Humongous Beer Taps

LFC Murphy

So I was sitting at the bar on Saturday night and was chatting to the barfolk..

While struggling to see them between the taps, I started to really look at the Taps (yes I had a few).

While the Guinness etc taps are impressive in terms of design, quality and detail, the are just enormous. Why... they take over the entire bar given the size and number of taps (Guinness alone had two of these oversized taps)

I've sat at bars in many countries and never seen such taps. Or are they creeping in everywhere...

And yes I know it's advertising, but it's taking from the look of the bar

BeerWolf

I'm not that big

smash

LFC Murphy wrote: »

Why... they take over the entire bar given the size and number of taps

...

And yes I know it's advertising

You answered your own question!

anncoates

They shouldn't let people sit at the bar when it's busy.

rubadub

Guinness have publicans here grabbed firmly by the balls, so can get away with ruining the look of their bar. Or rather the publicans think they need to allow their balls be held.

Wetherspoons got it right, they still have 2 stouts and a porter on offer.

While this embarassment of a podcast from the irish times was claiming there was no stout at all in wetherspoons. They clearly said this at least twice, it was not semantics and them meaning no guinness was there.

https://soundcloud.com/irishtimes-business/wetherspoons

LFC Murphy

anncoates wrote: »

They shouldn't let people sit at the bar when it's busy.

Agreed to some degree but it was residents bar and quiet.. and there were bar stools

AndonHandon

The taps raised above the bar are so you can see that your pint hasn't been meddled with; the pint could have been poured in error and just topped up to make it look fresh, Guinness first poured a few minutes ago and just topped up etc.

LFC Murphy

smash wrote: »

You answered your own question!

Real question is why are they allowed...

irish_goat

AndonHandon wrote: »

The taps raised above the bar are so you can see that your pint hasn't been meddled with; the pint could have been poured in error and just topped up to make it look fresh, Guinness first poured a few minutes ago and just topped up etc.

It's more so you can see the cascade effect in a pint of stout and see "the magic" happening while you're waiting the unnecessary 2 minutes for it to get poured.

The big taps are there to catch your eye, as rubadub says, Diageo have publicans by the balls, hence why you'll always see Guinness taps at the end of the bar (so you see their tap first when you walk in).

LFC Murphy

AndonHandon wrote: »

The taps raised above the bar are so you can see that your pint hasn't been meddled with; the pint could have been poured in error and just topped up to make it look fresh, Guinness first poured a few minutes ago and just topped up etc.

Ok so that make sense...

The Moldy Gowl

I hate the gowls that sit at the bar looking the victim when it's really busy.

All you need is 4/5 **** and taking up half the bar when it's obvious they are not comfortable and in the way of everyone else.

They anger me. The taps are so you can what beers are there because of the gowls that sit in front of them with the excuse, ah sure isn't there stools here for a reason.

smash

LFC Murphy wrote: »

Real question is why are they allowed...

Pub owners who actually have good business sense will get paid to have these kind of taps. They're advertising!

LFC Murphy

smash wrote: »

Pub owners who actually have good business sense will get paid to have these kind of taps. They're advertising!

So are they reimbursed to allow the taps to be installed?

LFC Murphy

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

I hate the gowls that sit at the bar looking the victim when it's really busy.

All you need is 4/5 **** and taking up half the bar when it's obvious they are not comfortable and in the way of everyone else.

They anger me. The taps are so you can what beers are there because of the gowls that sit in front of them with the excuse, ah sure isn't there stools here for a reason.

Sitting at the bar at peak times is a no no.... but you've gone off on a rant tangent.. Just to clarify, I was sitting at the bar at 1am... Residents bar in hotel..

Ok so the Taps don't bother anyone else is what I'm hearing...

smash

LFC Murphy wrote: »

So are they reimbursed to allow the taps to be installed?

Some are, yes.

LFC Murphy

smash wrote: »

Some are, yes.

Oh ok, didn't know that..

anncoates

rubadub wrote: »

Guinness have publicans here grabbed firmly by the balls, so can get away with ruining the look of their bar. Or rather the publicans think they need to allow their balls be held.

Wetherspoons got it right, they still have 2 stouts and a porter on offer.

While this embarassment of a podcast from the irish times was claiming there was no stout at all in wetherspoons. They clearly said this at least twice, it was not semantics and them meaning no guinness was there.

https://soundcloud.com/irishtimes-business/wetherspoons

Make no mistake about it, a coalition of vested interests are going to do everything in their power to scupper JDW here.

The Bould Rabbit

irish_goat wrote: »

It's more so you can see the cascade effect in a pint of stout and see "the magic" happening while you're waiting the unnecessary 2 minutes for it to get poured.

It may be unnecessary, but try topping a pint up before its fully settled and you'll usually get an earful from the customer. And customers are all experts when it comes to telling barstaff how to do their job.;)

irish_goat wrote: »

The big taps are there to catch your eye, as rubadub says, Diageo have publicans by the balls, hence why you'll always see Guinness taps at the end of the bar (so you see their tap first when you walk in).

It makes sense for Guinness taps to be at the end of any bank as the drink is usually the most popular in Irish pubs, hence barstaff pouring Guinness aren't in the way blocking other staff trying to use the taps on either side. There is also more room to leave pints that need to settle to one side without having to reach over others. And, its easier to pour two pints of Guinness at the same time and still have a hand free to pour something else, fill a short or operate the till etc. depending on the layout of the bar.

Degag

AndonHandon wrote: »

The taps raised above the bar are so you can see that your pint hasn't been meddled with; the pint could have been poured in error and just topped up to make it look fresh, Guinness first poured a few minutes ago and just topped up etc.

That's generally what is supposed to happen though.

AndonHandon

Degag wrote: »

That's generally what is supposed to happen though.

A few minutes before you ordered it I should say.