Craft Beer Snobs

There is a pretty fine line there though. While some would enjoy learning more about the beer, others would just like to drink the beer and/or enjoy the company around them.


I'd liken it to a mechanic diving into the details of a fix. Some people may be curious as to what the fix entails, and others just want their car to run again.

 

Just ignore them, it's really their insecurities talking and that's an internal fix.

 

Yesterday I went to Sand City at noon...it was me and three other dudes....only ONE of us had a beard....

 

So,.....

Was that you!?!

Cheers!

 

I usually experience this at record stores. The chain stores that still sell records employ people who, in general, aren't always the snobbiest aficionados. Once I hit up the real record stores it seems my punk isn't crusty enough, and my metal favors the grind too much and isn't black enough. I have never run into this in a bar, brewery, taproom, or liquor store. This website may very well be the only place where I have been berated for my beer choices. But then again, if it isn't brewed in Colorado it isn't beer to begin with.

 

Yesterday I went to Sand City at noon...it was me and three other dudes....only ONE of us had a beard....

No way!!! - I realized after I wrote that I set myself up for that! Craft Beer Lovers Without Beard Club!! #CBLWBC

 

Why don’t you just go to those craft bars and give one of those beers a chance? Who knows....you might like it. Furthermore, your original post mentioned all the beers you prefer to IPA. Well....IPA is not the only style in craft beer. Plenty of options.

 

AKA those too good to drink Boston Lager or SNPA.

 

If you don't like it, don't buy it, If you don't like the establishment and don't want to hear those lectures, don't go there, these places are catering to the people who pay their bills and help them generate profit, there are clearly not enough people like you in your area to create a wealth of the places that you want to be. That being said, why should they accommodate you at the expense of those who are likely their best customers? If people are being rude to you that's one thing (no one should do that) but the market determines what these establishments serve by and large and no one owes you an old speckled hen, or a Miller high life, you are not entitled to that, you are of course allowed to be dissatisfied that what you want is not what everyone else wants, but don't act like you're the only sane man in the asylum or that some kind of injustice has been perpetrated against you, you don't deserve accommodation any more than anyone else does. I'm not even saying you're wrong about those beers being good and the latest 'craft ipa' being shite or played out, but if people want shite, the market will supply it. I'm not trying to be rude, but it seems to me you are looking at this with the assumption that you have the moral beer high ground when in reality, there isn't one, and the logical thing would be for you to respect/acknowledge that.

 

I'm a bartender in my mid-20s, I have a beard, thick-rimmed glasses, and even a beer-related tattoo- I certainly look the part of the hipster "snob", but my biggest point of pride in my work is the fact that I'm very careful not to act like one or conduct myself in a way that could be construed like that. I think there's a huge difference between people who are passionate and eager to share what they love, and people who get off on giving condescending lectures to those they deem less knowledgeable. I think there's a growing movement in the craft beer scene towards calling out elitist snobs and gatekeepers, as the community is largely becoming more mature, and more people just want to enjoy their beer and share their passion with like-minded folks. I'm sorry you've had to deal with image-conscious dickheads and have had a bad taste left in your mouth because of it.

 

The people that baffle me the most are the ones who hate on Sam Adams/complain about its presence in craft bars, but then happily drink Sierra Nevada in those same bars. What is it that makes one big, old-guard craft brewery acceptable and one big, old-guard craft brewery utterly gauche?

 

I’ve been on Beer Advocate since 2009 and I STILL drink Corona AND whatever craft I like. I have always railed against snobs but quite frankly, it’s a losing battle, it’s like arguing about bad drivers. I drink whatever I want and I don’t give a damn about hipsters, they will move on to whatever their hipster friends tell them to. I’ll drink a Coors Banquet, or I’ll drink a Stone Xocoveza. Whatever. That’s probably why I’ve withdrawn myself from Beer Advocate over the last few years. I don’t want to be in the cool club. I just don’t care anymore.

 

I’m an equal opportunity drinker. While I prefer good beer, I won’t turn down bad beer.

I also find that in a bar, how people treat you is a reflection of the image you project.

