Beer Vs Wine

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Permalink Reply by Jose Ruiz on January 27, 2010 at 2:49pm

This is quite an interesting topic and one that I, personally, find surprising as, being a foreigner, always thought of the UK as a beer drinking country in the same way as I associate French with wine and italian with Pasta.

I always thought that, together with Germany, the UK has a huge beer tradition which is lost to many other nationalities, like mine, spanish.

I think that the whole wine industry is a recent phenomena to the UK brought to us over the last 10 to 20 years only. As people started going out more and their spending power increased, so did their taste for all things foreign, and the taste for new things, including wine. The closer relationship to Europe made imports easier too. Finally, travelling abroad is cheaper than ever and British people have acquired tastes abroad too.

All in all, I think that wine is good and that beer is, slowly loosing ground. I am definitely for wine festivals, as they do in Germany and for a beer menu as they do in Belgo, even though it is not an UK restaurant. Beer is a great British tradition and it would be a pity to loose it to wine.

Maybe we should do a hotcatUK Live event with a Beer theme. Who would be interested?

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Permalink Reply by Neil Preston on January 28, 2010 at 8:38pm

Hello Matt

I would have to say Wine is the winner with me, having the studied wine more personal than professional interest, though I have to agree the market is diversifying with beer.

The problem is with large pub chains is the pricing, unless you're Wetherspoons, guest ales tend to over the priced for what they are and with some places it's harder work to keep lines clean so the taste is affected, though good publicans manage this.

One good example of a small UK chain and a place I love is Zero Degrees in Blackheath giving micro brewers a modern edge to in house brews, though cuisine wise they can be hit and miss for me. With it's mordern style and approach to drinking beer it appeals to a more trendy market which can only be good.

But alas for me wine wins because with the depth, range, quality and availability of such find vintages from around the world, all at a reasonable price and from the local independant wine sellers or Waitrose it is doing it's bit to sway peoples choice of drink and giving a more refined approach to drinking!

Jose, how about a beer Vs wine tasting night in the year.........? I could speak to people on the wine front..... Anyone help with the beer?

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Permalink Reply by Ben McEwen on February 1, 2010 at 9:20am

Hi Matt

Great topic - I think Neil's idea of a Beer vs Wine tasting would be a great evening!

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Permalink Reply by Neil Preston on February 1, 2010 at 12:09pm

Great, I'll speak to some vino friends and see what I can get from them for free. If someone can supply the venue and beer side, we can go from there. Though saying that I might be able to support the venue side with our Academy at Off to Work, just check with the MD.

Jose, any dates in mind?

Matt, any one you know from your research that can sponsor the beer?

Lets get this off the ground!

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Permalink Reply by Matthew Phillips on February 1, 2010 at 9:49pm

Sounds like a great night to me! Im sure we can turn it into a lively exchange of ideas with a chance to showcase the best of both beverages!

I have a few contacts I could try but at the moment I can not promise anything but there is no harm in asking!

Again any dates in mind could help bring people onboard!

Maybe see if we could get speakers from both industries to put forward the pros and cons!?

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Permalink Reply by Neil Preston on February 2, 2010 at 9:38am

Great stuff Matthew.

I'll speak to my close friend Angus McNabb, he's the Head Sommelier at Apsleys at the Lanesborough and has been instrumental in attaining their first Michelin star. He's always keen to get involved in showcasing wines plus helps me at my Academy with guest tastings. Failing that there are other friends who I can chase.I'll update soon.

In terms of a venue, we can host it at our Hospitality Academy in Fulham. My MD, Philip Atkins, is keen and with our Academy GM, Steven Haigh (a member), we've pencilled in March 25th. Does that work Jose? If not I can look at other dates.

I'm due to meet up with Marcus a week on Tuesday (16th) around 7ish, somewhere in Covent Garden, to catch up and chat through some ideas plus get this event off the ground, so if any one can make it let me know.

I'm really excited to make this happen and is this what happens after a few comments made in a discussion.....?

