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Am I a beer snob?

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doctorRobert said:
what the hell does that even mean... you sound like you want to be a beer snob.

I am also confused by this. They are beers by Saugatuck Brewing and Shorts Brewing
 
I’m a beer snob. I honestly think most people would prefer bigger beers if they would only give them a chance.

Then again a lot of people want something cold enough to make their teeth hurt that they can pound for a few hours without getting too wasted.

My brother went to a German restaurant with a clueless BMC buddy. Brother ordered a Beck’s, buddy didn’t have any idea.
“What’s the closest you have to Bud Light?”
“I could bring you a glass of water.”
 
I’m a beer snob. I honestly think most people would prefer bigger beers if they would only give them a chance.

Then again a lot of people want something cold enough to make their teeth hurt that they can pound for a few hours without getting too wasted.

My brother went to a German restaurant with a clueless BMC buddy. Brother ordered a Beck’s, buddy didn’t have any idea.
“What’s the closest you have to Bud Light?”
“I could bring you a glass of water.”

Yep, you are.
 
I was lucky that the last wedding I attended was held at a local winery. They poured alot of great wines and the primary beer on tap was Fat Tire. I don't remember seeing more than a few guests wandering around with BMC bottles.
 
Wynne-R said:
I’m a beer snob. I honestly think most people would prefer bigger beers if they would only give them a chance.

Then again a lot of people want something cold enough to make their teeth hurt that they can pound for a few hours without getting too wasted.

My brother went to a German restaurant with a clueless BMC buddy. Brother ordered a Beck’s, buddy didn’t have any idea.
“What’s the closest you have to Bud Light?”
“I could bring you a glass of water.”

Becks was the best he could get at a German restaurant?
 
There you go! Embrace your snobbery. Just don’t be an ass about it.

I don’t try to tell anyone what to drink, but I think they should keep their options open.

You can’t tell if you like it if you never tried it.

Spreadin’ the news, one beer at a time . . .
 
On the other hand, your niece invited you to a once-in-a-lifetime social event centered around the public celebration of her new life with her beloved. The refreshments were just the sideshow.

I know I'm in the minority here, but it's my feeling (which is mine) that going outside of the reception to get drinks would be kind of an affront to the hospitality of the hosts.

I guess that's more of an etiquette answer than a beer snobbery answer, and I can't say that I would not have done exactly what you did, but I would feel kind of bad about doing it. Especially if word got back to the hosts.
 
I'm a beer snob. I also don't give a **** if others grief me for it. That's your problem, not mine.

OP: Stop caring about what others think.
 
Heres the problem with being a beer snob, and being a jerk about it, it limits. Because you derive strict specifications on what beer has to be, it limits your experiences, and it scares others off who might not have as much exposure to craft beers as well. Part of the reason I was first drawn to the scene, was that it was accessible and people were just happy to have different beer options. Conversely thats why I don't really care for the wine scene. I find it intimidating, and I know more than the average consumer about wine since I bartended at an upscale restaurant. But people can be so douchey about it.
 
On the other hand, your niece invited you to a once-in-a-lifetime social event centered around the public celebration of her new life with her beloved. The refreshments were just the sideshow.

I know I'm in the minority here, but it's my feeling (which is mine) that going outside of the reception to get drinks would be kind of an affront to the hospitality of the hosts.

I guess that's more of an etiquette answer than a beer snobbery answer, and I can't say that I would not have done exactly what you did, but I would feel kind of bad about doing it. Especially if word got back to the hosts.

That. And yes. He's a beer snob.
 
I’m a beer snob. I honestly think most people would prefer bigger beers if they would only give them a chance.

I've been drinking craft beer almost exclusively since 1998. I turned 20 in 1998, so I've been drinking craft beer since before I was even legal. Guess I haven't given it enough time yet huh?
 
On the other hand, your niece invited you to a once-in-a-lifetime social event centered around the public celebration of her new life with her beloved. The refreshments were just the sideshow.

I know I'm in the minority here, but it's my feeling (which is mine) that going outside of the reception to get drinks would be kind of an affront to the hospitality of the hosts.

I guess that's more of an etiquette answer than a beer snobbery answer, and I can't say that I would not have done exactly what you did, but I would feel kind of bad about doing it. Especially if word got back to the hosts.


If the hosts get their feelings hurt because one of their guests chose to buy a beer he likes drinking instead of the beer they provided, then they are taking things way too personally.

Would the hosts prefer their guests drink something they don't like? Apparently so, by your logic. Fortunately, not all hosts are that insecure.
 
No. And courtesy dictates that they never know that you'd rather not have what they're offering, so you suck it up.

Which is the same as having the hosts expect you to drink something you don't like. It's completely ridiculous.

As a host, I want my guests to be happy. If that means buying their own beer or bringing their favorite salad dressing, that's totally fine with me. It doesn't hurt my feelings at all. I don't want them do choke down a beer they don't like. It's part of being a considerate host.
 
As Proboscidea said, beer was not the focus. For most people, the only consideration is beer / no beer, and even that is an afterthought. Giving consideration to which kind of beer doesn't even cross most people's minds - especially with all the other choices going into planning a wedding.

