General beer snobbery

[danieldavid39]

Just to clear the air, there are beers I don't like... At all!!! BUT I do understand and observe their place in this world... Bud light and Heineken drinkers are all around me, and will swear that a bud is a far superior beer than anything by flying dog or rogue or (insert any of you favorites here)... But to say that all beer that isn't made by a smaller brewery sucks makes me angry, and I see that all the time on here... Boston Lager is great, not to mention the other 100 beers that Boston brewery has tried their hand at (some are huge misses and some are fantastic) and I see Sam hate on here from time to time... Not every beer is a winner, but if I am watching the game with friends, I am not reaching for the DIPA I brewed or the tripel... I'm going for the alcoholic water that is rolling rock or bud light because I know it'll be a long day of football... Just venting here...

I believe there are tasting beers and there are party beers, and as a brewing enthusiast, I appreciate beer on whatever scale or flavor... Although, all dunkelweizens can fall off the face of the earth and I wouldn't lose a wink

(Get it? I put a winky thing at the end of that last sentence because I said "wink" in it)

 

[Schol-R-LEA]

Here, here! I have to agree, there is too much BMC-bashing around here. I say we should focus less on beers we don't want to drink, or choose not to drink except at certain times, and more on those beers we love.

And let's face it, for what they are making, the light lager brewers do manage to produce some extremely difficult beers with a consistency no homebrewer could match. The fact that they are making a product for mass consumption, rather than the more specialized styles most here prefer, is purely a matter of economics; they are making beers that appeal to the largest number of people, and the truth is most people want something light and refreshing, and are more concerned with its capacity to carry alcohol than its flavor. There's nothing wrong with that, and we shouldn't get offended by it, just because our priorities are different.

OK, so I've laughed at people for drinking things like Milwaukee's Best or Genesee Light, beers whose continued existence is predicated entirely on their low price and the lax age-checking of their purveyors. It's hard not to, after all. But even then, I try to keep it friendly rather than malicious.

That having been said, I think the beer snobbery heard here is as much a reaction to the rejection of craft beer by the majority of drinkers as it is about the beer itself. Homebrewers especially tend to take it on the chin from BMC drinkers, as a quick glance at the 'funny/stupid things said about beer' threads will show. Many of the worst beer snobs have never had anything but Bud Light their whole lives, and when they sneer at us for offering them some of our creations, it hurts. I think it is this that causes a lot of craft beer aficionados to turn snob, as much as the beer itself.

In my experience, it is really hard to get most people to try something new. I regularly attended some parties where, among other things going on, I would offer folks samples of my homebrew. About 1 in 5 of the attendees would accept the offer, and about half of those who did try it were put off by the gravity and intensity of the beer. This applied even to a very BMC-ish cream ale I made. Those who did like the beer generally liked it a lot, but most weren't interested in trying something new to begin with. It was frustrating, and if I weren't as thick-skinned about such things as I am, I would have gotten very, very angry about it all.

 

[unionrdr]

Yup,I think we've all been there. There's just no accounting for taste. And to one group,the lawncare guys (I think some of you remember this story) The head jose didn't even like either of my hybrid lagers,light or dark. His brother loved'em. The young bil loved my Maori IPA...he said he better not have another one he enjoyed it so much. So hit & miss on that one...sometimes the magic works,sometimes it dosen't.

 

[SPR-GRN]

I try not to get drawn into beer bashing discussions, or if I do get drawn in I try to give a neutral or constructive comment. I commented in one of the more recent SA bashing threads - I don't really drink SA anymore, but it's not because the beer is bad, it's because the beer no longer suits my taste, not because it has changed but because I remember a time when it was the only *craft* beer available at bars, so I drank Boston Lager a lot.. like way too much, and it went the way of #9 for me; I just can't drink it anymore.

I will admit I used to bash on BMC, but I no longer do because it's not constructive, and it doesn't help convince people to try something else.

Saturday I was at a restaurant with my BIL and FIL and we ordered some toasted lagers (can't remember who at this point, but something local to CT) and the waitress came back and said the keg had just kicked, but brought us samples of the golden ale that replaced it. They both got the golden ale, I tried it and although it was a good golden ale it just wasn't what I wanted. Being the appointed "beer guy" of the group they asked me why I didn't get it? and was it a bad beer? I told them it was a good beer, that it definitely utilized centennial hops, and was a good example of the style, I just was in the mood for something different, and this beer was too "spring or summer" for me right now. They enjoyed their beers and I had my first Manhattan, which was pretty good.

on a semi related note, do not knock "girly drinks" until you try them, I've been trying them lately and some of them are really good, and I'm typically a bourbon neat/straight guy or whiskey rocks kinda guy.

