So how will you know which breweries are a great option for getting work done, and which ones are better avoided? We’ll try to keep things simple with a 3-tier recommendation scale.
Full Pour
Highly recommend checking out the spot in question. It’s got the complete package for a temporary work-space.
Glass Half-full
Hey, you can make the most of any situation, right? Lacking in one or more remote office necessities, but not a bad spot for a brewski and some admin.
The Dregs
Listen. No one’s perfect, and just because a spot is rated The Dregs doesn’t mean it’s not a great spot in its own right. But look elsewhere to get some work done while you imbibe.
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8+ years in the remote workforce have taught me a thing or two about being productive on the go. And 10+ years of consuming and appreciating craft beer has taught me a thing or two about what elevates some ales and lagers above the rest. With that experience in mind, there are 4 metrics we use to determine the overall rating for a taproom:
Connectivity — Is there Wi-Fi available? Does it actually allow you to sync your inbox? Us mobile workers probably have a hot-spot as a back-up, so how’s the cell reception? Good connectivity can elevate a great brewery to a great work-from-home option.
Work-space — Is there decent seating and surface area to post-up with a laptop? What about outlets to keep our tech juiced up? I love a good-looking whiskey barrel as much as the next guy, but I’m gonna need a decent table or counter to bang out some emails.
Atmosphere — What’s the ambient noise level? Are they blasting tunes, or playing good stuff at a reasonable volume? Is it crowded with lots of loud conversation? Some scenes are great for the weekend, but just in case my boss calls I’d like it to not sound like, you know, I’m at a bar.
Beer Quality — We may be here to get shit done, but we chose a local taproom to also enjoy some great beer. Reply Ale won’t be breaking down off-flavors and proper glassware, so look to Beer Advocate or RateBeer for the nerdier details. We’ll be dealing with overall quality, with respect to aroma and taste. Bottom line, we’ll be honest if the beer isn’t great.
We’ll break down each category above, and give it a score on a 0-5 point scale, like this:
reply ale 