The ‘Serious’ Beverage

& The Neglected Stepchild

Perusing the tables at the annual Booth Library Book Sale last month led me to a book with ratings for thousands of different beers. The book was published in 1995.

For the bargain price of $1, however, I couldn’t resist purchasing it. Skimming the pages led me to thinking about the relationship between beers and wines.

In most of your better eating establishments, the presentation of a wine list is expected. The beer selections, however, are most often mentioned by your server and consist of a few nationally advertised brands.

It is not uncommon to find the best wines on a wine list selling for well over $100, along with many selections in the $50 a bottle price range. A restaurant daring enough to sell a unique Belgian ale would be challenged for charging $20 for the same 750 ml-size bottle. The sommelier or wine steward of a restaurant is responsible for thousand of dollars of inventory, as well as perfectly pairing wines with the chef’s signature dishes.

The beer recommendations and selections are most often made from behind the bar by a guy named Fred.

Beer’s image over the years has been strengthened through millions dollars of advertising showing young attractive people partying at the beach, frolicking on the slopes, and enjoying a bottle of their favorite beer. Although wine has become more and more popular, the dollars spent on projecting an “image” are miniscule compared to the marketing budgets for beer.

Wine is sold at auctions and stored in beautifully designed wine cellars. Beer is sold at 7-11 and stored in a cooler. A fine Cabernet Sauvignon pairs beautifully with filet mignon. Food pairings with beer most often bring to mind hot dogs, pretzels, and beer nuts.

Obviously, for most of history, wine is the “serious” beverage while beer is the neglected stepchild of beverages. However, domestic breweries like Dogfish Head and Samuel Adams are making a concerted effort to make unique tasting beers. More and more special Belgian, English, and German beers are being exported to the American market. With the summer season upon us, the discerning drinker looking for some interesting tasting beverages might want to substitute a wheat beer for their white wine.

(Newtown resident and wine enthusiast Steve Small is the general manager at Yankee Wine & Spirits on Queen Street.)