Amusing beer list

While we are on this subject, who has the best draft beer list in the area? Can anyone top Richo's?

Definitely Sergio's.

Roger was King for years when it came to the breadth and depth of beer selection, Sergio wins today with over 1000 beers. Of course part of the reason for the disparity is probably due to the fact that Sergio doesn't have to concern himself with keeping a microbrewery running or marketing said beer all around Louisville and Southern Indiana. In my mind, they occupy two very different niches in the community.

1000 beers but most are bottled. Draft list?

Richo's has a ton of bottled beers as well.

As an aside, you know what really bugs me? Higher end dining places with craptacular beer lists. Maybe Im not in a wine mood tonight. Or maybe Im going to order something that goes better with beer than wine. So where is the freakin decent beer list? Fortunately, this is much less of an issue than even 5 years ago, but it still exists.

First of all, props for using the phrase "as an aside."

Second, I couldn't agree more. In my mind, Proof on Main is a perfect example of this regrettable phenomenon. They pride themselves on having an excellent bar, with who knows how many different kinds of Bourbon and a decent wine list. In contrast, their beer list is just anemic.

It certainly isn't as bad as say, the Bambi Bar, but we're not talking about a dive here. We're talking about the restaurant that accompanies the hotel that has been recently dubbed the best in the US. Is it wrong for me to expect more than on e(or maybe two) IPA's and an import list that's broader than Stella and Pilsner Urquell?

(Note: I do like the Bambi Bar for what it is, and the Bambi Burgers are excellent.)

***Edit***
I forgot to mention the look of surprise on the bartender's face when I requested a glass that didn't come out of a freezer. I wonder if his expression would have been the same if I ordered a nice glass of bourbon straight up instead of on the rocks?

1000 beers but most are bottled. Draft list?

Richo's has a ton of bottled beers as well.

You can go to Sergio's website to see the draft list, but my rough estimate is that it is around the size of Rich O's. (which I believe has about 30 lines and a hand pull)

Once again this is an approximation, but I think RIch O's has around 450 beers available at any given time in contrast to Sergio's 1000. For the vast majority of people, the difference between the two is purely academic.

In my experience though, Sergio tends to get beers on draft that other places either don't have or don't want because of the cost and rarity. Many of these are import kegs. Also, Sergio's knowledge of his own inventory is staggering. One of my friends who spent some time in France and Belgium was asking about some rare lambic of which I'd never heard. Sergio instantly knew what he was talking about, agreed that it was an excellent beer, and then proceeded to list off a couple of similar options that he had available. I'd also never heard of any of those.

To contrast the draft list, Rich O's tends (excepting festivals and some of the Publican's favorite German and Belgian beers) toward American craft beer and Indiana beer.

However, as I said above, most of this is purely academic. Both serve excellent beer.

1000 beers but most are bottled. Draft list?

Richo's has a ton of bottled beers as well.

You can go to Sergio's website to see the draft list, but my rough estimate is that it is around the size of Rich O's. (which I believe has about 30 lines and a hand pull)

Once again this is an approximation, but I think RIch O's has around 450 beers available at any given time in contrast to Sergio's 1000. For the vast majority of people, the difference between the two is purely academic.

In my experience though, Sergio tends to get beers on draft that other places either don't have or don't want because of the cost and rarity. Many of these are import kegs. Also, Sergio's knowledge of his own inventory is staggering. One of my friends who spent some time in France and Belgium was asking about some rare lambic of which I'd never heard. Sergio instantly knew what he was talking about, agreed that it was an excellent beer, and then proceeded to list off a couple of similar options that he had available. I'd also never heard of any of those.

To contrast the draft list, Rich O's tends (excepting festivals and some of the Publican's favorite German and Belgian beers) toward American craft beer and Indiana beer.

However, as I said above, most of this is purely academic. Both serve excellent beer.

I wasn't for sure about Sergio's draft list. I went there once and stood around for 10 minutes without seeing a person, so I left.

I wasn't for sure about Sergio's draft list. I went there once and stood around for 10 minutes without seeing a person, so I left.

It is certainly a unique environment, but I've never heard of anyone waiting that long. Was it during their opening period? (Though technically I believe they're still not open.) If so, then it is significantly less hectic now than it was at the beginning.

I wasn't for sure about Sergio's draft list. I went there once and stood around for 10 minutes without seeing a person, so I left.

It is certainly a unique environment, but I've never heard of anyone waiting that long. Was it during their opening period? (Though technically I believe they're still not open.) If so, then it is significantly less hectic now than it was at the beginning.

