Building a Beer List
Are you trying to build a beer list or know of a venue that is but doesn’t know where to start? Wow that sounds like an infomercial. Seriously though it’s probably hard for a lot of places to work out what a good beer list when they only people they have to tell them are the big breweries pimping whatever they sell. Those guys obviously have an agenda and probably no idea about beer and food matching. How do we get them to change and provide better beer for us?
The main reason for starting this site was to promote good beer. As much as I like the great specialist venues we have around Adelaide I would really love it if we could get good beer everywhere. While I wouldn’t expect every pub to turn into a real craft beer venue it would be nice if they all had a good beer or two available. Just asking for beers and requesting a beer list/menu can help. However, this can still leave a venue owner/manager not knowing what is good beer. If they ask their existing distributors they will get the obvious answers. Whilst there are some good beer from the big boys it’s a limited and very common selection. So what to do?
This is where you and I can help. I have already done this for venues and would really like to help more of them do it. You need to be able to establish yourself as someone who does have some expertise. You need to be reasonable and not try to get them to take a bunch of crazy sour beers on their first order that will never sell and giving them a bad first experience with good beer. Hold their hand and help them. Organise tasting sessions if you can.
If that doesn’t appeal to you or you don’t have the confidence to do it refer them to me or get in touch as I am happy to provide advice. I have helped in the past and would like to help more venues discover great beer. With a little help we may be able to get some venues take that last step and provide us with more good beer options. If you are a venue in Adelaide and looking for someone to help with a beer list and or matching beers with your menu please get in touch. You can email me at aaron@imhereforthehops.com. I would love to hear from anyone looking at starting to serve good craft beer and help them to do it.
The Legend is at The Wheaty / Wheatsheaf Hotel
Photo Edwin Bautista
It has been a long time in coming but you can now get legitimately imported Sierra Nevada beer in Australia and from the Wheaty. For a long time it has been coming into the country as a grey import. Whilst some of the beer came in was in good condition it wasn’t supported by the producer and wasn’t necessarily transported in an approved way. Now the beer is transported in a way the brewer approves of to get the beer here in good condition.
It has been available for about a week and I have had the chance to try a couple of them. I have recently had these beers in the USA and can confirm that the product we are getting here is tasting as good as it does fresh in California. At the time of writing I have had the stout and porter. Both were great. Plan on trying the pale and IPA at the pub tomorrow and will report back if they aren’t up to scratch.
These beers aren’t going to blow away the taste buds like many American beers do but they are classics and will likely be some of the best beer you have. For me the pale ale in 2001 was a revelation. Back before I had even heard of a IPA and the most “craft” beer I had tried was Cooper’s this beer blew away my pallet. I couldn’t even understand what was happening to my taste buds. There was so much flavour and bitterness I didn’t know what to think at first. I liked it so much I came home and started brewing myself and started making lots of American style pale ale. This is a beer that helped to start the craft beer revolution and everyone should try it. You may find it a little subtle compared to some of the beers available now days but this beer has been around for about 21 years now. Think about what you were drinking in 1980 then think about the flavour impact this beer has. It’s a history lesson in a bottle. Get some from the Wheaty today!