Beer sommeliers?

by Nick Vagnoni, Posted Nov 25th 2006 @ 4:34PM

The Philadelphia Daily News recently ran a column by beer reporter Don Russell, a.k.a. Joe Sixpack, about the growing number of restaurants that employ beer sommeliers. As the name suggests, these are folks that orchestrate a restaurant's beer selection, from consulting with the kitchen to helping diners pair beer and food. Russell has no problem with the existence of such a position, but he takes issue with the title, saying that the French term (and its connotations) has no business being paired with the word beer. His answer? Cellarman (or cellarwoman), an old British term for the person charged with the upkeep of a pub's beer supply and equipment. Personally, I'm just excited by the prospect of more restaurants having such a person. I don't much care what they're called. Still, Russell's piece is fun and definitely worth a read.

[Via Fark]

Filed Under: Newspapers, Drink Recipes, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants
Tags: america, beer, beer list, calling, cellarman, don russell, joe sixpack, name, new, pairing, philadelphia, philly, restaurant, selection, sommeliers, wine

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-25-2006 @5:49PM Sophie said... What about a real wine sommelier: where are they? how often do you run into a good one at restaurants? that is what we really need before all.
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11-27-2006 @4:39PM Tatoosh said... Yeah, I drink a beer with my lunch. I head over to one of the many local brewpubs for that. So it's not a Bud or even a Heinken. It'll be a porter or a stout. Maybe a ruby ale.

To be honest, for most daily fair, I find beer a better choice than most wines. I have for the last three or four years. Didn't know I was part of a trend though. Just thought my taste buds finally grew up.
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