I just got this e-mail from Brian B., one of my regulars:

“Hey Sara, hope all is well, and I appreciate you keeping up the good work as my favorite bar-person. Hey, what is the deal with the cardboard coasters?! Why can’t I find a good bevnap at ‘popular’ bars lately? Did I miss some movement? Shouldn’t a $4 beer come with its own cleaning supplies? Are bevnaps suddenly not cool? I can’t imagine that a bar table covered with beer sweat is any less cool than that goofy disk stuck to the bottom of your glass, but I can’t find a decent cocktail napkin to save my life at most trendy bars. Screw them, I am headed back to my favorite hole-in-the-wall for a cheap beer and a bevnap buffet.”

I agree with Brian. All drinks should be served with “underwear,” as they call it in the industry. It’s that extra effort that says, “We value you as a customer. Sit down. Relax. Don’t worry about making glass-rings on our bar.” I’ve also noticed that the cardboard advertisements are replacing bevnaps at some local establishments like Flanagan’s and O’Shea’s. While they still have bevnaps at the bar, the cardboard coasters are thrown down instead. I’ve never really pondered on which I like better. It’s fun to play that end-of-table catch game with a stack of those cardboard things, but that’s probably my only pro. The main con is, they stick to your beer, and no amount of salt will prevent that.

So let’s reclaim our love for the simple bevnap and request them whenever drinks are ordered. Bevnaps 4-Eva

Life's too short to drink beer without bevnaps.