Etiquette does not force you to choke down Miller Lite. If you don't like something, you abstain. Surely you can enjoy an evening without your favorite craft beer. Leaving to procure your own option is not proper etiquette, but I don't think most typical hosts would mind. The larger etiquette concern is "abandoning" the celebration...even for a good conversation. The reception isn't about you. It's about the new couple. So good job getting the bartender to let you take stuff upstairs to be there to celebrate with them.
 
But if you abstain and are known to be a big beer drinker, then the insecure hosts get their feelings hurt. This is why it's a good idea to have a well stocked cash bar in addition to the free beer they chose to provide. That way everyone is happy.
 
A lot of what goes into civility and courtesy sometimes seems ridiculous. Of course there are those who reject polite conventions. That's a perfectly legit choice with consequences. Some of my favorite people are curmedgeonly rascals who reject convention. But that doesn't change conventional courtesy. Conventional courtesy dictates that a guest graciously accept what he is served and, if he doesn't like it, spare the host that knowledge. One who does otherwise is called an "ingrate", and, often, a "boor". Please note: I recognize that in some circles boorish behavior is fully expected and accepted.
 
As Proboscidea said, beer was not the focus. For most people, the only consideration is beer / no beer, and even that is an afterthought. Giving consideration to which kind of beer doesn't even cross most people's minds - especially with all the other choices going into planning a wedding.

Etiquette does not force you to choke down Miller Lite. If you don't like something, you abstain. Surely you can enjoy an evening without your favorite craft beer. Leaving to procure your own option is not proper etiquette, but I don't think most typical hosts would mind. The larger etiquette concern is "abandoning" the celebration...even for a good conversation. The reception isn't about you. It's about the new couple. So good job getting the bartender to let you take stuff upstairs to be there to celebrate with them.

Perfectly stated. If I go to a wedding reception, and they don't serve anything I care for, I simply DO WITHOUT. I'm there for the event, not the booze. Wandering away from the reception to hunt down beer because you don't like what's being offered is rude. It doesn't matter if the hosts find out or not, doing that is placing the freakin' BEER at a higher level of importance than the people and event.

It's just beer.
 
A lot of what goes into civility and courtesy sometimes seems ridiculous. Of course there are those who reject polite conventions. That's a perfectly legit choice with consequences. Some of my favorite people are curmedgeonly rascals who reject convention. But that doesn't change conventional courtesy. Conventional courtesy dictates that a guest graciously accept what he is served and, if he doesn't like it, spare the host that knowledge. One who does otherwise is called an "ingrate", and, often, a "boor". Please note: I recognize that in some circles boorish behavior is fully expected and accepted.

So in your world, courtesy only applies to guests and not the hosts. Got it.
 
So in your world, courtesy only applies to guests and not the hosts. Got it.

Laughing... no, appaarently you haven't got it. Don't get me wrong, etiquette isn't at the top of my priority list, but one really has the choice of following the rules or not and accepting the consequences. It's simply denial to suggest that since the rules don't suit you they don't exist.
 
This is why it's a good idea to have a well stocked cash bar in addition to the free beer they chose to provide. That way everyone is happy.

But that's their call, not yours.

So in your world, courtesy only applies to guests and not the hosts. Got it.

Yes, it does, if I am a guest. I am at the graces of my host. When I am the host, the opposite is true.

Most hosts (and guests, for that matter) don't care about beer selection. As a guest, to demand otherwise is ridiculous.
 
But if you abstain and are known to be a big beer drinker, then the insecure hosts get their feelings hurt.

Absolute nonsense. I was married a year ago. My wife and I devoted about 90% of our wedding budget to things that our guests would enjoy, i.e. food and drinks. We spent almost nothing on anything else. Even in that extreme situation, there is simply no way that we could accommodate the whims of every guest at the event. We tried to provide variety, but there's no reasonable way to prepare for every permutation of food and drink preference.

I have a pretty thick skin, but if one of my guests had wandered off to another bar because he didn't think what we were offering was good enough for him to suffer through (and we were serving high end fare), I wouldn't have thought much of it at the time, but it certainly would leave a negative impression of that person in my mind. Fortunately, despite having several friends and family who are self-professed wine and beer snobs, not a single one of them choose to find their favorite beer over spending time at the celebration. Lucky me I suppose.
 
Laughing... no, appaarently you haven't got it. Don't get me wrong, etiquette isn't at the top of my priority list, but one really has the choice of following the rules or not and accepting the consequences. It's simply denial to suggest that since the rules don't suit you they don't exist.

Where are these so called rules you speak of?
 
There are lots of people (myself included) who consider cash bars at weddings to reflect badly on the hosts.

That's why you have both. You have free beer for the mooches who think they deserve free beer and a cash bar for those who are willing to pay for something they enjoy.
 
Where are these so called rules you speak of?

Emily Post is a good source:

“The good guest is almost invisible, enjoying him- or herself, communing with fellow guests, and, most of all, enjoying the generous hospitality of the hosts
— E. Post
 
That's why you have both. You have free beer for the mooches who think they deserve free beer and a cash bar for those who are willing to pay for something they enjoy.

You can do that when you're the host.

Emily Post is a good source:

“The good guest is almost invisible, enjoying him- or herself, communing with fellow guests, and, most of all, enjoying the generous hospitality of the hosts.”
— E. Post

+1,000
 

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