Controversial Beer Opinions Thread

For them it may be willful self-destruction. but when they feel superior and look down on others for not doing that....

 

Never having witnessed or heard of any effort or intent to exclude anybody from any beer-themed activity for any reason, I dismiss this as an issue that I need to worry about.

 

In responding to this I thought, "Fuck, he just made it pretty difficult to rebuff his stance, didn't he?"

That said, here's my comfortable white heterosexual male response: Nobody cares. Drink great beer and have fun. Those are the only prerequisites to being a beer geek. Anyone looking any deeper into the demographics is not looking to do those things and is just looking to start shit.

 

Your just trying to trap me into saying something you can twist around. Plus I already explained it in this very thread, as I already mentioned on this very page.

I never said such a thing. And if it did, why would I even bother replying?

 

So because you, one person in a sea of many, has never noticed it happening, it means it's not happening?

In your mind, why do you think more women, people of color, or LGBTQ participate in the craft beer scene? There has to be a reason, and I believe it's because they're not made to feel as welcome as straight white males.

 

You’ve never witnessed someone getting “cut off” at a bar or refused entry for being underage? But seriously - I am of the opinion that reality is way, way more complicated than your characterization above - and to reduce the conversation to just those observations doesn’t do the topic justice... but I honestly think you should have posted this as a response to someone else who was initially stating a more direct opinion on the matter. I was simply adding some info to someone else's post and I definitely don’t want to get pulled further into this topic. Your posts are usually way funnier though.

 

That's not what I said. I said I hadn't seen or even heard about it happening.

I still haven't.

 

There are a couple gay fellas in craft beer geek circles here in Pittsburgh and I assure you that nobody looks at them as "the gay guys". They're just people that enjoy craft beer, just like the rest of us. On top of that they're also not white. Although I can't speak for everyone, our group here isn't exclusive in the least. We just want more people to drink beer with, white heterosexual male or otherwise.

Indeed.

 

You're right and I apologize. You were just the last post in the thread and I seem to have been too lazy to scroll back up.

 

It's honestly great that you guys are personally inclusive to everybody. That's the way it should be across the board. It's unfortunately not the case across the entirety of the craft beer spectrum.

 

I'm just happy that they include opinionated pricks.

 

In my mind, I've never considered the problem, or even considered that there was a problem, because, as stated, I've never witnessed it or heard of anyone else witnessing it.

'There has to be a reason' does not provide any kind of basis for me to attempt to correct any particular errors or omissions which I honestly do not recall having been guilty of. The few LGBTQ individuals I know simply aren't interested in beer and, with the best will in the world, I don't think I can make them be. I suppose I could post an ad or invite random strangers but that would probably end up falling somewhere on the spectrum between creepy and outright scary.

 

But didn't you just... ahh forget it.

 

I am certainly not suggesting you take an ad out in Craigslist asking for random strangers to drink beer with you. In fact, I'd probably 100% advise against that.

But in all seriousness, just because you aren't personally doing anything wrong doesn't mean you can't do things to help the overall problem. Do I have all of the answers for how we can make craft beer an inclusive utopia? No, not even close. But I definitely think steps should always be made towards more inclusivity, in every corner of the world and in every hobby. and the only way to figure out those steps is to actually have that conversation, rather than saying "I haven't seen it happen, so I don't see it as an issue."

 

Speak for yourself. That's how I met my wife.

 

Please stop misrepresenting what I said. I also said that I hadn't heard of it happening. I still haven't. Whatever 'it' is.

I do keep hearing that there must be a problem and that we should do something about it. Please tell me what the problem is and suggest what steps we should take. Presumably we can't make people who aren't interested drink craft beer so I'm assuming that you feel we ought to make them want to on their own. An incentive program of some sort? Education?

I await your guidance.

 

I'm not saying there is or isn't a bona fide "problem", as frankly I don't know enough to make such a strong statement. But obviously if there is a problem, as a straight white male I (and I'm guessing you but I may be wrong) am in the group that's least likely to recognise it. And given that that group makes up the majority of beer drinkers..... you see?

I mean is the last 100 years not littered with many situations where straight white men haven't seen problems, despite them (very obviously in hindsight) existing?

 

I understand what you're saying but the fact that straight white males enjoy craft beer does not by extension imply that any other particular demographic is being oppressed or excluded. But I am totally open to being corrected.

 

Yes blacks and jews and woman) were excluded from golf clubs for decades I am unaware of any exclusion of people of color. If you are, enlighten me.
The fact that something is the way it is is not necessarily an indication of a problem.

 

Can anyone find any quotations/evidence that this IS an issue? I don't recall the initial argument earlier in this thread, but at the moment this appears like one helluva strawman...I'm not saying it isn't an issue, I'm just genuinely curious about any evidence stating that it is.