The Globe and Mail on beer and food

[Steve Beaumont]

Of course, you've got to applaud when a major daily gives a full page shout out to dining with beer, but did anyone else feel like this feature would have been more appropriate a decade or so ago?

[JerCraigs]

Sometimes I wonder if the writers read the rest of the paper... A game attempt but ultimately a bit weak.

[Bytowner]

Yeah, it's a big tipoff when you think about the "expert" he spoke to for the article. The Irish Heather Gastropub in Vancouver??? I mean really, it isn't particularly difficult to find beer aficianados these days, certainly not in Toronto or Vancouver.

You should write a wine and food pairing article and talk to a waitress from Kelsey's Bar & Grill Steve.

Not to pick on Beppi though, I actually enjoy his column.

[midlife crisis]

Irish Heather is actually a pretty good pub, IMO. Good selection of beers, including cask. It is miles better than Kelseys or anything comparable. So nothing wrong with quoting them. I agree the article was a bit basic though.

[Bytowner]

Irish Heather is actually a pretty good pub, IMO. Good selection of beers, including cask. It is miles better than Kelseys or anything comparable. So nothing wrong with quoting them. I agree the article was a bit basic though.

Fair enough, though the tap list on their website certainly didn't impress. I simply got the idea that he found an Irish sounding guy to talk about beer. Wouldn't be the first of this type of article where the proprietor of a crap Irish pub was interviewed because they theoretically understand beer.

[Uncle Bobby]

Of course, you've got to applaud when a major daily gives a full page shout out to dining with beer, but did anyone else feel like this feature would have been more appropriate a decade or so ago?

Ten years ago or more?! He could have done the same article 30 years ago and plumped for a refreshing, cold Export and a freshly grilled sausage. Beppi would have been burnishing only marginally more condescension toward beer.

Beppi Crossariol's credibility crumbled for me last year when he crafted an article on summer beers in which he claimed to crave the delights of Bud Lime.

Firstly, it was a transparent confirmation that the whole Bud Lime phenomenon was a comprehensive and coordinated marketing campaign rather than a spontaneous wave of bad taste -- everything from the "shortages" to the articles in all four Toronto dailies reminding us of the shortages.

And then Beppi tucks a few discreet paragraphs into the bottom of his June article on summer beers telling us of the delight of this lime and malt nonsense concoction like it's some kind of discovery. I think the G&M would do well to keep a close eye on Crossariol's accountability. Where does he get his story ideas?

No doubt they occur to Beppi spontaneously. Beppi wrote two columns on Fuzion, the $7.95 Argetinian wine, doing his part to initiate the biggest run on a single product in the LCBO's history. No doubt those columns were spontaneously conceived, too. No doubt.

Beppi does plug a number of good beers in his occasional spotlights, and there are a number of people among the users here who are thankful for the attention. And by "users" I mean the brewers, importers and purveyors of quality drink whose products rightfully merit the attention. But generally Beppi's attitude is, "It's only f**king beer."

I mean, even if we went to Beppi Crossariol's condo and found the fridge loaded with Lonesome Charlie, would he shill for a wine cooler in his column? Not f**kin' likely -- it would undermine his credibility with the wine snobs. But apparently it's okay if it's beer.

Imagine if it were one of your beers Beppi endorsed alongside Bud Lime, or in it's time Steelback. There is nothing to do but put a smile on your face and say, Thanks, Beppi. Thanks a lot.

One last note. To some extent the writers in the "Style" section make a habit of indulging their trite and tempermental sides. That's their collective persona. Leah McLaren, Karen von Hahn, Joanna Kates and a number of other unhappy, rapidly aging, queenie, demanding shopping mavens share glib observations developed in the course of acquisitive pursuits. It's little more than anecdotal journalism and unapologetically so. Beppi Crossariol included. The personas they create are only marginally more refined and believable than the villains at the wrestling. But it's makes you wonder: how deep does it run with these people?

[pootz]

Of course, you've got to applaud when a major daily gives a full page shout out to dining with beer, but did anyone else feel like it would have been more appropriate a decade or so ago?

Well, you know how the saying goes Steve; "by the time the mainstream media detects a gastronomic trend it's almost over." Let's hope crafted beer and beer cuisine are the exception.

[Uncle Bobby]

Another poorly informed writer -- who normally writes on wine, and has a limited knowledge of beers -- chimes in at today's Metro.

You cannot see it in the online edition, but the picture accompanying this item in the printed edition was the Rickard's bottle. Thank you, Molson/Coors. Presumably the company will buy a handful of full page ads before the long weekend. This must be the editors' way of chucking in a freebie.

Summer will soon be upon us and there are bound to be more of these sorts of articles.

