I can't get this concept out of my head, because i think that it is so true. It seems to me that many of the most famous beers out there have a "personality" that effects our taste buds. It reminds me of how young kids get into punk music, or rap music because of the personality of the performers. Because beer is consumed privately (mostly?), we tend to think of it as a reflection of the brewers, the label, and the location that it came from. i.e. Sam Adams- patriotic, steadfast, manly Lunch- down to earth, simple, modest Hop Stoopid- extreme, humorous I like this about beer, but am curious about your input. I think its interesting that very similar beers can be presented in almost polar opposite ways. Should we always taste beer blind? or should we think about the label/brewery/history/style (not beer style) that is presented?
I often consider atmosphere when drinking a beer, including things as seemingly unimportant as the label, marketing, and brewer reputation. The reason I'm such a hopeless (and happy!) mark for Figueroa Mountain is that I found them out of the blue and their taproom is exactly the type of place I would have if I owned a bar. Sitting at a table with pretzels & mustard, a tasting flight, and a pint of Hurricane Deck in Buellton is my happy place and whenever I drink Fig, I'm taken back to that place. I guess my short answer then is: It's worth it to consider all things when enjoying a beer (I actually now wonder how many people have actually read the label on Pliny compared to how many have drank it).
Interesting topic. Your first sentence is more telling than you realize. You think this is true, thus it is. If Sam Adams represents patriotism and manliness to you, so be it. Some may say that these "personality traits" of craft beers are no different than the images BMC tries to sell you when they market their AAL's. Ultimately, I think beers do indeed have personalities, the personalities that we the drinkers assign to them. Surely the marketing of the beer helps craft that personality, but we choose to ultimately buy into it.
I see the pros for drinking blind, but I take the label/brewery/history just as seriously. My wife reminds me far too often that I seem to enjoy buying beer more than I enjoy drinking it. That all comes back to the artistic side of my personality. I love the art, colors, logos, names, creative descriptions and histories found in craft beer. They rev you up for what's coming next. Will the beer exceed, match, or disappoint compared to the presentation or origin? The more you drink/buy/study craft beer, the more you understand how incredibly complex and creative the process is from beginning to end. It is an ART FORM that assaults multiple senses. Enjoy with every one of them!
When I was a kid, those "head for the mountains of Busch" commercials made me think Busch beer was just for cowboys. Nowadays, whenever I see an idiot college kid chugging a Busch Lite while out tailgating, I can't help but think "he's not a cowboy". Funny how that stuff sticks with you over the years.
I think what you're calling "personality" is what most people call "marketing" or "product positioning."
I agree that we can put "personalities" on beers. It's also one of the reasons that I think glassware matters. I also think craft brewers impart "personalities" onto their beers when they craft them. And insofar as how you drink it, treat a new beer like someone you're meeting for the first time - be patient and courteous, a little curious, and make them as comfortable as you can (glassware and temperature), so they can express themselves most honestly. Be fair to beer.
Beersonality I actually think this is a cool way to refer to what others have already noted, is basically marketing. But it's beer--so "marketing" sounds cold and boring, even if that's what it is. As someone who really enjoys the label/naming component of craft beer, I would agree that you could get sort of a personality.
I generally find myself applying the personality I associate with the brewery to all of their beers, regardless of how the label and name may differ from their other beers. Ruthless Rye, for instance, dresses differently from SNPA, but I mostly think of it in the same terms as the pale (dependable, practical, and someone you're really happy to see at whatever party or bar or grocery store you happen to be at).
