Join the Discussion!

Let’s be honest. Lately, there’s been a lot of negativity in the beer world. Much of this is due to the vocal minority distracting communities like BeerAdvocate.com and others. With their strong and frequently exercised voices, their din can often discourage others and make it difficult for more positive feedback to be heard. Pair that with the freedom to spew anonymous nonsense on the internet, and it can be brutal. And it gives the rest of us beer geeks a bad rap.

Time and time again, we’ve heard from both consumers and brewers alike: “I don’t get involved in discussion because of all of the negativity.” And we think that sucks. We need more voices in the discussion. Consumers, brewers and everyone else in the industry. We need all of you to be heard!

Here are some simple tips:

• Don’t be shy. You’re online. Engage people. Ask a question. Post an opinion. Reply to someone.
• Change the tide. Tired of negative posts? Post something fun, positive or thought provoking that rises above the BS. The general mood of an online community is often dictated by its users.
• Ignore the negativity. Block it out. Don’t respond.
• And if you can’t resist replying, don’t be antagonistic.
• It’s beer. Relax!

Ready to test your new skills? How convenient! We just launched a brand new BeerAdvocate community. Swing by. Be heard. beeradvocate.com/community

Respect Beer. ■