Alehouse's and "Cookie Cutter" Taps

image sourced via Creative Commons

Bellying up the bar, I stare out at the scuffed up, stained with countless pint glass, surface of the counter, staring at the beer tap handles. Names like; Alaskan Amber, Widmer Hefe'weizen, Guinness Draught, & Budweisers?! This is the standard lineup of the alehouse & bar, for most this is acceptable for others, this is conscidered an all too common sight in bars across the region (Washington & Oregon) and the country.

I recall my visit to Ireland back in late October / November, I was taken back by the lack of micro-breweries, and other beers, available for consumption, then it hit me. Has beer truly been relegated to that of a have and have not in the world of taps? In Ireland, more precisely Dublin, I found that the commonality was of course Guinness, and any microbreweries had the air of stouts, and red ales.

Which brings me to the justification for my weekly discussion (sometimes construed as rant), I recently visited a sports bar, and should not have expected much in regards to beer selection. But with over 21 tap handles, I only found common "micro" brews, where only a few miles away in Seattle, there was at least 20 breweries with offerings that could be had. Accepting my fate, I chose the Black Butte Porter (listed as Bute on the receipt) and followed this up with the Henry Weinhardt's Private Reserve. Needless to say there are 1000's of bars & alehouses like this, yet only a small select group that use their taps for local breweries. Do you think that they are wrong or are the other bars wrong for only stocking "what sells?"

Cheers

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