Keep in touch.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Chapman on February 2, 2010 at 10:00am

Great idea count me in...will put my thinking cap on for some brewers... got UK's oldest here in Kent with Shepherd Neame.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Zermansky on February 5, 2010 at 8:32am

Mmmmmm...Beer Vs Wine

Wine is always my first tipple after those notorious spirits. I am personally very interested in alcohol but more through quality than quantity.

Beer is one of those drinks that I only have one of and I tend to be that annoying customer who asks for a taste of every bitter on tap prior to asking for a glass of Malbec. Sure!, taste is very important but I don’t think we can compare the two types of products and therefore you either have wine bars or beer bars and not a mix. My personal opinion is that beer lists are a good idea but they should stay in specialty micro breweries or beer shops or beer bars

On the other hand when we talk about tasting evenings, I’m sure there would be a lot of excitement at a beer tasting including aromas of hey, wheat and malt or perhaps a constant cue for the toilets.

On another note:
A tasting event for hotcat sounds genius and will get people talking. Will there be a limit on numbers. I can definitely make it on Tuesday 16th Feb in Covent Garden. Funny enough there is a great Beer bar near maiden lane and also some pretty good wine bars. My personal email address is richard@sightsearchselection.com so perhaps we can continue the event discussion there.

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Permalink Reply by Neil Preston on February 11, 2010 at 7:03pm

Hello Richard!

Wine wine wine! I agree quality over quantity but sometimes it never ends up like that.

Great to see you at the last event and didn't get back to you on the wine and cheese night as numbers were tight in the end but Beer v Wine evening is definately in the pipe line.

Tuesday is unfortnuately a no go, work commitments, but later in the week perhaps. I know Wednesday is the network night at St Ermins Hotel, are you going? We can catch up there.

Speak soon.

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Permalink Reply by Matthew Phillips on February 13, 2010 at 3:14pm

I feel that some one needs to put beers side forward!

While I am a fan of wine and have had some pleasent evenings enjoying a bottle or two I feel that beer is something that is under rated within the hositality industry! Beer can offer the same variety and quality as many wines and can be something that adds a different level to an evening (everyone expects a wine list with food matchings but what about a beer list with food matchings!?).

When I talk of beer I do not talk of mass produced lagers that, while having there place society, are normally no more than mass produced flat tasteless entities! I talk of beers with histories that can easily match that of any wines. I talk of the things that define a civilisation, champagne is synominous with france but what about the great beer halls of germany or belgium or the tradition of British Ales.

In a time where every hospitality outlet is looking to source local produce in a green way why are companies still buying in wine that has been shipped around the world when they can buy from one of hundreds of local microbreweries that offer a wide and diverse selection of products?!

While this is only the tip of the ice berg I feel that beer has its place not replacing wine but standing shoulder to shoulder as an equal rather than a fround upon underdog!

Still working on breweries for the tasting evening!

Matt

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Kent on February 16, 2010 at 8:38pm

Matt,

An interesting discussion, I've been meaning to post this for a couple of weeks but have you heard of an American company called Yard House? Their outlets have the worlds largest selection of draft beer with outlets all over the USA. "Each Yard House location features a transparent keg room containing more than 600 barrels, some 1,000 gallons of beer, and an endless fleet of tap handles - 100 to 250 - depending on the location." An extract from the About Us section of their site.

I encourage you and everyone else to checkout their website.

Just imagine if we had one of these places in London, it would be amazing!

I highly recommend them after frequenting the Palm Beach Gardens establishment a fair few times. Food offering was very good, and new word wines available as well. Most importantly though, the Servers were all highly knowledgeable when I quizzed them about various beers: origins, flavours, colour, matching for food and the like.

The question is how long will it take for the extensive beer menu to catch on? Personally I think it will eventually but wouldn't like to predict the time frame of that happening. The question of product knowledge is very much hit and miss and I think this will stay the same for a while yet too.

Jon

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