Skeptical brew buddies

At Aprils club meeting we were talking about our current projects and mine was recieved with a large amount of skepticism, just because there was rye in it. At the group brew day on Sunday this beer was gingerly tasted and then copiously consumed, mainly by the one.who had the most doubts about it. Who else has had something similar happen?

If they were worried about rye, they would go bat@#$! over my brews. Heh.

On the whole, though, this sounds pretty much like what happens every time you introduce something new to any group.

I have a ton of beer snob friends who firmly believe that any beer produced outside of Europe is substandard and comparable to Bud light. Well, I have converted quite a few of these ignorant drinkers!

I just made a brown rye ale. not sure how it is, I just put it in the primary saturday. I was in the grain room at the northern brewer in st paul with some guy the were crushing up some ipa kits, we were sharing what we were brewing next. I told them i was brewing a rye brown and they looked at me like i had 2 heads.

Psst: http://www.imbibemagazine.com/Rye-Beers

Seems a pretty common disbelief.

CycloneBrewCrew said:

I have a ton of beer snob friends who firmly believe that any beer produced outside of Europe is substandard and comparable to Bud light. Well, I have converted quite a few of these ignorant drinkers!

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Wow, I wouldn't qualify them as "beer snobs" at all!

Some people didn't think they'd like my opium stout, but they ended up growing very fond of it.

bovineblitz said:

Wow, I wouldn't qualify them as "beer snobs" at all!

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I don't like to think of "us" as beer snobs. It just rubs me the wrong way. IMO a beer snob is someone who will look down upon you for drinking something they consider a lesser beer, and will brag about how much they had to pay for their infinitely superior import.... ugh.

StMarcos said:

Some people didn't think they'd like my opium stout, but they ended up growing very fond of it.

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I actually laughed out loud at that.

CycloneBrewCrew said:

I don't like to think of "us" as beer snobs. It just rubs me the wrong way. IMO a beer snob is someone who will look down upon you for drinking something they consider a lesser beer, and will brag about how much they had to pay for their infinitely superior import.... ugh.

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I don't really give the term a negative connotation, but that's just me.

Not to insult your friends, but they come across a little ingorant to be so skeptical about your project for using "Rye". There are a few commerical brews our there using Rye that are excellent. Truth be told, my favorite production Pale Ale is a Rye Pale Ale by Terrapin... I LOVE THIS BEER SO SO MUCH!

http://www.terrapinbeer.com/beers/1-Rye-Pale-Ale

They also have a Rye Squared that is excellent. One of the best recipes I have been made was a Rye IPA and my next beer is going to be a Rye IPA or Rye PA... so yea I am offended to! As you can tell, I am very passionate about Rye in my beers.

bovineblitz said:

I don't really give the term a negative connotation, but that's just me.

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I don't either. I'm a beer snob, to say the least. Anyone who is unaware that most of the best beer in the world is produced in the states is really not paying attention to what's out there.

Outdated information. The use of Rye in brewing is fairly common. And the US makes subpar beer is simply wrong. They actually make very decent Light American Lager, and that's the worst of the beer made here! There are more cutting edge craft brewers in the US than anywhere else.

It's a reversal for many people in Europe are drinking bland beer, and their craft beer brewers are now starting to copy some American Craft Brewers, while the American Craft Brewers are looking for old European Recipes!

Beer Snob != Beer Geek

I give snobbery a negative connotation. It is NOT snobbish to elect to no longer drink something you dislike so long as you can clearly state why you dislike it and give everyone else the freedom to like it regardless.

Founder's Red's Rye PA is a phenomenal example of a successful American beer incorporating rye (along with the examples already posted).

I just brewed a Rye IPA and it is delicious. Will be upping the rye next time to see what happens.

It is strange for me to hear that any home brewers would be skeptical about any beer being brewed. I know I have seen weirder things than rye being done that have turned out great.

I'm pretty surprised that they were skeptical about rye. It's about as wild as using oats in beer. Now it's time for you to make a jalapeno chocolate stout and freak them out

TheSeether said:

Beer Snob != Beer Geek

I give snobbery a negative connotation. It is NOT snobbish to elect to no longer drink something you dislike so long as you can clearly state why you dislike it and give everyone else the freedom to like it regardless.

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I see no difference in bmcer not drinking anything else. Most of us are well informed about beer. I would bet most of us would pick up a craft or import over a bmc every time. given the same chance a bmcer would turn up his nose at craft just as quickly.

I stopped bringing m beer over for my friends. They sit there and judge it like they are some sort of authority. Then they finish it, say "Yeah that's pretty good." and crack open a Budlight.

I won't waste my beer like that.

I think this guy has been brewing for 4 or 5 but I win so I guess it doesn't matter too much

mlarnold said:

I think this guy has been brewing for 4 or 5 but I win so I guess it doesn't matter too much

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There are plenty of people who have been brewing for tens of years who still don't know what they're talking about.

one would hope that he might know a fair recipe though

Whenever I think of the word snob, I picture the guy from the restaurant on Ferris Bueller's Day Off. That said, it's certainly just an opinion.