When people say it tastes like a...

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Halbrust

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When people say your home beer tastes like a guiness, or a heineken, or a hoegaarden, or a bud light... and you know it doesn't (or shouldn't) at all.

What do you say?

I haven't had it happen yet, mainly because I'm the least beer knowledgable amongst my friends. But I know I've said it before.

There are idiots who are talking out there *censored*, ignore or ridicule them as you wish.

But the rest of the people are trying to associate a taste. I think you should ask them how it tastes like a _______ compared to another beer they like.

If they say your saison tastes like a bud or bud light, they may be picking up the familiarity of pilsner malt.

If they say your oatmeal stout tastes like a brown ale, they may be collating the nutty flavors that can be present in each.

If there beer referrences are Coors and Guinness then your IPA is going to taste like a Coors, and your wee heavy is going to taste like a Guinnes. Both are wrong, and can be insulting. But if you can add context to there comment they may have some interesting insight.

Also new beer drinkers are hesitant to use certain terms to describe a beer, especially YOUR beer-to YOU. Imagine never having tasted a saison... your friend gives you a beer they made... how do you tell them it tastes like sweat? Hell, it's kind of hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I like drinking something that tastes like sweat.
 
More often than not, my beers get compared /likened to Fat Tire, especially pale ales, browns and IPAs. I will try to head this off by explaining a little bit of what the flavor profile is supposed to be like before I hand them the beer.
 
Or having someone say my merlot tasted like blackberries.

Which was good, because it was a blackberry cider.

I don't worry about it. They don't like what I make, they can bring their own beer/cider/wine to the party.
 
I was recently told my hopped up red ale tasted like a DFH 75 min ipa, somewhere between the 60 and 90. I thanked him and took it as a compliment. There were only 4 oz of hops in the boil. Half chinook, half liberty. I think it might be more of a 45 min. Haha.
 
I just suspend my inner beer geek and thank them for their feedback. Recently took an assortment of my brews to a party full of BMC drinkers who were very appreciative. Got a lot of compliments and had it compared to a lot of beers that weren't similar and took comfort from the fact that a lot of people had more than one. That says to me a lot more than any comparison could.
 
^ Agreed. I just roll with it. Not that serious to me as a hobbyist.
 
Who give a **** what other people say? Not everyone on this planet is as knowlegable, or even as passionate about beer as we might be. SO they just might not have the palate or understanding, or "proper" language, nor do they more than likely care.

They're probably, paying you a compliment in the language they know. To them, Guinness, or Stella, or Hoegaarden, or Bud Light ARE good beers. In fact they are, or else they wouldn't be as popular as they are. Just because a beersnob looks down on those beers (I actually enjoy all of those, except Bud light, and rice adjuncted lagers in general) doesn't mean they aren't well crafted, excellent examples of their styles. It just means some ***hat thinks they're better than the person who drink them. But to the person who enjoys those beers, and is comparing yours to them, that's a good thing.

There are three types of people on this planet, those who care about beer passionately, so much so, that they live and breathe it, and know a lot about it. Some who just drink beer, and those who don't like beer.

Save your in depth conversations with the like minded ones, accept what the other people have to say, especially if they're trying to be kind, and supportive, and if anyone is looking to be taught, the teach them...but ONLY the ones that really want to be, don't try to ram it down people's throats if they aren't interested, then you just come off as a berrsnob/hipster ******.

It's not our job to be zealots for the world of beer, we're not out to "convert the masses." And noone likes someone who comes off as superior about something that they find inconsequential. Some people just like to drink beer, not analyze it's tiny minutiae. Share at the level of the people around you. Most of my friends are as passionate about beer and brewing as I, am, so that's who gets all the beer geek passion stuff from me. The rest of my friends just get the part of me that WE have in common.
 
I just say nothing. I have had a friend tell me my zombie dust clone taste like gin. I just said yep. He loved it so much I let him have a growler of it.
 
