Article on "beer personalities" ... beyond just geeks and snobs

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Beercub, Jun 19, 2012.

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  1. Beercub

    Beercub Crusader (421) Jan 10, 2007 Massachusetts

    Interesting.... I think I identify more with the Populist, but can on occasion venture into the other areas.... Do you like the categories? Which do you identify with the most? What is most representative of BAs? I'd guess Populists, but i'm sure we're all represented across the types

    http://www.masslive.com/entertainme...he_5_craft_beer_personality_t.html#incart_hbx

    Exerpt:

    The Beer Geek: Beer geeks are quirky and funny and wonderful people.I do not consider myself one of this breed as I am not as fanatical or as obsessive as true geeks are. Beer geeks are completists and cannot stand not to try everything that's out there. They also are very fun to talk to and dispense both knowledge and good will to everyone around them. They often are homebrewers. They delight in talking about their favorite beers and rarely feel they need to come off the smartest monkey in the brew zoo (even though they often are). They attend numerous festivals and take copious notes. More than a few times, my beer geek pals have provided me great insights that I otherwise would not have. In short, the craft beer world wouldn't be anywhere near as good without these odd, but stalwart creatures.
    Beer Populists: This is the category I put myself in. While we are not obsessive, we really enjoy all types and styles of beer. Like beer geeks, we like to share our passion, but we do so by making craft beer seem accessible, which it is. We are less concerned with the technical side of beer and more concerned with people finding what they like and developing their individual palates. We also probably like to listen to people talk about beer than talk about it ourselves.
    Beer Gourmands: These folks are casual craft beer drinkers might even be seen enjoying a Michelob or a Budweiser once a while. That doesn't mean they don't enjoy craft beers, it means they don't care about what beer snobs say or worry about being politically correct in the overall craft beer culture. They enjoy what they enjoy, but they have been adventurous enough to step outside the major industrial breweries corral. They probably aren't going to be drinking Belgian Sours or double IPAs very often. But they have developed their palates to know a great beer when they drink one.
    The Know-It-All: These types are beer geeks with a flaw: They share their knowledge, but with an attitude that doesn't encourage discussion. They aren't necessarily snobs, but they try to hold sway over every conversation about beer and inject arcane bits of knowledge they've gleaned over the years into into them. This would all be fine if you didn't get the sense that they were trying to one-up you. Some of these folks also feel the need to find flaws in every brew no matter how much they like it. Sometimes you should just relax and enjoy a beer, but I get the feeling these people never do. They aren't quite as bad as beer snobs, because they don't tell you what to drink. But they aren't good for beer culture overall.
    Beer Snobs: As regular readers know, I can't say enough bad things about these types. Not only do they make beer aficionados like myself roll our eyes, they also turn off potential new craft beer lovers by their incessant need to dominate conversations, tell you why you're wrong to drink certain beers, and generally act like their subjective opinions are objective knowledge. Ayn Rand would be proud.
     
    #1 Beercub, Jun 19, 2012
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  2. palmdalethriller

    palmdalethriller Zealot (624) Dec 26, 2007 California

    I think I probably fall somewhere between the populist, geek and gourmand. Not my favorite set of classifications, but it makes for something fun to think about.

    I'm guessing that there's a lot of populists out here... but I KNOW there's a lot of geeks too. Lots of guys and gals on the trading forums seeking out their own personal whales and going at it with that pokemon attitude "Gotta catch 'em all!"
     
    #2 palmdalethriller, Jun 19, 2012
  3. aubuc1

    aubuc1 Initiate (0) Dec 19, 2007 Florida

    I don't think it is a good summary of craft beer folks.
     
    #3 aubuc1, Jun 19, 2012
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  4. Rob315

    Rob315 Initiate (0) Mar 20, 2010 Kentucky

    I think I fall between geek and populist, didn't realize there were so many classifications for ba's.
     
    #4 Rob315, Jun 19, 2012
  5. hopsputin

    hopsputin Grand Pooh-Bah (4,403) Apr 1, 2012 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    Populist probably, I'm not extremely knowledgable on all the technical things.

