Defining "beer geek"?

Interesting read. I really like Jeff's work and his book, The Beer Bible, is one of the most effective hybrids of beer history/styles and narrative - though I do agree the overall narrative or arch is pretty subtle.

To address his argument, I'm not entirely sure these distinctions among the beer community are necessary or needed - yes, to some degree, I do think that's his point, but then he does spend an awful lot of time creating these categories and even lumping himself into one. For me, can't we just be good beer lovers? Do we need classifications to help identify how much we love beer? What does that get us? Do we gain anything from that aside from false dichotomies?

Now, to be fair, I am the first to be suspect of whale hunters or those who go to extreme lengths of rig the system to secure super-rare beers, but I'm suspect of those kinds of folks no matter the endeavor - be it sneakers or some other cultural, collectible fad. But I guess the point I'm trying to make is - and Jeff did mention this - other countries where beer has a richer history and greater cultural impact don't have these stratifications or delineations in terms of fandom. Jeff himself categorized himself as a pub-goer, which is something you might find in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, etc - all fertile brewing countries. The beer is either good or bad. You either like it or you don't. You talk about it, you discuss it, you may go to certain pubs for certain beers, seek out others, etc, but there's no real categorization or degree to which you identify...

Point being: Can't we just all enjoy the wonder, togetherness, and joy of a finely made beer without having to plunk ourselves into certain camps? Or perhaps even define what these camps are?

Wow, this little soliloquy went nowhere. Apologies. It's Friday afternoon and I could use a good pint myself.

 

Sorry folks, anyone reading about or worrying about whether or not they are a beer geek is a beer geek.

 

you are part of this site or others (including FB secret groups) you are a Beer Geek.

 

I think there's misuse of labels. Both Geek and Nerd have always had the connotation of someone actually knowing a lot about the subject and/or perhaps being very intelligent in general, or speaks intelligently about the more difficult aspects of the subject. The people who are hoarders or trendy beer seekers or tickers do not necessarily fit that description, and in my experience they rarely have a lot of geeky or nerdy knowledge about beer. The geeks and nerds tend to be the professional brewers or very well read/educated homebrewers. Maybe the various Cicerones and such deserve the titles as well.

Trend followers should simply be labeled as such.
Tickers should be labeled as such.
Hoarders should be labeled as such.

 

I think the author's update is the most important point and very true:

"...The idea with the post was to point out that a new subculture within [craft] beer has developed. I don't think semantics matter here--whether that or another subculture, or even the whole of beer fandom, gets called "beer geek" isn't really the point. The point is more that there now are many different currents within the beer-enjoying community and I feel somewhat out of step with some of them.

I'd like to add that, although I don't see myself as a beer geek in the way paragraph three describes them, I have nothing against those who are. Fandom is like anything--your preferences may vary. I have much more in common with whale-hunters than I do with Bud Light drinkers. We don't need to play our expressions of fandom against one another."


I don't think anyone can deny the craft beer community has become large enough to develop sub-cultures of people with varying interests in craft beer and sometimes those sub-cultures don't see eye to eye or outright clash, just like they might in other communities (e.g. music, sports, movies, etc.) I don't think there's any need to try to label the beer subcultures, and it may even be futile to try, but it doesn't change the fact that the differences are there.

 

I love beer, but admittedly I a'm probably an outsider to many people here because I don't kiss beer seller asses by frequenting their place so often that they prefer my U.S $ to joe shmo"s. I just pass on that it's sitting in the back for my real regulars shit. and you would never ever catch me wasting my time for 4 hours + not including travel time for beer no matter how great it is, it's just not for me. there is an overwhelming amount of awesome beer out there that is just fine with me!. and whales, makes me laugh because that is a bandwagon jumper to me.and those are my beer geek definitions . wont make any friends here that does the things I said here, but this is just an on-line forum, doesn't mean as much to me as you beer geeks( you know who you are!) lol

 

A beer geek is someone who knows more about beer than me.

 

Article made me lol.
Do you we really need another semantics debate?

 

Go into the bathroom, turn on the light - that person looking back at you is what a beer geek looks like. If the beer geek in the mirror is holding a beer that cost over $5, you are also a beer snob. If you see nothing, replace the light bulb.

 

You never (at least I never) hear the terms "cigar geek" or "wine nerd", etc., so I would argue that unless something has a prerequisite "class" or status attached to it, committing any effort towards it (whatever "it" represents) exhudes geekiness, silliness or whatever. There may be folks who try to capitalize on a popular trend, folks who tool themselves into a scene, etc., but i takr exception to being referred to as a geek or nerd simply because I choose to be knowledgeable about something I enjoy.

 

I'm late 20s and definitely see a transition in my own habits. It really does feel like any other hobby. Really into it for awhile. Then a break. This is when people sell their stuff on ebay to use that money for other hobbies. Then a gradual rekindling. This is when they buy it back. Now I am content being an outsider viewing from the sidelines as my area has more breweries than I could ever have imagined. These were days I dreamed o years ago. Yet today, I am less eager than ever.

For awhile, wherever I visited, I had and wanted to try as many breweries and beers as I could. Some thousand beers in now, I don't feel I have to try everything anymore. I'll be making a trek up to VT later this summer for a wedding, so my hybrid beer geek/beer nerd will be put to the ultimate test. I'm not sure which side will come out.

 

No reason to apologize, everything you said made sense. It's absolutely mind boggling though that anyone in the world cares enough about defining themselves as a beer geek to write an article like that in the first place. Come to think of it, I can't believe I care enough to respond to this thread. Cheers and have a good weekend sir.

 

I don't give two thirds of a broken turd what people consider me. Call me a beer dickhead for all I care... I'm not a 15 year old kid anymore. Anyone else find most of these online articles or blogs are too lame to finish reading?

 

The only solution I can see is a definitive Gangs of New York style battle between the beer geeks and nerds. Bricks, bats, axes, knives. There's simply not room for both.

 

I believe you also just described the movie Anchorman

 

I'm a beer geek and snob.
What's to be ashamed about.....

 

Last time I checked geeks were kept behind curtains and bit the heads off chickens... but I've been told I am a traditionalist.

 

The next big craft beer trend: Chicken Head Beer!?!

Cheers!