Is rare beer really that much better?

Depends on where you look. If you look on the trading forums and some of the threads here, and the top 250 list here, you'd get the impression that rarity rules. However, if don't listen to some BAs and you go out into your local beer scene most folks are concerned about the beer and enjoying the beer. (I've even encountered some who don't know rarity exists except in the abstract sense that Brewery X isn't distributed to State Y, if they know that much. And I've actually met a large number of people who don't even know the top 250 list exists. )

But that isn't actually novel or rare. Look deeply into any group of hobbiests and you'll find that the search for "rare" dominates their collecting activities.

 

I've said this before, but after trying Mornin Delight at a fest I had an epiphany, that chasing whales is largely fruitless b/c you may not even like what you trade for - and to trade for it you need to give up a ridic amount. I've talked to other who gave up 4 big bottles for BVDL then didn't even like the beer

 

Putting a low rating on a beer that took a lot of effort to acquire makes you feel like a chump.
Putting a low rating on a beer you waited weeks to get makes you feel like a chump.
Putting a low rating on a beer that everyone else loves makes you feel like you don't know beer.

It's easier to just set a glass floor of 4.00 rating for anything rare and high-five the other truck chasers. Just ramble off something about complexity to anyone who asks why.

 

Once you really start trying all the beer, I do mean ALL the beer, you start to notice that quality does not always come at a price or with a tremendous amount of hype. I can think back to how I had to have every bomber that I saw in WBAYDN, or how I had to try and get the beers that everyone was talking about . . . Now I go to the store armed with experience and I know that my great lakes beer that cost $8.99 a sixer is going to be tremendous! Just as tremendous as the most recent bomber that cost $10. It's only a matter of time and money before you gain a good perspective.

 

And notice there is another thing going on here. People have to actually believe that the apparent numerical differences in the rating scale scores actually reflect an meaningful difference. Truly a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing... :-)

 

And for some people Putting a low rating on a beer that took a lot to acquire, that they waited weeks to get, or that everyone else loves makes them feel superior to the chumps. So in the long run the numbers average out....

 

"Hype" can work for or against... will enhance a good beer, but will fan the flames on a bad experience, for having go to great lengths/efforts and being let down will make the disappointment even more intense... imo. example: white chocolate.