Anthony Bourdain: Craft beer fans have gone too far

i'm a huge craft beer fan but I agree with a lot of what he says. Craft beer snobbery is well beyond a tipping point. And while AB has shows based around food, they tend to be more about enjoying the food (and life itself) and not analyzing everything about what he's eating.

But I may be an outlier as I can enjoy a cold Modelo just as much as a great IPA in the right setting.

 

Eh, he was good on that episode of Archer.

 

I have to agree with him, but I have to admit that I am somewhat guilty of what he says. Sometimes I don't see the forest for the trees. I think what I take away from the piece is that he is saying that there is an element that takes itself too serious. If you know Bourdain at all, you know that this is a pretty typical attitude for him, he touches on wine people in the article, but he has attacked chefs, celebrities, restaurants and many others who take themselves way too serious. Just relax, enjoy the scene, have your beer, and enjoy the crowds too...chat with your neighbor.

Some of us get too wrapped up in the beer. We need to enjoy the view a little more.

Just my nickel's worth.

 

Can't wait to read about what else he's not into.

 

Can't disagree with him here - and luckily (and, usually, by design), I don't frequent those sorts of establishments. Unfortunately, there are many other types of bars around these days that are also "...not what a bar [should be]... about".

 

Right ? I guess 'dank ' just has a different meaning these days .

 

I like his show but he is a grumpy old codger. F him.

 

Not a surprising opinion. He's a food guy. I enjoy both fine dining and craft beer, but I keep them very much separate. If I'm eating a nice meal, I'm either drinking water or something light and crisp that I don't have to sip and savor. I was never big on pairing.

 

Tony, I love ya. I've loved to hear you talk about different foods and watch you experience different cultures for a long time -- but when you wander around London and vicinity drinking nothing but Guinness Draught (and complaining of a hangover -- c'mon man, it's 4%), I know your opinions on beer don't mean a thing to me.

Step out and visit some place like Sierra Nevada or Dogfish Head and get an idea of what brewing and beer is about -- maybe even talk with a good publican in England to find out how they've taken care of beer for centuries.

Just because some of us are sampling tasters doesn't mean we're so beyond your comprehension of reality -- keep that in mind the next time you're raving to us about braised pig snout or some sort of unbelievable bone marrow recipe. Many of us are giving you that same sideways view right back... but we may just take you up on a taste.

 

Snobbery is silly and annoying in any community, but I do have to agree with the OP. A critic complaining about critics does seem a bit hypocritical. (Wow, critic used 3 different ways in one sentence!)

 

I somewhat agree with him. My best beer drinking budy is mostly a BMC kinda guy and occasionally he will venture to say a fat tire or some hefe. Thing is we both enjoy beer and that is what it's all about for us. We mostly go to nicer beer bars that have a bigger variety for me and on several occasions fellow patrons and on rare occasions a snobby bartender will give him guff for ordering a bud. Snobbery is alive and well. Drink what you like enjoy what you're drinking and don't take what's in your glass overly serious.

Cheers

 

I don't care if someone wants to consume craft beer, macro, wine, pop, water, etc. with their food. Do what you like. But I personally am with you on this one. My craft consumption is separate from my meal. Give me a cold glass of water or unsweetened tea with my food.

 

STOP LIKING WHAT I DON'T LIKE AND GET OFF MY LAWN

 

Yeah , you can't really blame him (or anyone , really ) for that perception . There are definitely times when I wonder if Craft Beer has wandered so far into the forest of self-parody that they'll ever find their way out .

 

This is coming from the guy who puts ice in Pappy. Bourdain is a joke.

 

After eating yak balls in Sri Lanka beer geeks are not tolerable.

 

I agree with this in principle - I think we often take ourselves too seriously and forget that "it" is all about enjoying the beer and the social aspects. Where I don't agree is in the blanket application of the concept. I enjoy a tasting flight at a brewery. I'll try different beers once in a while when dining out, and I like pairing beers with foods. But as in other parts of life, I do try to avoid being an asshat about it - it's just beer and the way I choose to enjoy it. My way is no better or worse than anybody else's way.

But hey...he eats stuff I won't even think about eating (or would ever want to eat) and I drink stuff he doesn't drink. So what? I like a gourmet meal now and again, but sometimes 5 Guys just nails it for me. So as long as I'm not making any judgement either way about what (or who) is "better", who cares? It is all in the attitude, and I unfortunately think there is plenty of snobbery and pretentiousness to go 'round regardless of the "genre" (beer, wine, food, music...)

I can add one direct observation from the past couple of months. A pizza/sub shop around the corner from work just opened up a new place that is very nice and stepping up to a real restaurant or at least pub. It has kind of a mild steam punk/industrial vibe going on and a pretty impressive wall of I think 50 taps - overall, very cool. He was always busy before (despite a crappy location in a rundown convenience store) because the food was always good, but now it is insane. Even going by at 5:00, the place is packed and the clientele has changed. Takeout is still mostly the "regulars", but the dining room certainly wasn't. One of the guys here commented that it has become a "f%$&#*g hipster joint". Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it certainly is a noticeable change in the crowd. People who would not have given the old digs a second thought are flocking in, which is great for the owner and maybe an unintended bit of "marketing" brilliance, but a little weird for the regulars.