Crap Beer In Restaurants

[Raptor2023]

This link was posted in a thread on BeerAdvocate.com: http://www.restaurant.org/pressroom/pre ... fm?ID=1524

Apparently the trend hasn't reached Canada yet. Or rather, it probably has but the restaurants are too stubborn to change.

[Andicus]

Personally, I don't understand the popularity of this Keg place. I always thought it was a slightly more upscale version of a family restaurant, and any "class" it purports to have is dampened by the fact that it's usually embedded in corporate office blocks and strip malls.

I can only speak for The Keg in St. Catharines, but I'd say it's a pretty nice place.

It's located in an old (1850s or 1880s) factory building that was completely renovated for the restaurant. I used to play in the building when I was a little kid and in the winter, skate on a pond at the end of the building, so it was neat to see it being used for something, rather than torn down. This particular location has a nice atmosphere. While I wouldn't call it a high class restaurant by any means, I do think the food is of good quality, and I haven't had a meal there that I didn't thoroughly enjoy, other than the lack of good beer to accompany it. It is pretty pricey, I'll agree with that. Typically, we end up spending about $50/person including drinks, appetizers, entree and dessert.

[SteelbackGuy]

It's just a Keg in a fancy building.
They do this every where they go.
Here in London they have taken over an old train station. They try to have that "home town"feeling no matter where they go. Bottom line is..........same lame menu.......same overpriced food.........same shitty beer list.

[Duffey]

same lame menu.......same overpriced food.........same shitty beer list.

I thought there was a filter on swears. Good to know!

[Tapsucker]

Great thread! This is all over the place, in a good way.

So, to touch on a few points.

1. 'high end restaurants'. If everything they serve is not the best then don't pay the price. Any good chef cares about the whole dining experience. If the chef doesn't believe beer is important, there will be no beer offered. If it's offered it will be the best or most appropriate for the food and experience. Don't settle for less, these guys are asking big bucks, they have a job to do right!

2. 'pub' or local joints. Many of these are also run by caring chefs or aspirational chefs. They succeed by keeping customers happy and by offering better than there competitors. Smart business people will always listen to an opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition. The issue is, did you offer a compelling argument before the sales rep from molbats sewed up the taps with a swag/kickback offer? In other words, customers will be heard if they speak up, otherwise suppliers will be heard louder.

3. The Keg. What can I say. Some people think that a hockey game is a cultural event worth lining up for, or a baseball cap and sweat pants are formal wear, or a steak is the only thing you can cook from a cow, or a beer they never heard of is a challenge to their world order. Don't blame the Keg, they are just cashing in on the opportunity. Don't expect them to change their stripes either. We don't go to 7-11 for fresh produce now do we?


Here is a bigger peeve for me. If I go to an airport in California, France or Spain, as examples, I am served local wines and even beers. Portland Oregon airport specifically bans all but local producers and has fought legal challenges in defence. This is great cultural and economic ambassadorship. Terminal 1 YYZ concessions push molbats, Australian wines and big brand spirits. Where the f*ck is Industry Canada putting it's foot down? Where the f*ck is the City of Toronto, the region or province saying this is our gateway? It's bad enough the LCBO does not support our province's producers while promoting imports.

[Andicus]

It's just a Keg in a fancy building.
They do this every where they go.
Here in London they have taken over an old train station. They try to have that "home town"feeling no matter where they go. Bottom line is..........same lame menu.......same overpriced food.........same shitty beer list.

So what if they did do that everywhere they go (which obviously, they don't). It was a good idea, so why is that a criticism? Shintriad mentioned about poor locations, so I thought I'd mention a good location.

If you don't like the menu and you think it's overpriced, it sounds like a good reason for YOU not to go. It doesn't change my view of the place. I'm not trying to tell everyone they should like the Keg. I'm just relating my experience with it.

Bottom line is, I don't really care what anybody else thinks about it, the most relevant opinion to me is my own.

[shintriad]

Actually, that's true, they sometimes have different locales. Downtown we have a Keg "mansion," which is a pretty nice building. Apparently it's something of a hot spot for cokehead yuppies on a Saturday night, which is bewildering to me. It's like getting drunk at the Swiss Chalet bar. "Gimme another bowl o' lemon water, ya sonofabitch..."

But yeah, it's all the same no matter where you go, which I find inherently lame. There's no menu variation whatsoever. As for "chefs" taking pride in their work, I think it's more like "line cooks" taking pride in their ability to pump out dinners according to predetermined specifications.

But hey. To each his own.

[lagerale]

A chain restaurant is what it is - and often works fine in a pinch when you're not familiar with the surroundings. I don't expect them to have good beer, but I am happy to see more and more independant restaurants with at least one good tap - but I also think craft brewers need to be more agressive (easy for me to say, I'm not a craft brewer!). Mill St. taps seem to be sprouting like mushrooms all over the GTA and good on 'em.

[toweringpine]

It doesn't quite seem right that most restaurants have lousy beer selections but that makes it all the more satisfying when you come across a place with a few good brews.

I rarely go to particularly fancy places. I never really enjoy my meal with a bottle of some generic beer. I can't justify the extra expense to get a substandard dining experience. When I find a place that has good beer, good food and a nice atmosphere I will keep going back. I'm lucky to have two such places within a short walk of my place... The Shamrock and Thistle Pub ( pretty good beer selection for a small pub, including Belhaven's Twisted Thistle, the usual selection of imports and some decent local brews ) and Miller's Bistro ( Leffe Brun and Blonde but the real treat here is that they work with Pepperwoods from Burlington and carry three craft brews from there - Monkey Brown, Pale Ale and Cream Ale ).

Good places are hard to find but when you find them, hold on tight and let people know so they will keep up the good work!!!

This is my first post on this board, I have enjoyed reading and look forward to participating.

Tom

[lagerale]

and Miller's Bistro ( Leffe Brun and Blonde but the real treat here is that they work with Pepperwoods from Burlington and carry three craft brews from there - Monkey Brown, Pale Ale and Cream Ale ).

Tom

Well hot dam. Now that I know, I'll be making a trip to Miller's. Thanks for the tip.

[lagerale]

Finally made it to Miller's Bistro and thoroughly enjoyed the Pepperwood's Pale Ale while my wife enjoyed the Brown Ale. The food was pretty good, but I was more excited that I could get some decent craft beer at another local spot (Millers is on Dundas, west of Burnhamthorpe and east of Kipling).

[toweringpine]

I am a big fan of the Pepperwood Pale Ale. It was quite disturbing as they were out for a few weeks but the taps are flowing again. The food there is pretty good indeed. I am not sure if you noticed the rather small sign stating that Pepperwood pints are on for $3.50 from 4-6 Sun - Fri and all appetizers are sold at half price during that period as well. I guess the term "Happy Hour" doesn't fit their business model but it is a great deal none the less. I don't know anywhere else you can get beer of that quality for that of price in this city.

[lagerale]

Good to know when and where to get a beer deal! Only other spot I know of is Volo for the $4 pints on Monday nights (though I have not been there for a while so perhaps someone else can confirm).

[Lemmings]

Two points:

1. Local4, just down the street from Volo on Dundonald has $4 pints on Mondays as well. Black Oak Pale on tap, at least.

2. Was at Chez Victor in the St Germaine Hotel on Mercer (Toronto) for my firm's Xmas party. I'm no foody, but the menu was pricey and the portions were small. I asked what kind of beer they had, and was told they had Canadian. I smiled.