Oh yeah and I evolved from "beer snob" to "beer ******" when I started teaching people how to brew. The main difference is now when I offer my opinion on beer (whether people want it or not) I offer some unnecessary piece of information, like the Centennial hops comment above.

 

[geek_chaser]

I'm new to the whole homebrew/craft beer scene, and I love it. But I won't start bashing others just yet. I like a bud light now and then, or land shark. It all depends on how lazy I am, or what I'm in the mood for. I am loving my own beers and trying new things. But I don't make lagers just yet, so enjoying a big brand name is nice sometimes. Just because I don't like coorse or miller doesn't mean my "craft drinking/against micro brew" uncle can't enjoy them. To each his own.

 

[Blarneybrew]

All beer that isn't made by small breweries suck? I hear the exact opposite from consumers of big brands. Craft brew is too rich, too yeasty, too much

You can make party beers aka session beers.

 

[Hello]

Color me crazy but I figured the bashing was all in good fun. I don't care what someone drinks as long as I am not forced to drink it. I don't care about drinking enough to bother with BMC or anything like it. I've even dumped a $10 glass of beer because I couldn't tolerate it.

I can really appreciate people who are at least willing to try a beer before they write it off.

 

[bsperr]

I had my first Manhattan, which was pretty good.

OT, but I love a good Manhattan. I like mine with Bulliet Bourbon straight up.

 

[unionrdr]

My fil used to love a good Manahttan.

 

[evrose]

Just to clear the air, there are beers I don't like... At all!!! BUT I do understand and observe their place in this world... Bud light and Heineken drinkers are all around me, and will swear that a bud is a far superior beer than anything by flying dog or rogue or (insert any of you favorites here)... But to say that all beer that isn't made by a smaller brewery sucks makes me angry, and I see that all the time on here... Boston Lager is great, not to mention the other 100 beers that Boston brewery has tried their hand at (some are huge misses and some are fantastic) and I see Sam hate on here from time to time... Not every beer is a winner, but if I am watching the game with friends, I am not reaching for the DIPA I brewed or the tripel... I'm going for the alcoholic water that is rolling rock or bud light because I know it'll be a long day of football... Just venting here...

I believe there are tasting beers and there are party beers, and as a brewing enthusiast, I appreciate beer on whatever scale or flavor... Although, all dunkelweizens can fall off the face of the earth and I wouldn't lose a wink

(Get it? I put a winky thing at the end of that last sentence because I said "wink" in it)

Cool story man! Tell it again!

 

[TheSmithsEra]

Well its not like everyone doesnt start with BMC. Without those beers who knows where most of us would be (drinking wine maybe )

 

[ivegot2legs]

Most of us started by drinking pale lagers, and probably liked them too. I used to drink Labatt Blue all the time. But our tastes and knowledge change over time.

As people look back and laugh at those young, garbage-swilling images of themselves, you have to realize you will continue to change now. It's the end-of-history illusion. Once I enjoyed Labatt, now I enjoy heavy, rich stouts. Years from now, I could be making fun of people drinking breakfast stout while I taste my latest wine.

You should never mock someone's choice of drink. Unless it's a Redd's fruit ale; that stuff won't ever stop without outright public shaming.

 

[eltorrente]

BMC brew a style of beer that I don't particularly like anymore - but I have great respect for those breweries. I can't brew a light lager anywhere near as consistent as those big breweries.

When people start brewing beer, they get more and more snobbish, usually. It's hard to help it, but you gotta keep some perspective. I've been at several concerts, parties, get togethers, etc that only had BMC type beers, and I happily drank them. If a beer isn't my favorite style - I'll still drink it and appreciate it. I don't make faces and tell everyone how refined my taste is - as if I'm too sophisticated to drink BMC or something.

 

[rowan57]

When I was at university, I drank steadily 4 pints of Stella Artois a night for 3 years (I even built a wall out of the bottles). Club nights out = Sol, Peroni, Vodka.

My tastes (and ability to consume that much alcohol on a school night as it was) have changed dramatically since then (now 4 years I think since I graduated). I would now prefer to drink a room temperature real ale or chilled Trappist. Not to say I don't enjoy the occasional light lager in the summer when its hot or whatever.

All things have their place, and everyone has different tastes. As a good comparison, I work with Flowers and Retailers for a living. Things I hate, and I mean really hate, not even dislike, the customer loves. Everyone has different tastes at the end of the day.

 

[Homercidal]

There are many and more different people in the world. Some of them like BMC because they enjoy the light and refreshing flavor. Some of them enjoy it because it's cheap. Some of them enjoy it because they grew up with their dad or other relatives drinking the same brand. Some of them will not like a craft beer because it's "too much _______" or whatever. They won't want to drink them because it's unAmerican or snobby.

And it's no different coming from the other direction. People enjoy craft beer for a variety of different reasons. Some of them won't go back to BMC because it lacks flavor, or because the companies use unethical or unfair business practices, or their marketing is offensive. Whatever.

Snobbery exists both ways. For many different reasons. For some of us on here it's just FUN to pick on BMC beer or BMC drinkers. It's not necessarily always meant to be taken seriously.

 

[GarageDweller]

I think OP is tripping up with the whole "we" thing. People that drink beer are not in some kind of consensus agreement as to what "we" think at any given time. Everyone likes different stuff and thats the bottom line. I happen to think all of SA beers suck and won't waste my time drinking that syrupy tasting crap; i.e. chocolate cherry wheat, or whatever disgusting flavor of the month is out. Thats just me and my ******* opinion. I'm sure there's millions of people that like all of their stuff. I, personally, don't care who else likes it. "We" don't have to agree on anything and "we" have the right to drink and form our own opinions. Whether or not it lines up with some ones point of view has no bearing on the choice, or opinion of said choice.
Drink what you like...eff the rest...

 

[flatlanderHQ]

I think OP is tripping up with the whole "we" thing. People that drink beer are not in some kind of consensus agreement as to what "we" think at any given time. Everyone likes different stuff and thats the bottom line. I happen to think all of SA beers suck and won't waste my time drinking that syrupy tasting crap; i.e. chocolate cherry wheat, or whatever disgusting flavor of the month is out. Thats just me and my ******* opinion. I'm sure there's millions of people that like all of their stuff. I, personally, don't care who else likes it. "We" don't have to agree on anything and "we" have the right to drink and form our own opinions. Whether or not it lines up with some ones point of view has no bearing on the choice, or opinion of said choice.
Drink what you like...eff the rest...

Exactly. There is no agreed upon criteria for personal tastes. Porter, for example, was the most widely consumed English beer for years. It was the first mass production beer. Times change, tastes change...and "we" can make whatever we like. Cheers!

 

[Malty_Dog]

Not every beer is a winner, but if I am watching the game with friends, I am not reaching for the DIPA I brewed or the tripel... I'm going for the alcoholic water that is rolling rock or bud light because I know it'll be a long day of football... Just venting here...

Look man, its not our fault that you're a Raider fan.



I kid, I kid. I am, however, reaching for my homebrew during the game.

 

[unionrdr]

I'm still maybe 2 hours away from yooper's home brews when my brew day is done. boy,that robust porter boil smells good!

 

[danieldavid39]

Just to clear the air, there are beers I don't like... At all!!! BUT I do understand and observe their place in this world... Bud light and Heineken drinkers are all around me, and will swear that a bud is a far superior beer than anything by flying dog or rogue or (insert any of you favorites here)... But to say that all beer that isn't made by a smaller brewery sucks makes me angry, and I see that all the time on here... Boston Lager is great, not to mention the other 100 beers that Boston brewery has tried their hand at (some are huge misses and some are fantastic) and I see Sam hate on here from time to time... Not every beer is a winner, but if I am watching the game with friends, I am not reaching for the DIPA I brewed or the tripel... I'm going for the alcoholic water that is rolling rock or bud light because I know it'll be a long day of football... Just venting here...

I believe there are tasting beers and there are party beers, and as a brewing enthusiast, I appreciate beer on whatever scale or flavor... Although, all dunkelweizens can fall off the face of the earth and I wouldn't lose a wink

(Get it? I put a winky thing at the end of that last sentence because I said "wink" in it)

*** I posted this late last night after having a "few" with friends.... Made the mistake of reading another thread and taking offense at others jabs on HBT about other peoples taste in beers... LOL I need to learn to not drink and post!

 

[unionrdr]

Shoot man,you oughtta know by now that "the smoker I drink,the player I get"! You wanna talk HB snobbery?! how many here have gotten beers from Yooper AND Revvy!!!? RRRRR!

 

[HBngNOK]

*** I posted this late last night after having a "few" with friends.... Made the mistake of reading another thread and taking offense at others jabs on HBT about other peoples taste in beers... LOL I need to learn to not drink and post!

LOL!!! My wife had to put a breath-o-lizer on my Facebook acct to keep me from making an *** out of myself .

 

[unionrdr]

Hey now!

 

[Cider123]

I hate BMC!... until I'm fishing, then I like a good cold Bud or Coors light or a couple or more than that.

 

[TheSmithsEra]

LOL!!! My wife had to put a breath-o-lizer on my Facebook acct to keep me from making an *** out of myself .

oh man.... where can i find this device!