[Gedge]

The Globe should give Amy Verner a new column - "What to wear with your beer".

[Steve Beaumont]

Another poorly informed writer -- who normally writes on wine, and has a limited knowledge of beers -- chimes in at today's Metro.

That is truly a dreadful mini-story, and Mr. Rockwell should be ashamed. If Erdinger sets the standard for German wheat beers, then I supposed Yellow Tail also sets the standard for Aussie chardonnays! "Best-selling" and "standard setting" are two completely different animals.

[Bytowner]

Anyone else left a bit confused by this effort. Two pictures of beer and a bunch of recipes and something about pairing them? I must have missed something.

[Gedge]

Anyone else left a bit confused by this effort. Two pictures of beer and a bunch of recipes and something about pairing them? I must have missed something.

I love this one from the comments:

5/18/2010 9:47:09 AM
Beer drinkers are idiots. Alcohol is highly addictive and after chronic use causes brain damage and brain shrinkage.

What is disgusting is that Canadians think it is a good and safe drugs and therefore advertise it across for schools and feed it to their children when they turn 15.
In reality it as addict and destructive as cocaine or heroin.

Again, Canadians are idiots.

[SteelbackGuy]

These articles reek of mediocrity and "we don't actually care, we're being paid to say this".

There is no journalistic integrity in any of these pieces.

[pootz]

Another poorly informed writer -- who normally writes on wine, and has a limited knowledge of beers -- chimes in at today's Metro.

You cannot see it in the online edition, but the picture accompanying this item in the printed edition was the Rickard's bottle. Thank you, Molson/Coors. Presumably the company will buy a handful of full page ads before the long weekend. This must be the editors' way of chucking in a freebie.

Summer will soon be upon us and there are bound to be more of these sorts of articles.

Even though the mainstream media is still blank on craft beer and beer culture, you gotta know the giants are right there willing to exploit this ignorance. Lame macro brew posing as craft beer has been a trend with big brewing for a decade. Not surprising their bag men would get air head media types to pimp this corn juice as crafted beer. As long as the wider media remains ignorant of craft beer and its culture, the ignorance will be exploited.

Are you suggesting a letter campaign Bobby? Good idea!

[Tapsucker]

Of course, you've got to applaud when a major daily gives a full page shout out to dining with beer, but did anyone else feel like this feature would have been more appropriate a decade or so ago?

Ten years ago or more?! He could have done the same article 30 years ago and plumped for a refreshing, cold Export and a freshly grilled sausage. Beppi would have been burnishing only marginally more condescension toward beer.

Beppi Crossariol's credibility crumbled for me last year when he crafted an article on summer beers in which he claimed to crave the delights of Bud Lime.

Firstly, it was a transparent confirmation that the whole Bud Lime phenomenon was a comprehensive and coordinated marketing campaign rather than a spontaneous wave of bad taste -- everything from the "shortages" to the articles in all four Toronto dailies reminding us of the shortages.

And then Beppi tucks a few discreet paragraphs into the bottom of his June article on summer beers telling us of the delight of this lime and malt nonsense concoction like it's some kind of discovery. I think the G&M would do well to keep a close eye on Crossariol's accountability. Where does he get his story ideas?

No doubt they occur to Beppi spontaneously. Beppi wrote two columns on Fuzion, the $7.95 Argetinian wine, doing his part to initiate the biggest run on a single product in the LCBO's history. No doubt those columns were spontaneously conceived, too. No doubt.

Beppi does plug a number of good beers in his occasional spotlights, and there are a number of people among the users here who are thankful for the attention. And by "users" I mean the brewers, importers and purveyors of quality drink whose products rightfully merit the attention. But generally Beppi's attitude is, "It's only f**king beer."

I mean, even if we went to Beppi Crossariol's condo and found the fridge loaded with Lonesome Charlie, would he shill for a wine cooler in his column? Not f**kin' likely -- it would undermine his credibility with the wine snobs. But apparently it's okay if it's beer.

Imagine if it were one of your beers Beppi endorsed alongside Bud Lime, or in it's time Steelback. There is nothing to do but put a smile on your face and say, Thanks, Beppi. Thanks a lot.

One last note. To some extent the writers in the "Style" section make a habit of indulging their trite and tempermental sides. That's their collective persona. Leah McLaren, Karen von Hahn, Joanna Kates and a number of other unhappy, rapidly aging, queenie, demanding shopping mavens share glib observations developed in the course of acquisitive pursuits. It's little more than anecdotal journalism and unapologetically so. Beppi Crossariol included. The personas they create are only marginally more refined and believable than the villains at the wrestling. But it's makes you wonder: how deep does it run with these people?

Not that I don't agree with you, but you sure write some great cranky prose!