Business of Better Beer: Draft beer selections benefit from thoughtful guiding principles

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No photos or videos, just words.

With the passing of Common Haus Hall in Jeffersonville, where I served for the past year as beer director, I’ve now reverted to the same role at Pints&union in New Albany (founded in 2018). In fact, I’ve been doing both jobs since last October.

Now the load will lighten, unfortunately.

It isn’t my place to offer post mortems, or to enumerate the reasons for Common Haus’ unfortunate demise. After all, they’re essentially the same reasons that always apply in situations like this. Trust me, you’ve heard them all before, and besides, mourning hasn’t yet concluded.

However, what you may not have heard explained, at least recently, is what my job entails. “Beer director,” a job title that works well enough, is one I invented for myself, unless of course it has been inadvertently borrowed. If so, thanks to whomever deserves full credit.

Having a job as beer director implies the existence of something beer-like to direct, in this instance a purposeful beer program, which in turn indicates that ownership desires such an approach and values beer highly enough to organize the establishment’s beer selection according to thoughtful guiding principles.

Otherwise bar staff could just easily order and stock Michelob Ultra....Read more