Radio 4 today at 12 noon: Beer sommeliers

[Swift Pint]

The title says it all really, the description on their website doesnt give much away, could be worth a listen:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011jx0c


Personally I love food and I love beer, and it pisses me off when you go out to a nice restaurant and they have an extensive wine list vs about 3 crappy lagers.

Hopefully people are waking up to the fact that theres pretty much any beer for whatever food you are drinking and that restaurants should be recognising and embracing this...

 

[Swazi]

I'm with you on this one dude. The way to rectify this is always ask them why they don't stock decent beer and tell them that they should. If enough people did this you'd soon see good beers in restaurants. I'm not so sure about the need for sommeliers in restaurants, there is no reason why waiting staff can't be taught about good beer (same applies for wine really). Maybe if you have an extensive cellar that needs to be looked after by a trained person, but there aren't many of those.
I make a point of asking my local to stock beers I like. Doesn't hurt to ask and they might actually listen...

 

[luckyeddie]

I've been doing this at a bar/hotel just over the road from Pride Park every time I go to the match - for the last three years just about every time I go in I say "Why don't you stock bottles of Chimay or Westmalle or Duvel - or even Leffe"? and then I end up with a pint of draught Grolsch (which is nice, but nowhere near my preferred tipple).

The annoying thing is, they stock about 6 different alcopops, for goodness sake.

I'll keep trying, but my plea falls on deaf ears once a fortnight.

 

[Swazi]

I know what you mean about deaf ears. Still, we have to start somewhere. I tend to choose where I go based on the quality of the beer they have. I'm a pretty good moaner though, so if I do find my way to a sad spot, I let them know.

 

[mashman]

When you get large leisure companies/pubco's etc dictating what their tennants can sell and screwing their cod's to the floor it's no wonder you have difficulty getting local beers. :evil: :evil: