Beer Geeks vs. Beer Snobs?

What would you say, if anything separates a beer geek from a beer snob? I think beer geek has a more positive connotation...

Some of my bud light drinking friends get a little intimidated when I start talking about craft beer... I am very conscious of trying to not sound pretentious... but sometimes you cannot help but talk passionately about something you love...

Thoughts? What do you think we should be more like? Or does it really even matter?

I think a beer geek is someone who likes to try many different beers & styles of beers for the experience of them. A beer snob,to me,is someone that looks down their nose at lesser beings & their BMC preferences. I say drink what you like regardless. Do your own thing,but don't stop me from doing mine, thinking you're right & I'm wrong somehow. But they should at least want to try something different once in a while.

I guess I agree with UnionDr. I have to admit, I was at a friends house and opened his fridge to see Budweiser, and I made a snarky comment. He replied "Hey man, Budweiser is good beer". I stopped, pondered what to say next and decided against it.

That's the difference I guess. I could have rattled off a few reasons why Budweiser is fizzy corn/rice water with more in common with Sprite then beer... but I stopped. Just because I'm a beer geek doesn't mean I have to be a beer snob.

Now at home, me and wifey drop endless insults on those damned light lagers. Yuck.
Would I walk out of a liquor store because they only have BMC, your damn straight. But too each their own.

A snob is one who knows what a good bear is and won't drink piss water . A geek can be the same but also knows the ins and outs of beer.


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The Attitude is the main differentiators as explained by Uniondr...

But you could also say:

Beer Snobs will look down on their friends for drinking a beer they fell is sub-par regardless of the reasons, while feeling superior that they, and only they have found the Nectar of the Gods.

Beer Geeks will "bore their friends to death" with the technical minutia of the brewing process and how that makes their chosen beer the best, all the while feeling superior as they know how to make the Nectar of the Gods!

Or

Beer Snobs what to change what beer people drink

Beer Geeks want their Bottles back when your done.

Or, Beer Geeks care about what they drink, Beer Snobs care about what you drink.

MindenMan said:

Or, Beer Geeks care about what they drink, Beer Snobs care about what you drink.

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I like that.


I like to think I'm neither of those, but more of a "brew enthusiast". I'm not a geek as that would mean I would know as much as most of the membership here. I'm not a snob either. I don't care for the BMC swill, but one man's horse piss is another man's house beer. Who am I to judge?

I'm enthusiastic about brewing in general and want to know more about it, how to improve my brewing prowess, and in turn how to produce a better tasting beer than the last the last one I made.

Budweiser IS good beer. BJCP 1B Standard American Lager, it’s listed as a commercial example.

I had a Coors Light in 1985 and I won’t have another one. But I’m not going to criticize anyone for drinking it.

I’ve been called a beer snob and I’ll take it. My friends know I don’t give a damn what they’re drinking. If they want to make fun of me for knowing about beer, I’m OK with that.

Beergeek is worse, IMO. It connotes a know it all nerd who won’t shut up about stuff no one cares about.

I self identify as a homebrewer and let everybody draw their own conclusions.

They're pretty different to me.

Beer Snob: Judges people for drinking "lesser" beer. And thinks they know everything about beer. These are the clowns who simultaneously prove how judgemental they are while also proving they don't know anything about brewing, when they harass BMC drinkers for drinking "bad beer".

Beer Geek: Passionate about beer, but not judgmental. Will admit they don't know everything, yet always want to know more. These are the kinds who may not LIKE drinking BMC beers, but know enough about brewing to respect the technical perfection of the macro beers.

MindenMan said:

Or, Beer Geeks care about what they drink, Beer Snobs care about what you drink.

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I like this, I think it is a pretty short, succinct definition. Interesting what different people think of the two...

I've been called a beer snob because I won't drink a Bud, Miller, Michelob, or Coors when handed to me. I didn't like it in high school, I didn't like it 10 years ago, and I don't like them now. if someone makes fun of me for drinking "fancy beer" from a glass while they chug down some kinda BMC Light, I will ridicule them for their ice cold yellow fizzy water and how they're too floccin' sissy to taste beer. I might even get mean about it. if that makes me a beer snob, then let it be so.

Billy-Klubb said:

I've been called a beer snob because I won't drink a Bud, Miller, Michelob, or Coors when handed to me. I didn't like it in high school, I didn't like it 10 years ago, and I don't like them now. if someone makes fun of me for drinking "fancy beer" from a glass while they chug down some kinda BMC Light, I will ridicule them for their ice cold yellow fizzy water and how they're too floccin' sissy to taste beer. I might even get mean about it. if that makes me a beer snob, then let it be so.

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Dem's fightin words.

The only time I'll actively look down on a BMC drinker is when they walk into a craft beer bar and order a Bud Light or Miller Light when they can get a local lager or kolsch for less money. Though, at my local bar that's usually just Marines who have come down to hit on college girls. I don't really expect them to embrace the experience and try something new.

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We will always be faced with those that consider the BL...ML...and Coors to be good beer. One by one they will come to see the light of what they are truly missing in the beer world. First step is quite often a simple step of even an occasional Blue Moon...Sam Adams...or a New Castle for example. Baby steps to the what we know to be true beer....we MUST remember most of us were where they are right now. They need our help...and it is our duty to show them the light!!!

SeeAliceBrewery said:

We will always be faced with those that consider the BL...ML...and Coors to be good beer. One by one they will come to see the light of what they are truly missing in the beer world. First step is quite often a simple step of even an occasional Blue Moon...Sam Adams...or a New Castle for example. Baby steps to the what we know to be true beer....we MUST remember most of us were where they are right now. They need our help...and it is our duty to show them the light!!!

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Yes! I have converted many friends... the difficult part is giving them a craft beer they will like... I have had friends who drink the macros and helped them realized they're in love with Imperial Stouts and the like.. Inside my head I'm always like... "Welcome to the dark side" -insert villainous laugh-

SeeAliceBrewery said:

...and it is our duty to show them the light!!!

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Isn't that the opposite of what we want?

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beer snob: Snobbarity, is created by mommy and daddy. The snob lives within two miles of mommy and daddy and still goes on vacation with mommy and daddy. As a kid, the snobberite's toys were better than everyone else's. When a snobber is in the company of other snobberians, he/she tries to out do the other snobberites. In summary, a snobber's world is generally, the size of a pin head. To disguise the fact, they puff out their feathers. A beer snob sniffs a beer cap and tells everyone in ear shot what the beer will taste like and what improvements can be made in its production. It is easy to experiment on a beer snob, simply by placing a cigarette butt in their bottle of Cantillon Iris Petite le Pee Pee. After they drink the stuff, wait until they explain to everyone about the earthy flavors and distinct body of the swill. Then, tell them the bottle was used as an ash tray.

beer geek: A geek is born a geek. They are a strange breed, that rather e-mail someone that doesn't share their geekness, than speak to them face to face. Stemming from their parents slugging them if they spoke. Beer geeks hang out with other beer geeks. Geekness is the common denominator. Beer geeks are recognizable by a deformed ear from heat generated by a cell phone and calluses on their fingers from texting. The beer geek is usually geeked out in other things as well. Beer geeks will drink anything that has loads of hops and a lot of alcohol and favors beer with weird names. Beer made with ingredients found in health food, pie, shampoo and body ointments are on top of their list. The more imbalanced the beer, the more the beer geek likes it. Usually, a married geek has to ask for permission to go out drinking. Since, a geeks wife kicks the snot out of him every so often, he has to beg her for a few bucks. The syndrome causes a geek to be tighter than a gnats a$$ when it comes to buying a beer for their geek friends.

I think the difference is the same as a geek vs fanboy. A geek is someone who's passionate about something, wants to talk about it, learn about it, etc. A snob often does the same, but looks down on someone who doesn't share their own opinion. I think a ven diagram would have a lot of overlap, but the snob is someone who talks down and the geek is someone who talks and educates.

That said I consider myself more of a geek than a snob but I've been called a snob because of how I go about drinking and talking about beer. I don't trash talk people's choice in beer. My grandfather drinks coors, hell aside from my siblings and a few cousins, everyone in my family drinks miller, coors, bud, etc. Cause that's what they grew up on. Or what they like, whatever.

I think you can be a snob without being rude about it. I feel like most American lager drinkers would prefer something else if they only knew better. I try to keep it to myself.

If nobody asks you …

Jayslay said:

I guess I agree with UnionDr. I have to admit, I was at a friends house and opened his fridge to see Budweiser, and I made a snarky comment. He replied "Hey man, Budweiser is good beer". I stopped, pondered what to say next and decided against it.

That's the difference I guess. I could have rattled off a few reasons why Budweiser is fizzy corn/rice water with more in common with Sprite then beer... but I stopped. Just because I'm a beer geek doesn't mean I have to be a beer snob.

Now at home, me and wifey drop endless insults on those damned light lagers. Yuck.
Would I walk out of a liquor store because they only have BMC, your damn straight. But too each their own.

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Disliking Budweiser because you don't like how it tastes doesn't make you a snob, disliking Budweiser because it's "fizzy corn/rice water with more in common with Sprite then beer" makes you a snob.

Also, not having the balls to say those things in front of other people unless you know they agree with you doesn't protect you from being a snob.

VladOfTrub said:

beer snob: Snobbarity, is created by mommy and daddy. The snob lives within two miles of mommy and daddy and still goes on vacation with mommy and daddy.

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I'm not seeing the relevance.

Billy-Klubb said:

if someone makes fun of me for drinking "fancy beer" from a glass while they chug down some kinda BMC Light...

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Friend of mine always says the same thing, complaining about increasing the amount of dishes after the party. Last time he hosted a party I asked if I should bring my own glass while I'm loading a variety pack of homebrew.

It is easy to tell the difference

have them over for a beer, hand them a MGD, the beer geek is going to take a slug and the conversation is going be about how the influence of WWII and having to brew for womans taste as men were all overseas created the taste profile of American beers

on the other hand, the beer snob is going to ask if that is all you have and tell you it is nothing better than donkey piss

The beer geek proved that the beer may not be his favorite, but it is beer and he knows why the profile is what it is. He proves his true knowledge of beer and experiences the beer in hand as another example of the vast examples in the world for us all to enjoy.

the beer snob proved is ignorance of beer by deciding that only beers perceived as popular were in his taste experience and that if he was not aware of it, or if he and his crowd did not approve of it, he would not experience it. It was not a matter of if it were around, it was a matter of if he approved.

I remember when I became a beer geek, we went into a bar that had 77 beers on tap, That was unheard of in the day. and they had over 100 beers total. We kept going back till we had tried them all. And I still think I missed a few. Anyway I found beers I love, beers I had only read about in books, beers I did not care for, beers that were just strange, and we drank them all. We loved it. It sent me off on the long journey of beer.
Now I can look back and say, I tired that, because I probably have, I have sought out more types and brands of beers because of the influence that bar had on me. I have hugely enjoyed the experience, AND IF SOMEONE HANDS ME A MGD, I smile, take a long slug off of it, enjoy the cool crisp taste that only a American Premium Lager can supply, and thank God for his gift of beer to us all. After all he may be hiding the Dead Guy Ale for the second round.

I'm a reformed beer snob. I'm now just a beer geek. And, I have half a case of Miller High Life in my fridge that I bought earlier this week. Just had a hankering. Want to make something of it? LMAO

Hammy71 said:

I'm a reformed beer snob. I'm now just a beer geek. And, I have half a case of Miller High Life in my fridge that I bought earlier this week. Just had a hankering. Want to make something of it? LMAO

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yeah, I do. it should be Hamm's. bwahahaha!!! see what I did there?




edit: and I must need new glasses. where a lot of you are seeing only black & white on the subject, I see a lot of grey area. I won't make fun of someone for their beer choice until they make comment on mine. we all have different tastes. but I won't waste my time or taste buds on things I don't like just to be polite.

Qhrumphf said:

Beer Snob: Judges people for drinking "lesser" beer. And thinks they know everything about beer. These are the clowns who simultaneously prove how judgemental they are while also proving they don't know anything about brewing, when they harass BMC drinkers for drinking "bad beer".

Beer Geek: Passionate about beer, but not judgmental. Will admit they don't know everything, yet always want to know more. These are the kinds who may not LIKE drinking BMC beers, but know enough about brewing to respect the technical perfection of the macro beers.

