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> Guinness is an indifferent to bland stout and the Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout is a vastly better example of the style. For what it's worth I agree with you but

> Guinness is an indifferent to bland stout and the Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout is a vastly better example of the style. For what it's worth I agree with you but this is a non-starter for most people even in the US. I briefly tended bar someplace that specialized in higher-end, small-batch products; we didn't stock any of the usual suspects and if somebody asked for a Guinness we'd have them try the craft stout that we had on tap. The majority of the time people wouldn't be into it because "it's not Guinness"... not because "[they] don't like it", but because it isn't the exact thing that they have been drinking for the past 30 years of their life. Grey Goose and Crown Royal drinkers were the worst offenders in this regard. Triple-filtered Polish potato vodka at 1/3 the price? No way - too cheap. Organic single-grain wheat whiskey? Not today - it's a Crown and Diet, not a whatever-the-heck-this-is and Diet! Also can they have the purple velvet bag since the bottle is already open? All of these exchanges went towards my realization that for this crowd of people it's more about the ritual than the taste. If something is decent and consistent enough to provide familiar respite in a chaotic world then it serves a noble purpose. Just because I'm a hipster doesn't mean everybody else has to be too.

vr46 2y ago
I agree, I would be rather be in a pub with all my mates and cracking on with the evening than worrying about the beer, but plenty of people are hung up on their own comforts and tastes. That said, currently in Germany where several of my favourite bars have only three taps of similar beer all of which I can’t stand, and rather than drink spirits at the same flow rate (if it’s in my hand it’s likely going down at the same ml/minute) and bringing my evening and next day to a halt, I’ll have to cut the bar time short. It pays to diversify the palate but it takes years to get used to some booze in the first place, I figured that’s why all the simple, uncomplicated stuff sells.
DiscourseFan 2y ago
In the US, there is a large variety of high quality, local craft beers at every bar in the country alongside the standard beers like Guinness, etc., so its not a choice "do we serve the big brand beer or the craft beer."
- lproven 2y ago
  > at every bar in the country [[citation needed]] But the thing is this... every pub and bar chain in the world is like this, pretty much, except Sam Smiths. That was the point of the article. The company does not and will not sell ANY third party products. EVERYTHING the chain sells, it makes. No Coke. No Pepsi. No Heineken. No Guinness. No other brands at all of alcoholic, non-alcohol, snacks, or foods.

vr46 2y ago

I agree, I would be rather be in a pub with all my mates and cracking on with the evening than worrying about the beer, but plenty of people are hung up on their own comforts and tastes. That said, currently in Germany where several of my favourite bars have only three taps of similar beer all of which I can’t stand, and rather than drink spirits at the same flow rate (if it’s in my hand it’s likely going down at the same ml/minute) and bringing my evening and next day to a halt, I’ll have to cut the bar time short. It pays to diversify the palate but it takes years to get used to some booze in the first place, I figured that’s why all the simple, uncomplicated stuff sells.

DiscourseFan 2y ago

In the US, there is a large variety of high quality, local craft beers at every bar in the country alongside the standard beers like Guinness, etc., so its not a choice "do we serve the big brand beer or the craft beer."

lproven 2y ago
> at every bar in the country [[citation needed]] But the thing is this... every pub and bar chain in the world is like this, pretty much, except Sam Smiths. That was the point of the article. The company does not and will not sell ANY third party products. EVERYTHING the chain sells, it makes. No Coke. No Pepsi. No Heineken. No Guinness. No other brands at all of alcoholic, non-alcohol, snacks, or foods.