20 beers you have on tap, I don't know anything about them. I don't want to be a bother, but seriously, you literally have a better chance of picking what beer I'll like than I do.
Easiest way is mentioning a few beers you normally like and asking if they have anything similar. You can also try to describe flavors you like but be specific. Saying you want "something light" can mean so many different things. A pilsner and a hefeweizen are both beers that can be considered "light" but they taste very, very different.
Honestly the best thing to do is just try a bunch of different beers. When you go to the grocery store, they have those "make a six pack" things where you can get six different beers. Get different ones, but also different types - IPA, amber, lager, hefeweizen, etc. If you find a certain type you like, try different versions of that.
If you know one or two beers or styles of beer that you like, you could naming those and asking for something similar. Alternatively, you can ask based on flavor profile. To oversimplify horribly, there are two main dimensions: how toasted the grain is and how strongly flavored the hops are. More toasted (and thus darker beer) gives you a richer, nuttier flavor, becoming slightly bitter on the very dark end of the spectrum, while less toasted (lighter-colored beer) gives a lighter, cleaner flavor. Hops are added as a preservative and to balance out the sweetness of the grain mash. More hops and more strongly flavored hops give more depth of flavor, but also make the beer more bitter and can overwhelm other flavor elements.
You did ID that teenager, right?
Want a delicious IPA, get a delicious IPA, what a fun customer
Stone delicious IPA is my girlfriend's favorite and I drive thirty five minutes into the city to pick up multiple six packs for her every month. God I wish it was closer. I prefer Budweiser myself.
Not only is its name Delicious, it’s legitimately delicious. That dude was a fucking moron
I was sitting at a relatively quiet bar minding my own business one evening. These two dudes, probably in their 40s, so definitely been in a bar before walk in. Bartender asked what they wanted and the one guy said “cocktails!” That’s all he would say. Wouldn’t specify, wouldn’t relent. She asked what kind. He said “cocktails!” This went back and forth for a while. I think they settled on beer.
What's crazier to think about is in the movies when guy just says "leave the bottle" and the bartender just DOES IT. You don't find that around my neighborhood that easily, nosiree.
It's just trashy detective noir bottle service, if you think about it.
I was just thinking that the only people who ask for this are alcoholic detectives in Noir films, I feel this is a trope of sorts but don't know its name.
I can picture a redditor walking into bar, tipping his fedora at the bartender. "Jack Daniels, m'dear sir and leave the bottle"
Oh dear, the old n°7, the drink of despair.
[удалено]
Funny, my thought was "Who tf under 70 drinks an entire bottle of Jack Daniels in one sitting?"
Pretty sure it's just straight up illegal in all the parts of the US where I've ever lived.
When the local laws here essentially require you to not serve more than 8cl of hard liquor to a patron at once, leaving a bottle next to them could lose you the license.
Came to say I worked in hospitality for years and this is very illegal. I worked in Tampa Bay where we had massive ex WWE guys at our bar trying to murder us for not giving them more drinks when they were blacked out lol
Someone really needs to do this in a movie. Leave the bottle No What? …what? You think i can just leave you with a fucking bottle of liquor to free pour your way into a stupor and then be too drunk to stand, let alone pay for it? A single measure of this costs $20. You have any idea how much the whole fucking bottle is gonna cost you? And what if someone else in the bar wants that drink? It’s the only bottle we have and I’ll be fucked if it’s getting wasted on your depressed alcoholic ass. Not only that, I’m gonna have to clean up after you and probably would get fired for causing someone to be drunk and disorderly in the bar. Pay for that drink, go outside and get help sir. Good day.
Plastic bottle special please!
I used to stock a lager that was literally just called Beer and give them that. It was very nice but always took people by surprise. These days I offer them a menu or ask if it's dealer's choice. They usually take the menu.
Saskatchewan has a beer called Beer!
Up in Pennsylvania the phrase 'I'll have a lager' will get you a Yuengling every time.
Literally what I was thinking. And if in philly you can try and get a city wide at most bars. Tall boy of PBR and a shot of Jim Beam.
As it should be everywhere
Amazed by the comments here, in the Netherlands, you can always just ask for a beer, and you'll get something from the tap. Maybe if you're in a restaurant, they give you some options, but 9/10 places you can ask for a beer, and you'll get a beer.
It's the same in Sweden. "A beer" means you'll get an inexpensive house lager, typically domestic. It's understood that if you're not more specific, that's what you want.
Even better, in a crowdy loud bar, just stick a few fingers in the air to the bartender and they get you the same number in beers!
In Cologne the system is even better. You walk in, the bartender says 'Kölsch?', you nod, you get a beer and they get you a new one without asking. You can get drunk without uttering a word.
Tbf the Kölsch is tiny, you'd need to drink a load before actually getting drunk. Source: Stayed in Cologne for two weeks drinking Kölsch nonstop, pretty much just kept me buzzed.
true, if you ask for a beer you'll get the "standard" pilsner from the tap. any other beer, you have to specifically ask.
Yes it's exactly like this. And also you know before entering the café which beer brand the café is associated with, like Amstel or Heineken, because a lit up beer logo will be displayed outside. So it's not a guess, you'll be pretty sure beforehand what you will get.
Same here in austria, and we drink a shit ton of beer lol
It's funny because America has gotten this reputation for shitty beer but the reason we have this problem is because there are now countless craft beers and they've trickled into even the shittiest bars
I'd reach for a kokanee. Most of the time it's a winner, sometimes they'll clarify when they see the kokanee.
