What I said is only condescending if you instinctively identify yourself with the latter group. I stand by my statement and think that plenty of other people can read it without feeling the need to get defensive. I encouraged and endorsed people of modest means finding less expensive means to expand their horizons, and flatly stated that at some point, acquiring a bottle is a rather reasonable thing to do. And since I personally don't judge people like that as I seldom know them well enough to do so.... I'm sorry to say that's just your own self-perception that's making you feel a little uncomfortable there. I suggest you work on yourself rather than lashing out at others.
So you're saying that someone who might wind up feeling ripped off needs to actually feel ripped off before they can say that they think it might not be worth it? Someone who's never tried it can't look at the simple facts and say, "Clearly my money is better spent elsewhere"? I'm not saying it's a ripoff. I don't think it is. But you don't have to try something to realize that it won't suit your needs. I don't have to buy a Ferrari to know that I can't afford a Ferrari. I don't have to buy an RV to confidently state, with full knowledge and experience, that I don't need an RV.
As I noted, there are perfectly valid reasons for a connoisseur of modest means to justify the acquisition of such a bottle. And there are also foolish reasons to do the same. Only you can decide for yourself which side of the spectrum you fall on. And if you're feeling defensive about what I said, well then, that says more about you than it does about my viewpoint, which I stand by as being a pretty rational approach to what some folks (myself included) might consider to be a rather substantial investment in beer education. Why take that route if you are still at the point that you can try a half dozen other styles you've never had before for considerably less money? It just doesn't make sense on the basis of one's beer edification.
What if someone still learning about styles asked: What's a better investment in beer education: A bottle of Utopias, or my first Rauchbier, my first Oud Bruin, my first Flander's red, my first gose, my first Sahti, and a bottle of Dark Lord? Which would you endorse as being a better choice for someone wanting to learn about beer, who's never had any of those beers before? IMNSHO "grab Utopias because it's expensive and rare" will provide considerably less experience for your dollar. But, if you've already tried all of those.. then Utopia starts to become a pretty reasonable investment. That's all I was saying.
