BEER Sommelier?!

At the next table...
Waiter:  "Shall I bring you the wine list, sir?"
Customer: (dismissively) Wine list?  That is SO five minutes ago!  Bring me the beer menu" looking anticipatory and all but licking his lips."

Welcome to nearly-the-end of 2013.  I'm not so unsophisticated that I have never seen a beer menu or choices listed on a blackboard, but yesterday's lunch gave me New Information.

Richie decided that Truck needed a good gallop so we went to El Segundo and on the way, I casually mentioned that it was nearing noon and "There's a new place I want to try."

And thus we parked in their lot behind Rock and Brews, 143 Main Street, El Segundo.  The restaurant consists of a large patio and a two-sided room.  The two outside walls aren't there although I noted that roll-down plastic "walls" were neatly racked above the open space.  It was warm enough not to need the long space heaters that ran along the ceiling.  This is the kind of restaurant often seen in Cabo so we felt right at home.   And, in fact, there is one there.

Two menus and the beer list were handed to us.  To say the beer menu was extensive is understatement.  There are four pages of beers from all around America and parts of Europe.  Wines get one page and it's the back page.  Not wanting to spend the afternoon debating which beer I wanted ... when I saw Stella d'Artois, I ordered one.  You can see the beer list at    rockandbeer.com  You can spend your afternoon studying it.

Richie and the waiter were talking prices and Richie seemed rather dazed by them.  I took the menu and found that The Bruery is offering 750ml for $45!  I looked at the waiter and said, "That's for a 6-pack, right?"

"No," he said laughing, "That's for one beer ... see over there, behind the bar?  Some of those are pretty big bottles."  750ml equals 25.3 ounces which equals 1.56 pounds of beer!  You better have a strong drinking arm and deep pockets is all I can say.  Other beers and sizes - Mikkeller, Denmark, 375ml for $30; Old Rasputin is a good buy - 330ml for $8. 

I had the cup of chili and Caesar salad with cheesy-garlic bread ($10.95) and Richie the pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw ($10.50)  Our Stellas were draft, served in tall glasses ($6.00 each)

The food was wholesome enough and the portions were so big we had leftovers for dinner.  I'd say the food quality and menu are typical for a sports bar.  I'm pretty sure the clientele goes to study the beer list and have lengthy discussions about it.  Just like wine snobs used to do.