One of my wife's girlfiends was at our house a few years back. When she said she didn't like beer I said, "Taste this", and handed her my hefeweizen. She said, "Now THAT, I like". That's all it took to change her mind about beer. She asked what kind it was and I told her what was in it. She said it was really good and I said thanks. Then the conversation went on to other topics so I didn't press it.

Sometimes all you have to do to educate people about good beer is get them to taste it.
 
jkendal said:
Sad but true, eh?
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I don't believe it.. Maybe they don't like what BMC produces (or the other big US breweries)...

jkendal said:
One of my wife's girlfiends was at our house a few years back. When she said she didn't like beer I said, "Taste this", and handed her my hefeweizen. She said, "Now THAT, I like". That's all it took to change her mind about beer. She asked what kind it was and I told her what was in it. She said it was really good and I said thanks. Then the conversation went on to other topics so I didn't press it.

Sometimes all you have to do to educate people about good beer is get them to taste it.
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See, told ya. :D

Had given some bottles to a friend not that long ago. He brought back some empties and commended how he had shared one with a friend of his. They then tried to drink some Harpoon and just couldn't. Since it didn't taste nearly as good as mine. :D I have to keep telling him that I cannot [and will not, unless I get licensed] sell it. :smack:
 
I guess I am kind of like Revvy I suppose. Every Friday night a group of us get together for beer and cigar night. Mostly we just start a fire in the shop and sit around spreading lies and drinking beer. Any way every Friday my cooler is the first to be emptied just because everyone likes my beer but one person. Who cares man if he prefers bud over my beer it just means more for me.

Now for christmas I am baking bread and giving a 6 pack to the guys. I will go and buy a 6 pack for the guy who likes it instead of giving him some of my beer. I bet he will be happier knowing that he knows I care enough to give him what he likes

It is all about taste. Some folks like wine while others like beer. It is all good in my book if other folks taste buds are different from mine.
 
If someone says an IPA tastes like a bud or fat tire then I ask them if they like the beer they compare it to. If yes then I thank them for the compliment and if not then I thank them for their honesty. Thankfully I live in an area with a lot of craft beer and this usually doesn't come up.
 
I brew beer for 2 people...myself and SWMBO. As long as we like it I don't really care what other people think, although I haven't suffered a "your beer tastes like BMC" comment before so it's easy to say that.

Most of the feedback I get is positive and even if it's not I'm brewing beer to my tastes, not everyone else's.
 
As long as they like it, I have no problem. Then again, most people who come over and ask for it just want free beer and would unquestionably drink any non-sour put in their faces. I haven't really brewed anything that would invite a BMC comparison, however.
 
If someone says that your beer tastes like something they like, then it is a compliment.

I effing HATE guinness, but when I am told that my darker than your soul stout tastes like Guinness, I know it is a compliment. They don't have the tools.

If someone says that it tastes like hoegarten or dogfishhead 90 minute, then they should bloody well know what they are doing, so you remove the glass of beer from thier hand, and dump it over their head.
 
On the other side of the fence, I told a brewer recently that the stout he had poured for me had molasses notes. He looked at me as if I just slapped a toddler. "There's no molasses in it!"... You don't say? I suppose the pinot noir I bought the other day that had notes of leather and tobacco (and advertised on the label) must have had an old boot and a pack of lucky strikes steeping in the fermentation vessel...

Also, certain... shall I say... recreational fungi will make one's tastebuds fire strangely and make them pick up blackberries in just about any liquid. I'm not saying david's friend had consumed said fungi at the time, but it would account for much. I know this strictly from what I have read, of course.
 
I avoid this by being sure to let the BMC drinkers only have my cream ales and maybe my session pale ale. I save the IPA's and stouts for the known craft beer lovers.
 
Jayhem said:
I avoid this by being sure to let the BMC drinkers only have my cream ales and maybe my session pale ale. I save the IPA's and stouts for the known craft beer lovers.
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And keep the rauchbier all to yourself...
 
Agreed, take the compliment in the spirit it was intended. If they are interested, share your knowledge carefully, slowly, getting a feel for how much they really want to learn. Don't be a beer ******.
 
I have been and will continue to be offended by someone comparing my brew to an over produced crappy pee water. I shall not apologize for my behavior. I shall not excuse them for their lack of understanding. if you want to compare someone's craft, you better know what you're talking about. and before the smarmy comments start spilling out, I'm not saying you need to be some kind of professional. I'm saying you should know a bit more than "a car has wheels".
 
Revvy said:
Who give a **** what other people say? Not everyone on this planet is as knowlegable, or even as passionate about beer as we might be. SO they just might not have the palate or understanding, or "proper" language, nor do they more than likely care.

They're probably, paying you a compliment in the language they know. To them, Guinness, or Stella, or Hoegaarden, or Bud Light ARE good beers. In fact they are, or else they wouldn't be as popular as they are. Just because a beersnob looks down on those beers (I actually enjoy all of those, except Bud light, and rice adjuncted lagers in general) doesn't mean they aren't well crafted, excellent examples of their styles. It just means some ***hat thinks they're better than the person who drink them. But to the person who enjoys those beers, and is comparing yours to them, that's a good thing.

There are three types of people on this planet, those who care about beer passionately, so much so, that they live and breathe it, and know a lot about it. Some who just drink beer, and those who don't like beer.

Save your in depth conversations with the like minded ones, accept what the other people have to say, especially if they're trying to be kind, and supportive, and if anyone is looking to be taught, the teach them...but ONLY the ones that really want to be, don't try to ram it down people's throats if they aren't interested, then you just come off as a berrsnob/hipster ******.

It's not our job to be zealots for the world of beer, we're not out to "convert the masses." And noone likes someone who comes off as superior about something that they find inconsequential. Some people just like to drink beer, not analyze it's tiny minutiae. Share at the level of the people around you. Most of my friends are as passionate about beer and brewing as I, am, so that's who gets all the beer geek passion stuff from me. The rest of my friends just get the part of me that WE have in common.
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Amen brother. All except the Bud Light part--I spent last Saturday chopping wood, and I burned a hole in the bottom of a case of BLs, and boy were they tasty! But I did switch to "real beer" afterward, in that case my spiced Christmas ale.
 
Billy-Klubb said:
I have been and will continue to be offended by someone comparing my brew to an over produced crappy pee water. I shall not apologize for my behavior. I shall not excuse them for their lack of understanding. if you want to compare someone's craft, you better know what you're talking about. and before the smarmy comments start spilling out, I'm not saying you need to be some kind of professional. I'm saying you should know a bit more than "a car has wheels".
Click to expand...

Yep, probably never going to drink with you. But hey man, be your own you, long as you're happy with it!
 
jerrodm said:
Amen brother. All except the Bud Light part--I spent last Saturday chopping wood, and I burned a hole in the bottom of a case of BLs, and boy were they tasty! But I did switch to "real beer" afterward, in that case my spiced Christmas ale.
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+1. It's all about liking what we like. It wasn't until I started brewing that I realized what I don't like about Bud, Bud Light, etc, and that is that they're rice adjuncted beers. I also don't like sapporo either. But I do like Corn adjuncted lagers (which the only difference really between them and a cream ale is the type of yeast.) I like Labatt's for instance, and some of the other brands.

I will say that I liked the Batch 12 Budweiser Beers (there's been a couple threads on it.) The three beers didn't use rice adjuncts, or really limited them, and made for three very tasty beers.
 
I once had a BMC drinker try my Vienna/Northern Brewer SMaSH and he said it tasted like Blue Moon. At first I was offended, but as he kept talking I realized that Blue Moon is one of his favorite beers and that was probably the best compliment he was capable of giving. I just smiled and said "thank you" because all that really matters is that the beer I made was enjoyed by someone else and that will open the doors for me to share new styles and tastes with him. If I was a jerk or EAC about it, then I wouldn't get the opportunity to broaden his horizons further in the future.
 
jerrodm said:
Yep, probably never going to drink with you. But hey man, be your own you, long as you're happy with it!
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you'd probably hate me drunk then. bwahahaha! my wife & sons get all my sugar. there's none left for a coating or helping to smile through a back handed compliment out of sheer one sided politeness.
 
