Have I become a beer snob?

[r4dyce]

Yo,

I was having an argument with a buddy really enjoys balast point beers. I mentioned I no longer buy anything they make since they sold out and I no longer think of them as "craft". He said all your doing then is missing out on good beer. I'm not an a-hole about it, if someone bought me a sculpin I would drink it. I just think it's worth going out of the way to buy something that's truly craft and truly independent.

Funny I went to a bar the other night claiming "18" craft beers on tap. Only 1 was actually craft, a local IPL. Everything else was a sub-brand.

Anyway where do you fall on the spectrum, do you take into account the company before buying the beer?

 

[bajaedition]

do not worry, it is a natural step in brewing to be a beer snob until you get informed

want to get informed? brew a American light beer and nail it. because then you will see how much talent goes into doing such. Nail the color, the mouthfeel, no off flavors at all, the head retention, the crispness, etc. nail it all.

You do not need to like any style of beer, in fact you can hate a few, but snobbing one is just being uneducated. Someone likes it so let them, do you want someone to force their opinion on you? Then why try doing it to them.

 

[allanmorgan]

do you take into account the company before buying the beer?

Yes I do. I read an interesting article today. It had to do with a "bar" at a sporting venue that in 2015 they had 11 different breweries on tap and one year later, they had 1. Same amount of taps, but all from the same company. InBev no less. "Know who makes your beers" is becoming somewhat of a mantra for craft lovers like myself.

 

[kh54s10]

To me craft beers are about the style not the brewery. I don't even know who owns them but, Ballast point has priced themselves out of my budget. I tried some of them, but others costing about $6 less a six pack are just as good or better. I don't remember if I had the Sculpin, but I was not terribly impressed with the others I tried.

I don't know where you would plug in Samuel Adams, but some of theirs are among my favorites. Some say they got too big and are now not much different than InBev.

I do stay away from most american light lagers. All brands.

 

[bajaedition]

To me craft beers are about the style not the brewery. I don't even know who owns them but, Ballast point has priced themselves out of my budget. I tried some of them, but others costing about $6 less a six pack are just as good or better. I don't remember if I had the Sculpin, but I was not terribly impressed with the others I tried.

I don't know where you would plug in Samuel Adams, but some of theirs are among my favorites. Some say they got too big and are now not much different than InBev.

I do stay away from most american light lagers. All brands.

Sam Adams, great brewery, but a lot of guys snub them because they became so big, the snubbers loss, SA is good

Yes a lot of small breweries think their brew is worth to much

American lights may not be your cup of tea, but one day some friend is going come over and ask if you have a light beer, and you will turn him away, that is so sad that you did not have a beer for a friend.

 

[myelo]

Anyway where do you fall on the spectrum, do you take into account the company before buying the beer?

I take the company into account when I'm buying stock. If I'm buying beer, the only thing I care about is whether I like drinking it.

 

[allanmorgan]

Ballast Point is owned by Constellation. Constellation, while a different company = ABinBev.

Sam Adams is quickly becoming another ABinBev. It seems that they keep adjusting the "craft brew" guidelines to accommodate Boston Beer (aka Sam Adams). I do like their lager though. Always been my go to over the years.

 

[kh54s10]

American lights may not be your cup of tea, but one day some friend is going come over and ask if you have a light beer, and you will turn him away, that is so sad that you did not have a beer for a friend.

This is true. I brew what I like. I often have a pale ale, but sometimes not.
I feel if they can only handle American Light Lagers, that is their loss not mine.

Actually my friends, even ones that usually prefer BMC beers rave about mine. So I am not worried.

 

[Riverevir]

I'm trying to break some habits with respect to breweries. Ultimately I don't have the same issue with InBev bought breweries that a lot do. I get why it exists, but I have just as much issue with paying $22 a 4 pack at a release where you have to put down a chair and wait all day. Maybe that's because I work a "traditional" 9-5 job and have a kid so I can never make it, but it does drive me nuts.

As much as I don't like a quality sacrifice that can go with a big company buying a brewery I like, it hasn't happened much. I do dislike having to fight tooth and nail for a can of beer so people can post pictures of their haul on Instagram...

 

[Cyclman]

Wow I can respect the talent that macro Brewers have, I do appreciate local crafted products. I absolutely look at who owns a beer before I order it.

 

[bajaedition]

I tasted my first Sam Adams in the 80s, Followed it with a Pete's Wicked Ale
Sam Adams is still around with a great Lager
Pete's went under a few years back, The owner had sold out decades ago, the reason it went under is that the company that acquired it did not know how to market a great beer.
You see, part of the process of having a great beer in America, is telling people you have a great beer in America on the TV.
Sadly what the masses see as great is what they see on TV

 

[Morrey]

The day you say "I can make better beer than I can buy", you are there!

Sounds like you actually are there already but don't want to sound boastful. Its ok to brag a bit when you brew the best beer!