If you are polite and open minded, you’ll have a good time. If you act like a douche, you’ll be treated like a douche. I’ve been in bars in 25+ countries and never had a problem. This is truly the golden rule.

 

I had someone call me an idiot cause I pronounced jai alai incorrectly. Really hated that moment.

 

I hate people that only drink craft beer, they're so single minded and douchey. I prefer cheap beer and keep things simple, gimme my Labatt and get on with your life.
-ironically the person who hates the snob lecturer starts to lecture about cheap beer

drink what you like. ignore turd burglars at the bar who think they know better.

 

Hmmm.........interesting. People who only drink craft beer are so single minded?? As far back as I can remember, going all the way back to high school, I absolutely hated AALs. I was the guy at parties drinking mixed drinks when most other people were drinking Bud Light and MGD. Then one day I happened to try a SA Boston Lager. Now all of a sudden my hatred for beer turned into a love for craft beer. For the past 30 years I have drank nothing but craft beer. Not because I’m trying to impress someone or look cool, because I only like craft beer. Not sure why this concept is so hard for you to grasp but it’s a real thing. Now, I’m going to go back to being douchey and finish my KBS.

 

Again, for the billionth time, why does anyone care what anyone else drinks?

 

I have no problem with Boston Beer Company / Sam Adams. That said, in answer to your question, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company always has been beloved and respected by craft beer geeks, and Sam Adams always has received a tepid response at best from that audience. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (1980) arguably invented the modern American Pale Ale, and Sierra Nevada Celebration (1981) arguably went farther into modern IPA range than any beer that predated it. Those are the two dominant styles in American craft beer to this day, in no small part because of Sierra Nevada's influence. Boston Beer Company, on the other hand, long was derided by early craft beer geeks as a marketing company that happened to market beer, especially since it was client-brewing its "Boston" Lager in Pittsburgh, Portland, and Cincinnati at a time when consumers were more sensitive to contract-brewing than they are today (not that you won't still see threads here complaining about the practice). Boston Lager, while clearly superior to "macro swill," struck a lot of early craft consumers as a little too reminiscent of the bad stuff from which they were trying to get away, whereas Sierra Nevada was making no attempt to appeal to mainstream beer drinkers. Sierra Nevada beers received top ratings in the early days of this website and the other site in a way that most Sam Adams beers never did. Indeed, Sierra Nevada always has produced mostly very good craft beer, and Sam Adams always has produced mostly mediocre craft beer (not that it doesn't occasionally impress).

Sierra Nevada rose to near the top of the craft brewing heap because it was one of the first craft breweries to make great beer. Boston Beer Company rose to near the top of the craft brewing heap because it was one of the first craft brewing companies to do great marketing.

 

If you're lecturing other people on what they drink, 99% chance you're being an asshole. I leave 1% open for the possibility where there's a genuine issue that person may have with the company in question. For instance there's a lot of people angry at Ballast Point/Constellation over a water rights dispute in Baja. Regardless of your opinion on that in the end, it's an actual issue that affects humans. If it came out tomorrow that some famous brewer engaged in severe criminal behavior I'd understand that as well. There's a few cases where I could see that being a legitimate discussion.

That said, a good friend of mine drinks AALs, and almost exclusively AALs. I don't give a fuck because we have a good time when we hang out and it doesn't mean jack shit as far as our friendship goes. If I have no reason to lecture, chide or whatever my friend, there's no reason anyone should ever do it for strangers.

Now, there's ribbing that occurs and I've noticed some people take real offense to it. The OP here strikes me as that person. I know someone who lost it because someone who was a casual friend said something to the effect of "I don't drink Ballastweiser" and he took offense to that. If you can't take some light ribbing, then stop hanging out with other humans. It goes the other way too when people make jokes about how into it craft heads are and about the hype train, etc. In other words, lighten the hell up and learn to not get offended by small comments that mean dick in the big picture. In my experience there's very, very few people who are pushy and being assholes.

Be good to each other, don't forget that AAL drinkers are people too, just people with terrible taste in beer.

 

He lectured you for 20 minutes?

C'mon, man. That's just not true.