F Minus by Tony Carrillo for September 08, 2018

Which TV show, pal? “Cheers”? (I doubt the barkeeper looks like the recently late Mr. Reynolds.)

Duff me.

By this time of day, he’s done with making decisions.

Likely the tap is hooked to a railroad tank car full of Bud Light.

On TV or in a movie, the hero NEVER mentions a brand. Just strides in, catches the barkeep’s or waiter’s eye and commands “Bring me a beer!”

I’m not a beer drinker, so I watch in fascination as chums and the waiter go thru this elaborate discussion. The waiter recites a half-dozen brands on-tap and another couple that are on special of some sort. My chums dither and ponder because none of those choices are quite on. The enthusiastic discussion continues until a compromise is found.

In the bar next door, they have 17 taps. The labels are interchangeable.

I am an American in Germany and here even if they have multiple taps you can almost always just order a beer (although you may need to specify large or small). You get whatever is local or the most popular in that bar. I say “almost” because once (really. only once in the four years I have been here) someone asked me (the transaction was in German), “what kind?” I replied, “a simple, normal small beer” and he repeated “what kind?” I had to scan the menu and pick one. We were tourists in that city and yes, I have a strong American accent, but I would never in a million years go back there again.

How about if he gets a second tap of the same beer?

Looks more like Dennis Franz to me.

All of a sudden…I hear the theme music to “Cheers” playing…Half expecting Cliff to walk in.