Why do they always start with Bud Light?
 

<rant on> I eat at a lot of different restaurants (and drink at a lot of different bars). If I'm too far from the taps to read the handles, I ask the server to tell me what draft beers are available. They always start with Bud Light and list another 6 beers that taste exactly like it (i.e. no flavor) before they get to anything I would remotely consider putting in my mouth.

I wish I was responsible for training servers across the world. That would be one of my rules. Of course you have Bud Light and its clones. No one asks what's on tap because they want a Bud Light. Start with the outliers and stop wasting the customers' time.< rant off>

Hey, I'm a beer snob, too, but I have enough common sense to understand why servers do that.

They may be wasting your time, but the fact remains that Bud Lite is the top selling beer in the US, followed by Coors Lite, Bud, Miller Lite, Corona, Natural Lite, Busch Lite and Heineken. So apparently there are people who ask about beers and opt for a Bud Lite. Why don't you just ask the server what craft beers they have on top? Or ask them to skip the Bud, Miller, Coors and Busch products?

When you're put in charge of training servers worldwide, why don't you time the average length of the customer-server drink interaction when the server lists the best-selling beers first vs. the worst-selling beers first? And then see how long it takes your servers to quit/get you fired when you suggest they dramatically increase the average interaction time by taking longer than necessary to give the customer what he/she wants.

PS: That's why I love beer lists, but hate restaurants that keep them out of date. A few bars/restaurants in Chicago have started listing the "Next to be tapped" items and rubber stamping "sold out" over ones that are done. Keeps them from having to reprint the list frequently and reduces the amount of time a server has to spend taking drink orders.

A lot of Americans like their beer to taste like fizzy water :p

It's a rant, okay? I'm allowed to emotional and irrational (beer brings out both in me). :) I wish more bars had beer lists - separate from food menus because the beers change more frequently than the food.

All right, next time I'll remember to start with, "What's on tap that isn't Bud Light or something just like it?"

Oh. <rant on> I also hate servers that don't drink. My favorite local restaurant features 65 beers on tap and every server wears a t-shirt that says "Beer snob" on the reverse and they back it up with real knowledge and experience. And the food there is good too. <rant off>

Why do they always start with Bud Light?
 

Yeah throw in seasonal beer or local beers when you ask and that usually will get rid of the standards.

Or just go to places that have such a big beer selection they have to have a list because no one can remember it all. Chances are they would not have those beers.

This. The staff is simply optimizing for the typical customer.

Like the OP, I nearly never want to drink the American beers that sell the best. I save both the bartender and myself a bit of time by asking a more specific question than, "What's on tap?" If I can see there are a lot of choices I'll ask, "What do you have besides Bud and Miller?" or "Hey, tell me about the local brews you've got on tap."

"What's the hoppiest beer you have on tap?"

"Great, please bring me the largest one you sell."

This is why we get along so well. :D

I usually just ask "What's on tap that isn't macro-swill?" Or, I sit at the bar, because I can usually convince the bartender to slide a few samples my way. :D
:D If only all servers knew how to answer that! :D

I second this. I love beer lists too, its a critical thing that helps me determine where to eat

Don't try that one, you'll get a deer-in-the-headlights look. Servers who don't understand how to sell beer don't know what hops are. Trust me.

I'd go with "craft" or "local" or even "dark" (lots of servers think anything outside of the Bud Light genre is dark.)

Once, many years ago, I asked a bartender is a certain beer was an ale or a lager. He replied "It's a draft." :(

When they have finished simply say "and what do you have for grown-ups?".

I learned a while ago to specify the type of beer I'm looking for. I ask what darker beers they have on tap.

I had a friend who cut off the server when she listed the bud light et al. and said "Start at the other end."

If you haven't already, check out beermenus.com.

Bud Light = Sex in a canoe

LOL!