It was in Oct.

It was in Oct.

Hmm, that's odd. Did you just go in and sit down or did you go to the bar? Sergio is usually the only person running food and pouring beer, so he might not have noticed if you came in. Also, it isn't always obvious who he is unless he's behind the bar, so you might have just overlooked him.

It was in Oct.

Hmm, that's odd. Did you just go in and sit down or did you go to the bar? Sergio is usually the only person running food and pouring beer, so he might not have noticed if you came in. Also, it isn't always obvious who he is unless he's behind the bar, so you might have just overlooked him.

There was nobody there. I walked around and looked at the bottled selection in the front coolers and flipped through a beer guide laying on the bar. He must have been in the back.

As an aside (snicker ), we'll be doing a promotion beginning on January 8th during which at least 25 of our own house-brewed beers will be on tap at the Public House/Pizzeria, at the same time. The working title is "NABC: A Hostile Takeover."

For the record: The Public House/Pizzeria has 39 draft lines and a hand pull, and roughly 350 bottled beers as of last count. Sergio's has more, and that's cool by me. If one could afford the inventory, a 2,000 bottle list is possible. One question: When in Shelbyville, Sergio served "water" (mass market low calorie light lager). Does he still do that in Louisville? I honestly don't know the answer.

One question: When in Shelbyville, Sergio served "water" (mass market low calorie light lager). Does he still do that in Louisville? I honestly don't know the answer.

Its never occurred to me to inquire.

I dont remember seeing any, but Ive only been there 3 times.

As an aside (snicker ), we'll be doing a promotion beginning on January 8th during which at least 25 of our own house-brewed beers will be on tap at the Public House/Pizzeria, at the same time. The working title is "NABC: A Hostile Takeover."

For the record: The Public House/Pizzeria has 39 draft lines and a hand pull, and roughly 350 bottled beers as of last count. Sergio's has more, and that's cool by me. If one could afford the inventory, a 2,000 bottle list is possible. One question: When in Shelbyville, Sergio served "water" (mass market low calorie light lager). Does he still do that in Louisville? I honestly don't know the answer.

According to the website, yes. Not only the standard swill, but even the really shitty stuff, Miller Chill. My beer allegiance still lies within the NABC.

http://sergiosworldbeers.com/index.php? ... Itemid=280

As an aside (snicker )

Thanks!

As an aside (snicker ), we'll be doing a promotion beginning on January 8th during which at least 25 of our own house-brewed beers will be on tap at the Public House/Pizzeria, at the same time. The working title is "NABC: A Hostile Takeover."

I will definitely be there, ideally for lunch again. Hopefully I'll be able to drag a few more med students along this time.

One question: When in Shelbyville, Sergio served "water" (mass market low calorie light lager). Does he still do that in Louisville? I honestly don't know the answer.

I'm not sure. I have seen PBR there, but I don't recall seeing any BMC products on tap. Honestly though, unlike some of our compromise-averse compatriots, I wasn't looking.

PBR was on tap at Sergi's the last time I was there. I doubt Serg has anywhere near 1000 different selection at the moment, but sufice to say has has the largest selection. Many of the the beers in his book menu are not available. I applaud his efforts trying to keep all those beers fresh and rotated as it is almost impossible with a selection of that magnatude.
Brownings also carries AB products in bottles.
We serve free popcorn and the beer we make at the Taproom and do just fine. We honestly do not have the time, patience, or space to deal with the swill drinking masses (we would have to add two bathrooms just to handle that much pee). The cerebral customer base we attract know better then to stand in a line to spend hard earned dollars. That is like paying for cable tv and having to watch commercials. Wait wasn't the reason we paid for cable, is that there were supposed to be no commercials?

The cerebral customer base we attract know better then to stand in a line to spend hard earned dollars.

....Now that's a first...Calling a beer swilling crowd "cerebral". Reminds me of football announcer John Madden waxing poetic about how "intelligent" such and such a linebacker is. Then again I have noticed that the more beers I drink, the smarter I become...maybe I'm not alone.

The cerebral customer base we attract know better then to stand in a line to spend hard earned dollars.

....Now that's a first...Calling a beer swilling crowd "cerebral". Reminds me of football announcer John Madden waxing poetic about how "intelligent" such and such a linebacker is. Then again I have noticed that the more beers I drink, the smarter I become...maybe I'm not alone.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/sports/ncaafootball/13tech.html

Best part is the correction at the bottom.