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I tend to agree with this. One glance at Beer Advocate will give you an idea for how ugly beer snobbery can be. I had to chuckle when I went out with some coworkers to a local taproom. They had DuClaw's Sweet Baby Jesus on tap, and its a fine beer. Interesting, well made, tasty, and really does that peanut butter thing well. Well one sip from a beer snob in the group and she was "not impressed" and "kind of disappointed". Now I'm not sure what she was expecting but I can tell you she doesn't know much about beer. I realize everyone has their individual tastes, but I can appreciate a well made beer, even if its not in line with my palate.

I'll probably always have a few Yuenglings in my fridge.

I think Im a beer dork maybe. I still drink free miller lights for Friday poker and I like drinking games. I tried to read some brewing books but whet cross eyed half way through each. I read RA Salvatore (drizzt). hunger games, game of thrones, hobbit, and 100's of other books no one has heard of. I am still trying to like sours but I'm not there yet. I love drinking session beers so I can drink multiple types and still be able to walk. I currently drink a lot of pale ales and IPAs but will try anything. I have been brewing for just over one year. Who am I.


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Qhrumphf said:

Dem's fightin words.

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I gotta stay SHARP somehow... even if it's Rude, boy.

Malty_Dog said:

......I'll probably always have a few Yuenglings in my fridge.

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Nothing wrong with that. I love their amber lager.

I was just at a friends house and he asked if I wanted a beer. Choices were bud light, coors light, or a lone can of Coors. I went for the coors, poured into a glass. I've never had regular coors before. I thought it was a very good light American lager. To my palette it tasked kinda like my hard cider, but it was good. I think that makes me a geek, not a snob?

I don't like the light beers because they don't really taste like anything. Id buy regular Bud or Coors on occasion except they cost nearly as much as micro 6 packs, within .50-$1 per 6-er.



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Drizzt said:

I think Im a beer dork maybe. I still drink free miller lights for Friday poker and I like drinking games. I tried to read some brewing books but whet cross eyed half way through each. I read RA Salvatore (drizzt). hunger games, game of thrones, hobbit, and 100's of other books no one has heard of. I am still trying to like sours but I'm not there yet. I love drinking session beers so I can drink multiple types and still be able to walk. I currently drink a lot of pale ales and IPAs but will try anything. I have been brewing for just over one year. Who am I.


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Yes, I am a Beer Dork also. I bore my friends with irrelevant beer information, and start sentences with words like, "Technically..." I am very annoying.

Billy-Klubb said:

I'm not seeing the relevance.

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Nor do I. I live within a few miles of my parents and most of the rest of my family. We also vacation together every summer at a lake house because we enjoy each others' company.

Growing up doesn't mean saying "@%^# you mom & dad!"

The thing I love about these Geek vs. Snob type threads is that on HBT they are almost always one sided. We all MAKE beer and have varying degrees of passion and knowledge about the subject. When someone has something poor to convey about a BMC product here on HBT (Don't worry it's coming.) they are instantly lumped in as a "Beer Snob".

What happens when the situation is reversed??? Well, I have 1st hand knowledge of EXACTLY how it is. I have witnessed many a loyal Bud Light drinker openly put down every beer on tap in a craft brewery, claim that "they don't get to drink tonight" and things much, much worse than what is said here on HBT about BMC products straight to the brewers face. A group of friends that has a BL drinker amongst them will often be swayed to not go to a brew pub if BL is not available so the group goes to a bar that has BL instead. (Support your local craft breweries!) So what are these people? Sounds an awful lot like a "Beer Snob" to me but try telling them they are one!

I have come to the conclusion that if someone wants to drink ice cold watered down diabetic horse urine from a frosted mug they should be fully allowed to.

I only drink craft beer that is not owned or partially owned by BMC and homebrew. When someone offers me a BMC product or 1/2 craft, I polity decline. If they push me or talk trash about what I am drinking, I feel no reason to hold back and let them have "both barrels".

Personally I could give a rats rear end what people think of me or want to group me as. I am all done taking a Geek/Snob view on the matter because it is an illusion.

I once saw geekery (towards any subject) described as an excessive level of interest and enthusiasm about the subject. It doesn't even have to be traditionally geeky/nerdy stuff; I think the people who can recite 30 years of sports statistics are geeks in their own right.