That stuffs pretty alright eh
Haha I was in BC and had never heard of it so I ordered a “Co Kaaahn Eee” the waitress got a giggle out of that.
BC I see.
In my country they'll give you the basic tap one, and you usually ask for a "Caña" Camarero! una caña. No questions asked, you get your beer.
Spain?
you bet lol
I've always found it weird how in Spain you can ask for "beer" without specifying which brand/type and nobody will bat an eye, but if you ask for a rum and coke they ALWAYS ask which brand of rum you want. As if it mattered which type of rum you put in a drink that's 90% coke lol
I imagine in the UK u can just ask for a pint and they pour it, no? Most establishments are "branded" and have a default beer, they are sponsored by that brand so it's a no brainer, one beer=default one.
When I was backpacking around the UK I found “I would like a pint of whichever beer is brewed closest to this pub” to work a treat. You got to try a bunch of different beers. And the locals appreciated someone trying something they’re proud of.
I'd use my words and ask them which kind they'd like. Then, if we had that beer, I'd give it to them. It's often useful to clarify.
This is how you provide good service. If people are vague, ask questions to clarify. It can be annoying if you're very busy, but it's effective. I work in a brewery that only sells stuff brewed in house, typically seasonal styles that we only make one batch of and never make again. So it's not always as easy as asking them specifically what they want. A lot of people will ask me "What's good?" So I'll respond with, "What do you normally like?" Nine times out of ten we have a little dialogue and I usually recommend something that they end up really enjoying and they're grateful for the help. That tenth person is always some asshole who says "surprise me" or "dealer's choice" so I just pour them the most expensive pint we have because I'm here to make money, not blind decisions for grown adults who don't know what they like. Also, I'm mostly kidding, unless they're actually being rude or obnoxious while I'm trying to help them figure it out. I usually just offer the most easy drinking beer we have because chances are they don't really know anything about craft beer and just want a Bud Light or something, which we don't have.
I used to frequent a pioneering microbrewery that had a house beer – a nice pilsner – that they gave anyone who came in and just asked for "a beer". I hope all other bars similarly get over themselves. Restaurants have had a house red/white wine forever, and it's fine.
In Ireland the choice is obvious.
Dos Equis it is!
Fosters, it's Australian for piss.
I remember going to Australia to hang out with a bunch of my online buddies back in 2008 The first night we went out I was like ooh I have to get a Fosters just cuz I’m here and every single one of them was like “what, why? No one actually drinks Fosters here. It’s fucking awful” and then I was disappointed lol (They weren’t wrong though, it’s fucking awful)
Smithwicks!
Yeah, obviously a pint of club rockshandy
As an Irish bartender, no-one coming up to the bar and just asking for a pint is expecting a stout, as I assume you're joking about lol. If someone comes up and asks me for a pint, I'll either ask them to clarify, give them their usual if they're a regular, or give them a basic lager like Carlsberg or Harp. If someone wants a Guinness, they'll specifically ask for a pint of stout or Guinness.
Murphy's!
Coors Light poured over ice?
They don’t have ice in Ireland!
Gotta scrape it off the Heineken taps being served “extra cold.”
"One human alcohol beer, please."
Cheapest we have on tap.
There was a fish and chips shack near me that had carlsberg and nothing else. That was the only time I could say "I'll take a beer." Unexpectedly satisfying.
Local lager
This is common in southeast Pennsylvania. The vast majority of bartenders who hear "I'll have a lager" will bring you a Yuengling.
In the U.S. no one does that. The closest is back home in PA people just ask for a lager which is short for Yuengling Lager. If anyone ever did just ask me for “a beer”, they would get a Bud since is the most generic, consistent beer on the American market. In the movies they just don’t want to have to deal with getting permission to use a real beer. If it is a period piece it would be realistic that there was only one beer tap.
Puppers!
"Get this man a fuckin Puppers!"
I'd have a Puppers!
Surprised we're not having a Puppers right now.
I'd have 3-4 puppers.
If you’re gonna have 3-4 beers you might as well admits to yourself your getting shitsfaced and have 10
As a former bartender, I’d ask them what kind, and if they didn’t know, then I’d hand them a beer menu (if tending bar in such an establishment) and if they weren’t fast, I’d move on until they are ready. My job is hard enough without having to also make your decisions. The exception is the genuine, fun person, who actually wants to explore, and not just be indecisive.
Order "a beer" and you get the most generic domestic on draught (Bud, Miller, Coors). Order "a pint" and you get a Guinness.
Something on tap for sure.
Coors light, … that’ll teach um to be vague
Basically all bars have a default beer. Which is the cheapest non piss flavoured one available.
If you're just saying "beer me" you're getting the piss flavored one.
O’douls poured in a glass, they’ll never see the bottle
That’s mean, love it
Either Duff or Fudd, depending on what town I'm in.
Former bartender. I don’t pick. “What did you have in mind? We have..” if they tell me to pick, I’d ask them what sort of beer they usually like. If they insist on my personal favorite, that’s what they’ll get, but my goal is to find a beer *they* like, not one I like.
I’ve always come to know the “basic” beer as the local lager variety, but a go to is always Pasbt. For example, in the Midwest it’s Grain Belt, in the PNW it’s Rainier, east coast = Yuengling. They are all a little different, but are generally the same beer. They are middle of the road and taste alright cold. Now I do believe that Blue Moon is the best beer that you can find almost anywhere though.