Beer & Brewery Pronunciation

I managed a beer bar for some time and met more than a handful of distributors, brewers, and others in the beer industry. In that time, I've never heard anything other than "Double IPA" or the occasional "Imperial IPA," so I think you're safe and your friend is full of it.

The only exception I've witnessed is the brewmaster of a phenomenal and well-regarded brewpub in Duluth, MN who thinks the whole "double/imperial" thing is overused (and I don't disagree.) Therefore he calls them "Royal IPAs," but that's just his weird quirk.

 

If you all speak Dutch, this video series about Westvleteren, Sint Arnoldus, and De Struise has plenty of cool info about all three breweries and you'll hear authentic Belgian (Flemish) pronunciations for all three. You'll also hear the English co-host butchering the names like most of us do with foreign breweries.

 

I sometimes use the site http://www.forvo.com/, which allows the user to search words and phrases for audio pronunciation. I've found a number of beer styles and brands there.

 

Well, I mean his name is Tomme Arthur. He just spells it differently than most Tommy's out there.

Though, I guess if you don't know that, it makes sense there would be confusion.

 

I'm throwing my hat in on saying Dee-Eye-Pee-A for double IPA's. But I don't think it would be the same for the "black" or "white" IPAs out there. I wouldn't say WIPA or BIPA out loud. It's the incorrect label for the styles anyway, and it's a little annoying to see breweries who should know better using the wrong terminology.

 

When first getting into craft beer I had many an embarrassing moment with 'saison'.

 

Ommegang - is it oh-meh-gahng, oh-me-gang or oo-me-gahng or something else?

 

Duh-shoots

 

I like to pronounce everything just how it is written. In English of course.
If anyone seems confused, just say it slower and louder.

 

Weihenstephaner. As difficult to pronounce as it is delicious.

 

German words tend to look daunting because they have a lot of syllables, but it's not that bad once you get used to it.
It's pronounced at least fairly close to "Vie - enn - shtuff - unner"

 

Crooked St-ah-v or Crooked St-ay-v??

 

It's "Stayv."
There are some funny stories going around town about people calling it "Stavv-ay."

 

This thread makes me thankful more Scotch distilleries aren't opening companion breweries. However, I wouldn't mind the idea of a heavily-peated Bruichladdich ("Brook-laddy") Wee Heavy...

 

I like to use the audio feature on Google Translate if I'm really curious. As long as you select the correct source language, it does a halfway decent approximation.

I'm sure there are some that aren't quite right, but names like Drie Fonteinen, Cantillon, Rochefort, Weihenstephaner, Westvleteren are all pretty damn close.

Hell, even Nøgne Ø is pretty decent...

 

Brian Cox did an amazing series on the pronunciation of Scottish Single malts

 

Thankfully. His guide is the only reason I knew how to properly pronounce Bruichladdich.

 

Say-zon, with the last syllable having a nasalized n.

 

I foresee the next million dollar product, "Beer and Brewery Pronunciation for Dummies" audio books, followed by the rest of the spectrum because, well, everyone would be impressed by our vernacular and the rest of the liquor drinking world wouldn't want to be one-upped by some bottom-dwelling beer drinkers