Beer instead of wine with a meal?

az2wp0sye65487

I don't particularly like wine, plain and simple.

It is socially acceptable to order a glass or a pint of beer when dining out, I mean in a really fancy restaurant.

What are the opinions?!? - Bearing in mind that beer is making a comeback in the dining world!

BeerNut

If it's listed, then by all means you should drink it if it's what you want to drink. You're the customer. Unfortunately, even the fanciest restaurants, offering exquisite wines, will tend to serve crap beer. It's what the lower-classes drink, dontcherknow.

The Winding Stair in Dublin is a leader in having decent beer in a restaurant, and does really good food too. What I don't understand is why the owners, Thomas Read, don't have as good a beer selection in their pubs.

Ely CHQ in the Docklands serves the only decent pint of draught O'Hara's I've had. They have bottled Carlow beers in the other branches, AFAIK. Mao's house beer, a dry Irish lager of uncertain provenance, is pretty good too.

noby

Socially acceptable? Yes.
Although the chances of having a beer list to rival the wine list are somewhat slim.

az2wp0sye65487

BeerNut wrote: »

It's what the lower-classes drink, dontcherknow.

Thats a SHOCKING statement!!!:D

I like a nice beer, I'm working class.... but aren't we all these days?

Anyway, even with a class-divide, if a working class person wants to go out for a meal, their money is surely as good as that of the wine drinkers!

The reason I was asking was that I was out for a meal in Gordon Ramsay's a week or so ago, and not being a wine drinker didn't even bother to look at the wine list... Then when I fancied a beer half way through the meal I wasn't sure if they even served it, as I had a look around and not one other person was drinking beer.

BeerNut

Honestly, other than snobbery, I can't think of any other reason why we have superb wine lists and acres of wine retail space, with just a measly Heineken tap/fridge in the corner representing the entirety of beer.

Ramsay's done a couple of things on beer on the F Word recently. From what I've heard it demonstrated that he is, beyond doubt, an insufferable snob when it comes to beer and food.

az2wp0sye65487

You hit the nail on the head!! pure and utter snobbery. I refuse to fall victim to this!!! I did end up asking about beer in the restaurant, the waiter didn't know a whole lot but offered me budweiser or heinekin..... opted for the Heinekin, wouldn't normally choose that but when the other option is bud.... enough said!

I have to say there wasn't even the slighest hint of snobbery or anything from the waiting staff, they were all really nice & friendly. I'd say it's the other customers who are the snobs!

I've seen it before.... especially with younger women, they ask for wine (thinking this somehow makes them more sophisticated), when the waiter asks what kind they want their knowledge extends to "House Red" or "House White" - If you don't know just say so and ask for a professional opinion... the waiters would normally be more than happy to help!!

BeerNut

Jabari Damp Climber wrote: »

I'd say it's the other customers who are the snobs

I'd say it's more the management. Y'know, not wanting to attract the sort of people who drink beer. In case they start shooting up in the dining room...

oblivious

and don't forget there is usually a very nice mark up on a bottle of wine:rolleyes:


but it also maybe beer reflecting the popular image that beer is yellow and fizzy

Faith

Would drinking beer with a meal not make you feel really bloated and full?

BeerNut

Faith wrote: »

Would drinking beer with a meal not make you feel really bloated and full?

It depends entirely on what you're drinking, and how much. A big pint of fizz might, but a glass of something smoother and stronger won't make you any more bloated than wine. There are beers specifically designed to go with food, and there's a renowned book on how to match beer with food.

Besides, wine will get you plastered. Did you know that stuff's about 14%?! :eek:

_blank_

I don't like wine, at all, as illustrated by my infequent samplings of the odd Rosé :pac:

If Wine is upper-class, and beer is working class, I'd say Rosé ranks with the serfs.

Anyway, nope, decent beer doesn't make you bloated when drunk with food.

Jimbo

I drink beer the odd time when eating out, but I dont think it goes very well with food. The bitter taste dosen't seem to go well with most food when compared to wine. If your drinking the beer out of a glass and not a bottle/pint glass snobbery isn't really an issue.
Man, I'd kill a Cobra and a Chicken Korma now.

TeletextPear

loads of chefs, like richard corrigan and heston blumenthal, have been saying for a couple of years that beer should be drank with food rather than wine

DenMan

No. By all means feel free to order a beer with your meal. Although some people might not want to have it in a pint glass. Maybe a half pint glass, the long slender one. That might be better. A lot of wine connoisseurs tend to frown upon beer drinkers. Culture thing I suppose, the cultured wine drinker compared to the barbarian. Maybe in spite of them, do whatever you want.

oblivious

Faith wrote: »

Would drinking beer with a meal not make you feel really bloated and full?

Try avoiding lagers, most don't bring a whole lot to table. If you get the chance try a Rochefort 10, it can go head to head may red wines and is avilable in Ireland.