    ....then again, I do throw poop. Does that make me a smart monkey? :wink:
     
    #5 hopsputin, Jun 19, 2012
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  6. jaybags

    jaybags Initiate (0) Mar 16, 2012 Michigan


    you must be a beer snob :stuck_out_tongue:
     
    #6 jaybags, Jun 19, 2012
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  7. carteravebrew

    carteravebrew Initiate (0) Jan 21, 2010 Colorado

    Anybody else get tired of hearing themselves talk about beer to other people? That's kind of where I am. So I just drink what I feel like drinking and pretty much make every attempt to drop any conversation about beer, because I'm tired of saying something and wondering if I sound like some kind of elitist (even when I don't).
     
    #7 carteravebrew, Jun 19, 2012
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  8. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,884) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Incomplete. Needs to be divided into subcategories and country of origin.
     
    #8 TongoRad, Jun 19, 2012
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  9. hopsputin

    hopsputin Grand Pooh-Bah (4,403) Apr 1, 2012 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    Sort of. I usually only talk with strangers about beer at a beer bar and these forums. If I'm with friends/family I know they don't really care (yet) so I will keep it to a minimum
     
    #9 hopsputin, Jun 19, 2012
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  10. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    I'm a beer geek populist hybrid.
     
    #10 Hanzo, Jun 19, 2012
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  11. StarRaptor

    StarRaptor Initiate (0) Jun 8, 2010 California

    It's a fine line between Beer Geek and The Know-It-All and almost entirely in the eyes of the beholder
     
    #11 StarRaptor, Jun 19, 2012
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  12. MarkIntihar

    MarkIntihar Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2010 Michigan

    No troll category? :wink:
     
    #12 MarkIntihar, Jun 19, 2012
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  13. tjensen3618

    tjensen3618 Maven (1,391) Mar 23, 2008 California

    For every 2 people that respond with beer geek, I can guarantee one of them is a know-it-all, they just won't admit it.
     
    #13 tjensen3618, Jun 19, 2012
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  14. HarrySTruman

    HarrySTruman Initiate (0) May 16, 2012 Michigan

    The lack of "Town Drunk" category leaves me without a home... :slight_frown:
     
    #14 HarrySTruman, Jun 19, 2012
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  15. KingforaDay

    KingforaDay Pooh-Bah (2,445) Aug 5, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I think this is the key. It's really not for us to say "I fall into one category or the other". The BMC drinker may view a beer geek as a beer snob and the beer snob may view you as entirely something different. Not sure why we need to come up with classifications anyway. All I know is I love beer and my wife and kids think I am crazy.
     
    #15 KingforaDay, Jun 19, 2012
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  16. bubseymour

    bubseymour Grand Pooh-Bah (4,800) Oct 30, 2010 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm a mix of the top 3 but perhaps venture into the know-it-all realm from time to time but I'm not trying to one up or prove greater self worth. Sometimes I sense I bore people with a little too much beer talk, but that is just because I'm excited to talk about it. I guess I got to learn when the time is right to shut it down and talk about football or fishing etc. Certainly not a beer snob. I have Natural Light and Yuengling in my fridge at the moment. Plan to have a Dupont Saison in there next weekend! :-)
     
    #16 bubseymour, Jun 19, 2012
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  17. bubseymour

    bubseymour Grand Pooh-Bah (4,800) Oct 30, 2010 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Here's the keys Otis! Let yourself out in the morning!
     
    #17 bubseymour, Jun 19, 2012
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  18. MLucky

    MLucky Initiate (0) Jul 31, 2010 California

    Hmmm, well... if we want to group beer drinkers as conversationalists I guess this is OK.

    I'd be more interested in somebody who could come up with more meaningful categories than just whether somebody can talk about beer without being an asshole.
     
    #18 MLucky, Jun 19, 2012
  19. tubbnik

    tubbnik Initiate (0) Apr 21, 2006 Pennsylvania

    Incomplete...no 10th Level beer Nerd
     
    #19 tubbnik, Jun 19, 2012
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  20. Grohnke

    Grohnke Initiate (0) Sep 15, 2009 Illinois

    Geek checking in but i now feel narcissistic considering myself "funny, quirky, and wonderful", per the definition. I'm not disagreeing, however.
     
    #20 Grohnke, Jun 19, 2012
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