Industry Insiders: Justin Philips, Brew Ace

Beer Table's Justin Philips on expensive brews, his favorite spot in Paris, and what not to call him.

I read something about a $95 beer you serve. It's called a Baladin Xyauyù. It's an Italian version of an English beer. The reason it's so expensive is the real estate it takes up in the brewery. It's fully oxidized, which means no bubbles. It takes about two and a half years. The Daily News wrote something about it and Eater put me on their so-called Deathwatch. A funny thing happened. We had an incident where someone had stolen credit cards out of some purses here -- that's not the funny part -- but about two weeks later, a police car started driving real slow back and forth out front, like they were casing the joint, and shining a light inside. I was closing up and the cops got out of the car. And they're like "Hey, is this the place with the $100 beer?"

Where do you like to hang out? You have to understand I don’t really go anywhere else. I’m always at Beer Table. That said, I like ‘wichcraft in Bryant Park. I’m a sucker for a delicious pastrami sandwich and a peanut butter cookie. A sammie in the park under the trees with a little people-watching always brightens my day. Another place I really like is Le Verre Volé in Paris. One of the most honest dining experiences I’ve ever had. It’s a hybrid wine shop and restaurant with wonderful personal service, simple food, great wines, and total lack of pretense. The owners are wine guys. Since they don’t have much food prep space, they buy a lot of their food from local food artisans to assemble their menu. My ambition at Beer Table is to have all the food come from someone we know if we can’t make it in-house.

I also like Craigie St. Bistrot in Boston. It’s not really a place for an adventuresome meal, but I had many firsts there, like squab, bone marrow, etc. That, in conjunction with its cozy, romantic atmosphere, seduced me. I think it was the first restaurant that I ever wanted to call “my favorite.”

Who in the hospitality industry do you admire? Tricia, my wife. She went from not wanting to memorize the “Julietta Platter” at Uncle Julio’s in Dallas to helping run the show at Beer Table. That’s a 180-degree turnaround. Impressive. And Anne Saxelby of Saxleby Cheesemongers in the Essex Market. Her knowledge, intense passion for cheese, and cheerful service never cease to inspire me. I totally admire her work ethic and business model.

What’s one positive trend that you see in the industry? I love seeing beer playing a more equal role on beverage menus in good restaurants. It makes no sense for the nicest places to serve the most industrial products. This is definitely a trend, and though I don’t believe beer is any “better” than wine or other beverages, I love to see it have a place at the table.

What’s a negative trend that you see in the industry? If I have to hear the title “Beer Sommelier” one more time, I’ll puke. I came from the wine business and have the utmost respect for wine culture and traditions, but to use the word “sommelier” to try to convince people that beer is as fancy as wine is a huge turn-off for me. Anyone who’s visited Beer Table knows that I try to provide the most informative service possible, but there’s no need for riding on wine’s coattails. Call me a “beer steward,” or better yet, a “waiter.” I just don’t believe in faking it.

What is something that people might not know about you? I used to sell Volkswagens for about four months, and I loved it.

Favorite book? No real favorite right now, though I do love the Au Pied du Cochon cookbook.

What are you doing tonight? I’ll be here. In the last ten months I’ve done nothing else.