Minor Rant

I have read about and seen references to the negative tone of craft beer twitter.  I must not follow the right angry people because my craft beer twitter feed is more positive and optimistic than negative and pessimistic.  I prefer my periphery view of the beer world, but I am going to make a brief exception to talk about kids and dogs in tasting rooms.  Here is a Washington Post article on kids in tasting rooms, instructing parents on how to avoid annoying guests with their children when visiting breweries and tasting rooms, with an underlying subtext of "leave your kids somewhere else."  I did see and read enough of some of the twitter threads and discussions earlier this year that complained about kids in tasting rooms.  Strangely, I have not seen any threads or articles discussing dogs in tasting rooms, but you can't talk about kids without mentioning dogs.

I will choose kids over dogs every time.  In my experience, most parents mind their children in tasting rooms, at least to some passable extent.  I have yet to see kids let loose in a tasting room like a swarm of banshees, with that treat left for grocery shopping at Trader Joe's.  Dogs are a different story.  Big dog or small dog, leash optional is the preferred policy, and dogs wander around tasting rooms unchecked while their owners enjoy their beer and conversation.  Parents tend to keep their kids away from strangers, but dog owners think everybody loves their dog and enjoys the nudge, lick or sniff from a strange canine.  I have lost track of how many times I have seen people letting their dogs put their front paws up on the bar, and I have seen small dogs on standing on tasting room bars.  This behavior is encouraged by some bar staff.  Tasting rooms are community spaces, both kids and dogs should be welcome.  But if people are going to complain about kids in tasting rooms, I'm going to complain about dogs.