 

[Sadu]

For me I like to see the company make a bit of an effort. We have a big brewery who makes stuff like doppelbocks and rye beers, they aren't the best examples but the price point is right and points given for effort. On the other hand a local pub has 4 taps, 3 pilsners and a pale ale, nothing wrong with the actual beers, just boring AF and I'd rather a bit more choice.

 

[Singletrack]

American lights may not be your cup of tea, but one day some friend is going come over and ask if you have a light beer, and you will turn him away, that is so sad that you did not have a beer for a friend.

Nope. Not my cup of tea, so I have some 5 year old bud lights stashed away for said "friend." Can't get rid of these beers, because friends like to try/drink the beer I make. If I'm at a friend's house and she is proudly drinking a glass of crap beer that she made herself, then I'm drinking it too. And I enjoy it because she enjoys it. I suppose friends drink my beer for the same reason. So who is demanding a light lager? Unwanted relatives maybe. They can find a store.

Can't get excited about proving I'm a great brewer by making a beer with no flavor. Maybe that's challenging. Don't care. Light lager is cheap, and not very good. I respect companies who make great products and embrace ethical business practices. I don't always avoid buying from the ones I don't respect, but when I don't not fail to not do what I know I shouldn't do, I also don't neglect to consider myself not a beer snob.

 

[applescrap]

Taste first, no concern who made it. I like deals big companies can provide.

 

[afro_lou]

Is it good beer? That's usually the first question I ask myself.
Now, I haven't bought a Ballast Point offering from a bottle shop in quite a while myself... but if I see Sculpin on a beer board, I wouldn't turn it down. It's kind of a tough decision sometimes... I've got two 5 gallon kegs on tap in my keezer right now from an exceptional independent truly "craft beer" brewery, and I can't get enough of them. I also keep a keg of a "former" craft brewery who recently merged with an international conglomerate on tap, but that's because it's still great beer, and I can get a 1/2bbl for $70. [emoji33]
So yes, subsidiaries of the "big 3" can be misleading as "craft," it still really depends on if the beer itself is still as good or "the same" as it was before.
Ballast Point is getting a ton of slack recently for their parent company backing "right-wing" politicians and causes. While I completely don't agree with their politics and policies, I don't think a subsidiary should bear the brunt of the backlash. It's a sticky situation, for sure. Locally, there's an AB-InBev subsidiary who's trying to open a taproom in an up-and-coming area where actual family owned small breweries operate, and there's a ton of backlash there too. That's a slightly different situation, because the incoming brewery is completely owned by AB-InBev, so they're just capitalizing on the brand.

I think the gist of it is, yes. I'm a beer snob.

 

[brewerJase]

A good beer is a good beer, no matter who makes it. But I do prefer to support smaller, local brewery over monster corporations.

 

[Transamguy77]

I don't think using your dollars makes you a beer snob, I'm the same way I won't buy anything from AB InBev or a big company I don't care how good it is.

I buy local as much as possible and it's not just beer, I buy as much of my produce, beef, chicken and pork from the local guys as much as possible.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Well, if you like a craft beer and then they "sell out" (oftentimes it is just a great business decision, reaping the fruits of past labor) the brew is made in the same place the same people are still working there, but now they have the advantage of distribution do you turn you back on them? If it's the beer you enjoy, and the recipe and quality are the same... I'm just playing the devil's advocate here, not questioning anyone's principals. Personally, I like to support local micro and nano breweries, and I also make other purchases. Frankly, $10 for a pour in a bar is pretty outrageous even if it is an excellent micro-brew.

 

[Calder]

If it is good, I don't care who makes it.

Final product/Quality/Price all are factors.

$10 6-packs are starting to become common, and special releases are $20+ for 4-packs. I saw a single Bomber of Whiskey Barrel Bastard for $22 last week. It feels like these 'Craft' brewers are taking advantage of the public. I get it; it costs more for the small brewery to get product to the shelf, but it feels like they are asking more than is reasonable.

I'm still trying to figure out why a Bomber is twice the cost of 2 x 12 ozs bottles for the same beer in many cases. All I can come up with is because they can charge that much because the buyer thinks the Bomber is 'Special' or some kind of status symbol.

I'm glad InBev is getting into the market. If they can keep the product quality, it will help keep prices in-check. I'd like to see more big brewers get into the market to add competition.

And yes I like Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams (well ..... most of Sams offerings, they have a few that are .. well .....). And I want to support these guys as they are really the competition for InBev on prices and quality.

 

[BBQB]

Nope. Not my cup of tea, so I have some 5 year old bud lights stashed away for said "friend." Can't get rid of these beers, because friends like to try/drink the beer I make. If I'm at a friend's house and she is proudly drinking a glass of crap beer that she made herself, then I'm drinking it too. And I enjoy it because she enjoys it. I suppose friends drink my beer for the same reason. So who is demanding a light lager? Unwanted relatives maybe. They can find a store.



