Just my gripe

[Sausage&Beer]

Maybe it's just me. My wife and I were invited to a 'bistro' for lunch. I ordered a well known micro beer which I had enjoyed before at home. The beer was filled to the rim carefully to avoid any head, and served so cold I may as well been drinking water for all of the flavor that was present. From past experiences, I knew what this beer should taste like. Sadly, from past experiences, I knew better than to try and explain to the server about the damage, IMHO, that was done to a great product. It didn't help that I am a jeans type person (clean & neat) and I was in a 'bistro'. Nothing against 'bistros' in general, just the snobby ones.
Living in the northwest, it seems everyone wants to open a pub or bistro. Is there anything that can be done toward a little education? It's sad that a brewer worked hard to brew a craft beer that was turned to bland water by a careless serving style.
Like I said, just my gripe. And I appoligize to those who are operating bistros, and not just using the name as a come on.

[MikeRoy]

Curious yet confused, so I looked up the web definitions for a bistro and found these: A small bar, tavern, or nightclub/ "pub"; A small cafe, usually serving modest, down-to-earth food and wine/A small, informal restaurant serving wine/A small restaurant, featuring simple fare, sometimes with entertainment.

If a bistro by definition is a simple and honest place without frills and a high class atttitude, then why does the public opinion seem to avoid bistro because of preconcieved connotations about the environment or even price? It seems to me that most places including the one you may have mentioned are not really bistos, yet they use the word in their business name as merely an attempt at marketing. Since the concept of a "snobby" bistro seems to make as much sense to me as a snobby 24-hour roadside diner.

Maybe the real response in this isn't about just an education to the servers and business that serve your beer, but a way to unify and classify restaurants. From everything I know about the restaurant industry I can open a up an Italian Restaurant and call it Jose's Tex Mex, who's going to stop me? Maybe there should be a national register/consumer organization that will clarify terms of different style restuarnats and make business conform to these standards. Otherwise in years to come everything might be a "bistro", and as it seems already this term has no meaning anymore as it is.

[Sausage&Beer]

If you opened a bistro by your definition and if I didn't live a few thousand miles away, I would buy you a beer. The 'bistro' I am refering to charged me as much for a burger as I would normally spend for a steak. I term them a bistro because that is what their sign says. But my gripe is not about the food, but the way good beer is being served. I believe it can ruin what might otherwise be an enjoyable meal. No restaurant would allow it's wait staff to serve the food with such disregard. Nor would it allow wine to be so served. People are on this board because they enjoy good beer. That does not make us second class people. If you think I am wrong, walk into a restaurant in your area and ask about the beer they serve and see how much they know. I don't expect complete knowledge, but I expect a little more than knowing that 'the beer is in the cooler'.
Maybe that's why I prefer small brew pubs.
Ed

[Moonlight]

You can help by starting to use and getting other people to use glasses with the level marked on the glass like in Europe, leaving room for a beautiful head. This can be printed on at the same time as your logo. If every brewpub and tasting room did this, think of the education it would provide and the closed minds we could open.
Then, I go to one of my accounts and see my beer served in a frosty mug out of the freezer...

[MikeRoy]

I would love for you to buy me a beer under those circumstances, though they would never happen because I could never open a "bistro"...

The real issue here seems to be the lack of knowledge at the service and even distributor level. Dist.'s don't want to educate they want to sell, rest.'s dont want to educate on beer because they have been "taught" that beer does not pair well, is unsophisticated and wine is where they spend their educating dollar.

The movement is slowly growing and it won't be overnight, but people like Garret Oliver are writing books, touring,speaking to people about this movement. I myself, on a smaller scale, preach to customers at the brewpub I work at, write a small column in a local ind. newspaper and talk beer appreciation with everyone I meet. It might take a while but it's slowly coming around.

Rest's don't allow cooks to pour A1 Steak Sauce all over a porterhouse steak as it's leaving the kitchen so why are bartenders putting lemons in Hefeweizen without asking a customer if they would like one in thier beer. Here we are all preaching to the choir, it's time now to hit the streets and break down the myths one person at a time.

[Sausage&Beer]

Moonlight & Mike:
I agree with both of you. I recently saw Guiness served in a frosted glass at a place that claims to be an 'english pub'. I have tried sending a bad served beer back. Oops.
I try to explain the style, how it should be served, and offer samples. If they still prefer classic American pilsner in a frosted glass, that's their choice. But usually they'll want to try again in a week or so.