We recently hosted a Christmas party and I had made a batch of Irish Red for it. Most of the people were BMC or wine drinkers, so I expected to have at least half of the keg after the party was over. To my great surprise (and disappointment) the keg kicked at the end of the night. Comments ranged from "this is what I imagine real beer tastes like" to "this is your best batch yet. make it again." There was a couple that doesn't drink at all there that were curious enough to try a sample. No bad beer face made. That was the first time I ever used Golden Promise too. All that said, I was once told that my alt tasted like a honey brown made with hose water. That person is no longer allowed to partake in my beer.
 
I've said it a million times and I will say it again... who are these people who say such messed up things about something someone else has made??

If someone offers me something they have made, I assume that they are proud of it and want my opinion, but not a critique. My opinion will be filtered through diplomacy. If whatever it is isnt to my personal liking I am not above lying, and if they want my honest opinion I'll be constructive. But, "tastes like a honey brown with hose water?"!! Hope that guy gets the 'roids.
 
I just had that happen to me at the Valley Forge beerfest, someone said my Belgian golden strong tasted like a hoegaarden. I just paused and gave him a ummmm.... Sure I guess I could see that a little bit.(it was a la chouffe clone so it did have coriander) Even so it didn't really taste like a hoegaarden.
 
cheezydemon3 said:
If someone says that it tastes like hoegarten or dogfishhead 90 minute, then they should bloody well know what they are doing, so you remove the glass of beer from thier hand, and dump it over their head.
Click to expand...

OH! So that's how I should have reacted! Now I know for next time. Thanks cheezy!
 
bchurch said:
I just had that happen to me at the Valley Forge beerfest, someone said my Belgian golden strong tasted like a hoegaarden. I just paused and gave him a ummmm.... Sure I guess I could see that a little bit.(it was a la chouffe clone so it did have coriander) Even so it didn't really taste like a hoegaarden.
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You should have asked how the hoe from his garden tasted... :eek: Or is it a ho in the garden? If his SO was there, it could have been even better. :D
 
CreamyGoodness said:
I've said it a million times and I will say it again... who are these people who say such messed up things about something someone else has made??

If someone offers me something they have made, I assume that they are proud of it and want my opinion, but not a critique. My opinion will be filtered through diplomacy. If whatever it is isnt to my personal liking I am not above lying, and if they want my honest opinion I'll be constructive. But, "tastes like a honey brown with hose water?"!! Hope that guy gets the 'roids.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree with this. As much as I don't get offended if people who try my beer don't get "as much" out of it as I do, I couldn't imagine telling someone that their beer was terrible, if the context was that I was trying it as a friend. I might point out things that they could do differently if, for example, they wanted to avoid esters or oxidized flavors or what have you, but unless I'm judging a contest, I wouldn't say something like that about someone's work. Now, if they asked me for a really impartial opinion I might be a little more blunt, something like, "This tastes like it was underpitched, or the yeast didn't get a chance to finish converting the sugars," something concrete and helpful but not sugar-coating. But it depends on the context of the conversation. I think in most cases when you're sharing a homebrew with someone it's because you're proud of it and you want them to experience it as well. That's not a good time to sh*t in someone's Cheerios.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure there's ever a good time to do that.
 
CreamyGoodness said:
I've said it a million times and I will say it again... who are these people who say such messed up things about something someone else has made??

If someone offers me something they have made, I assume that they are proud of it and want my opinion, but not a critique. My opinion will be filtered through diplomacy. If whatever it is isnt to my personal liking I am not above lying, and if they want my honest opinion I'll be constructive. But, "tastes like a honey brown with hose water?"!! Hope that guy gets the 'roids.
Click to expand...

I actually took the beer from him and pointed at the door and said "go buy your own". He came back with a 6'er of (gulp) Purple Haze. I knew there was something off about him but I didn't realize just how much cheese had done slid of his cracker.
 

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