The Stay Put is a picobrewery that suffers from below-average beer quality and consistency, compounded by lackluster service, an out-of-date website, and a confused identity.
A picobrewery differs from a microbrewery in that its products are limited-production specialty beers brewed and consumed exclusively on site in a single location. They are often social gathering spots with a diversity of customers young and old and high-quality service that reflects the bespoke product. When on travel, I will often seek out picobreweries, as if implemented properly they often provide a superior experience than more commercial venues. This was not the case with The Stay Put.
I was allowed to visit the brewery three of four days (more on that below) and in those three days, I had the same two beers, a Hazy IPA and a West Texas IPA. I am unable to provide the names as the website does not list the current beers on tap (more on that below). The appearance and aroma met expectations, however the flavor fell short of expectations and paled in comparison to competitors on the same street. Consistency was an issue with the hazy as it changed flavors between the first and second day (as if it were a different beer) and carbonation dropped noticeably. The quality and consistency of the beers are on par with home brew beer, starkly below average and inconsistent in flavor and mouthfeel.
Service varied from impersonal to cold with limited customer engagement. There were no smiles, greetings, or checkins on quality. Foam was an issue across all three days and the height of the head varied notably between 5 cm (2 in) to a fill to the top (flat Hazy). I was made to feel less than special when a bartender took the extra time to bring the head down to 2 cm (1 in) for a couple at the bar but did not for my pour, leaving me with a monstrous 5 cm (2 in) head. This left me wondering if I might not be welcome, a feeling that would be compounded on the fourth day when I was turned away at the sidewalk. An individual turned me away, stating sheepishly that the venue had been booked out. The establishment appeared relatively empty and his delivery was nervous and unconvincing, so I left with the concern that I was turned away due to my age. Turning a customer away is one of the most difficult challenges in customer service and thus should be handled with much greater care than it was. On the bright side, I went two doors north and had a significantly better beer/service experience with great BBQ, so I was honestly better off for it.
The service and quality issues are mirrored online as well. As of this writing the website is out of date, with the events listed being months old. There is no beer list on the website. On the second day, I was pleasantly surprised by a (great) puppy party, which consisted of two puppies in a tiny pen and what looked like locals with a couple of dogs. On the fourth day however I was unpleasantly surprised by the aforementioned booked out venue. Either way, it would be nice for customers to know about events in advance. More importantly, it would have allowed me to verify that the venue was indeed booked out on the fourth day, so I wasn't left with concerns of ageism.
As such, I felt that The Stay Put has a confused identity. Is it a picobrewery, a local hangout, or a party spot? I think the answer to all is yes in theory and no in practice. Moreover, of the many picobreweries I've visited, this one is at the bottom of the list. The Stay Put simply does not embody the culture of brewing. They are not crafting and serving beer with pride. There's are no bespoke logos, stickers, or coasters. There's no bartenders actively seeking feedback on their new craft beers. There are no beer lists online because it's not important to them. The middling beer simply feeds the taps of a bar with a confused identity. read more