Beer drinker: "Yeah, I'll have whatever you've got."
Beer geek: "Oh wow, that's one of my favorite IPAs ever! Did you know they use 5 varieties of hops in the dry-hop? It's even better since they started adding Mosaic last year."
Beer snob: "Ugh, Sam Adams? Do you serve anything that isn't a macro?"

Billy-Klubb said:

edit: and I must need new glasses. where a lot of you are seeing only black & white on the subject, I see a lot of grey area. I won't make fun of someone for their beer choice until they make comment on mine. we all have different tastes. but I won't waste my time or taste buds on things I don't like just to be polite.

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Exactly. That's an important distinction to make. There isn't anything wrong with defending your choice in beer, but walking into a party and declaring, "yuck, peewater all around? Where do you keep the stuff that doesn't suck?" isn't going to earn you any friends.

Zamial said:

The thing I love about these Geek vs. Snob type threads is that on HBT they are almost always one sided. We all MAKE beer and have varying degrees of passion and knowledge about the subject. When someone has something poor to convey about a BMC product here on HBT (Don't worry it's coming.) they are instantly lumped in as a "Beer Snob".

What happens when the situation is reversed??? Well, I have 1st hand knowledge of EXACTLY how it is. I have witnessed many a loyal Bud Light drinker openly put down every beer on tap in a craft brewery, claim that "they don't get to drink tonight" and things much, much worse than what is said here on HBT about BMC products straight to the brewers face. A group of friends that has a BL drinker amongst them will often be swayed to not go to a brew pub if BL is not available so the group goes to a bar that has BL instead. (Support your local craft breweries!) So what are these people? Sounds an awful lot like a "Beer Snob" to me but try telling them they are one!

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I have one of those friends. He drinks Miller Lite exclusively and complains if he goes somewhere that doesn't have it. To his credit, he has at least tried a couple of my HBs, but wasn't impressed and hasn't finished an entire bottle yet. He'll occasionally give me some crap (in good nature, of course) about my liking "weird beers" and I'll tell him back that he's the beer snob because he only drinks one beer.

Love the reverse beer snob discussion

I have a friend who is a miller light drinker, and that is all he will drink, just refuses anything else.
I do not call him a snob, just has a idiosyncrasy I can not for the life of me to understand

bottom line is some peole like steaks well done, some like rare and some medium rare, do we judge guys on that?
Maybe anyone in this discussion trying to define a beer snob is the snob?

I love beer, drink what is put in front of me. It may not be my favorite but it is not buttermilk also.

drainbamage said:

I have one of those friends. He drinks Miller Lite exclusively and complains if he goes somewhere that doesn't have it. To his credit, he has at least tried a couple of my HBs, but wasn't impressed and hasn't finished an entire bottle yet. He'll occasionally give me some crap (in good nature, of course) about my liking "weird beers" and I'll tell him back that he's the beer snob because he only drinks one beer.

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I used to have a friend like that. Miller Lite flat drunk. Thinks my award winning HB is barely drinkable as he smugly chugs that swill.

Does that make me a beer snob, or just not willing to hang out with idiots?

Geeks are enthusiasts, snobs will only drink what they like and won't drink out side of the glass.

drainbamage said:

I once saw geekery (towards any subject) described as an excessive level of interest and enthusiasm about the subject. It doesn't even have to be traditionally geeky/nerdy stuff; I think the people who can recite 30 years of sports statistics are geeks in their own right.

Beer drinker: "Yeah, I'll have whatever you've got."
Beer geek: "Oh wow, that's one of my favorite IPAs ever! Did you know they use 5 varieties of hops in the dry-hop? It's even better since they started adding Mosaic last year."
Beer snob: "Ugh, Sam Adams? Do you serve anything that isn't a macro?"



Exactly. That's an important distinction to make. There isn't anything wrong with defending your choice in beer, but walking into a party and declaring, "yuck, peewater all around? Where do you keep the stuff that doesn't suck?" isn't going to earn you any friends.

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where there is a problem, there is usually an easy solution. I bring my own beer (either HB or store bought) to parties. it usually solves the problem until some a-hole spouts off.:rockin:

One is a drink with a vast history. Brewed with care and passion using good ingredients by people who want to make a good product to be enjoyed and savored. The other is an alcohol delivery system that the producers spends vast abouts of capital telling people how good it is. So I guess my job is to expose people about the choices there are and let them make a informed decision.