"It's just beer"

I get the gist of what you're saying and I tend to agree.

However, when I miss out on something that is seasonal or limited, I'm always telling myself, "eh, it's just beer." Not because I don't have an appreciation for what I just missed out on. But because there will likely be some other limited/seasonal release that I'll grab eventually.

It's also a major reason I don't trade. There is (or will be) some great version of almost every style that I can (or will be able to) purchase without going through the trading route. Will I get Heady that way? Nope. But I can get some terrific DIPAs.

That's the nice thing about beer. There will always be more great ones you can get sometime in the future.

 

I personally have major FOMO and need to continually remind myself that "its only beer" and i cant "drink them all". it rarely helps but i try.

and i completely agree about the "its only beer" comment being out of place. often times, it is really misplaced. i know i had an interaction with a brewery owner on the east coast who was telling me to relax about not getting some of his beers that i wanted. to me, that was completely foul and hollow. easy for a guy who has access to any beer in the world he wants at almost any time to tell us to "relax, its only beer". easy to say, harder to do, and sometimes a misplaced feeling on both sides

 

The problem is beer is in a stuck position that it can't get out of.

When someone wants to get proper glassware, or serve at the right temperature, or demands freshness it's considered snobbery.

Then when someone is waiting in line to get the next and great from Hill Farmstead, Goliath, whatever... suddenly "it's just beer".

It can't be mocked for being taken seriously and then bashed because suddenly people are serious to wait in line for some great release. You can't have it both ways... but that is exactly the dilemma it is stuck at.

 

Relax, dude. It's just beer.

How many of us have said pretty much the exact same thing about wine, coffee, cheese, or perhaps some sort of food? Heck, how many other hobbies that we personally don't appreciate do we disparage? "You're playing in a Pokemon tournament???" This all just seems like human nature. The bottom line is that it is silly to assume anyone else would respect our own hobbies, beer or otherwise.

 

Usually I read "it's just beer" to mean "maybe it's time to reset/adjust your perspective." It's easy to get caught up in chasing down the latest whale, obsessing about some big beer event or whatever ... but in the grand scheme of things, still ... it's just beer. Bottom line, it's made to be enjoyed. When people get worked up about beer to the point that it starts getting negative, sometimes they need a reminder.

 

Relax dude, it's just a shiny Mewtwo.

 

I have a bit of an OCD personality, and it's tough with being into beer...I want to have everything...I've been through this before, the last thing was my progressive rock CD collection, after about 2000 of them, I had to get some perspective

 

This, so much this

 

also, "it's just beer" means "don't go berserk on social media denigrating the brewery because you didn't get what you wanted" and "don't skip your kids birthday to wait on line for a one-off release" and "don't get in a fistfight with some other guy because he doesn't enjoy insert-new-hyped-beer-here as much as you do"

 

I get what you're saying, but would add:

1. Perhaps you're reading too much into the "it's just beer" comments
2. Usually when I see people use the "it's just beer" comment (and they don't mean it self-reflectively), it's normally in response to someone being irate or losing perspective or just blowing something out of proportion. I've never seen anyone say "had a great time waiting in line for XYZ release, hanging out with my buddies and sharing some brews" and then get a response of "calm the fuck down dude, it's just beer!"

 

With wines coffees and cheeses people just pay more for premium offerings. There is not this culture of standing in line for special releases. The only things comparable in consumer products I can think of are game consoles, and electronics frim Apple. And I gather some people mock those line standers as well.

 

Absolutely agreed, well stated. I don't see it as down playing the "blood sweat and tears" going into crafting a quality product but the extreme behavior of the individuals to acquire such a product. "It's just beer" is just a humility check statement, it's to remind you about the bigger picture within the context of the beer culture.

 

LOL at people taking tasting notes ... wait, do people do this?

 

The only time I've gotten that comment in a negative type of way is when its coming from a person who doesn't get it, isn't into it and doesn't care to be. It applies to a lot of things.

"Dude why are you waking up at 3am to go to the gym every day?"

"Why the fuck would you hike a mountain at midnight just to watch the sun rise?"

"You stood in line for half an hour to buy one bottle of beer for $6.50? That's insane!"

Even my wife has rolled her eyes when I've used proper glassware for a beer, but it is what it is. My wife also doesn't care about drinking a DIPA or an imperial stout and has no reason to, and so for that reason I shrug it off. Just because its important to me doesn't mean anyone else is obligated to care.

I do agree with your post though, if its coming from someone who seemingly does care about the culture and then is calling people dumb for getting excited about it, that's lame.

 

I get mad when I hear the "it´s just beer" phrase, then the other day my friend got in a fight for a soccer match, and I told him "chill, it´s only a game" and I heard myself and immediately regret saying that. I think hobbies become part of your life and you take them seriously, that is weird to other people that do the exact same thing with their hobbies as well. That´s why clubs exist I think.

 

Also do you think everyone is going to agree with everyone? I am not to the point of standing in line to wait for a release, but I am not going to comment "it is just beer" to someone who does. But if you post it here, you will get those replies from some. Don't take it too serious "it is just beer". Shit did I just say that