Can't get excited about proving I'm a great brewer by making a beer with no flavor. Maybe that's challenging. Don't care. Light lager is cheap, and not very good. I respect companies who make great products and embrace ethical business practices. I don't always avoid buying from the ones I don't respect, but when I don't not fail to not do what I know I shouldn't do, I also don't neglect to consider myself not a beer snob.

Loved your post !

 

[bobeer]

I'd definitely categorize myself as a beer snob. It sort of has a negative vibe to it but i cant see myself brewing my own beer and not calling my self a beer snob. I brew beer because it's an awesome hobby but what makes it awesome is that i enjoy good, fresh, well made beer. Will I buy an ipa off the shelf that's over 5 weeks old? Nope! Why when I can make it myself and have the freshest beer in town which is what all the snobs want anyway?
One may be a beer snob but that doesn't mean one needs to be obnoxious about it.

Edit: thinking about this further i think we're all beer snobs. We're on a beer forum talking about all aspects of beer. We're beer snobs and it's ok!

 

[bajaedition]

Nope. Not my cup of tea, so I have some 5 year old bud lights stashed away for said "friend." Can't get rid of these beers, because friends like to try/drink the beer I make. If I'm at a friend's house and she is proudly drinking a glass of crap beer that she made herself, then I'm drinking it too. And I enjoy it because she enjoys it. I suppose friends drink my beer for the same reason. So who is demanding a light lager? Unwanted relatives maybe. They can find a store.

Can't get excited about proving I'm a great brewer by making a beer with no flavor. Maybe that's challenging. Don't care. Light lager is cheap, and not very good. I respect companies who make great products and embrace ethical business practices. I don't always avoid buying from the ones I don't respect, but when I don't not fail to not do what I know I shouldn't do, I also don't neglect to consider myself not a beer snob.

Everyone follows his own path, that is part of the beauty of this hobby. If you do not want to brew a lite beer, then more power to you. Others will for different reasons, I do because I have friends who drink light beers. Yes they will drink one of my heavier beers, however they do not drink more than one or two before they want a lite beer. That is their taste, I do not judge their taste, nor do I try to force my taste on them. I am not that narrow minded.

That is not the reason I brewed my first lite beer however. About 30 years ago I asked a person who was constantly winning contest to show me how come his beers were rated so much higher than mine. He told me to brew a lite beer and bring it over to his place, so I brewed one. When I came over he had me taste a lite commercially brewed lite beer and then taste one of mine. No comparison, while the commercial beer was super light, crisp clean and clear, there were problems in every category about mine.

As he explained, all those things wrong, were wrong in all my beers, it was just that I had things covering them up. Some one who knows beer could find them, I just did not know beer enough.

So I learned a very important lesson, I now have many ribbons on the wall.
I do not brew the wide gamut of styles I used to, I do a few ESBs each year, Some BLONDE ALES, A few RED ALES, a STOUT for Xmas each year. I do a OKTOBERFEST each march and lager it till September when it goes on tap, My favorite styles are GERMAN CONTINENTAL LAGER and BOCKs so I do a few of them each year,

But the beer I get asked to do and bring to parties and such the most is my CORN HOLLIO, it is an AMERICAN style PREMIUM PILSNER done with 1/3 of the grist coming from corn. Yes corn, and even at Home Brew parties, it is one of the first kegs floating.

I get told by beer enthusiast that it is a great beer, an example of a good American Pilsner, One that they could drink all day. That makes me proud as I see guys holding it up to the sun light and looking through it, shaking their heads and whistling.

May not be your cup of tea, may not want to bother brewing it, I can not blame you as you are the one who needs to set your standards. You have your path to follow as everyone else here does.

I just found out year ago that when I decided to raise my standards to that level, within the year I every single beer I brewed had improved exponentially.
WE all choose our paths
It is all good
This is a hobby and the goals we have are all different
Follow your path and I will follow mine
Once I had learned that being a beer snob limits me. So I stopped being one.

 

[Kharnynb]

Different here in Finland I guess, our big 4 are either owned by heineken, carlsberg, or 1 independent.

They make some decent beers, especially Sinebrychoff still has some old lines and "revived" lines that are nice and very drinkable examples of their style, other than that, it's basic eurolager with very little distinguishing taste.

The small locals that are popping up more and more(almost overkill at this moment) are generally too expensive per bottle to tempt me.

 

[r4dyce]

I'm glad InBev is getting into the market. If they can keep the product quality, it will help keep prices in-check. I'd like to see more big brewers get into the market to add competition.

I have concerns about the competition they provide. When big beer enters the market it means they can leverage their shelf space. Example: if you want to sell miller/coors that means you have to take blue moon and their 5 varieties too. That takes up literal physical space in the store and limits the presence of smaller more local breweries. Ditto 3-4 varieties of ballast point, etc. They're literally squeezing out space for the real craft/local beers. Furthermore they can price their beers below cost because they make so much on their flagship macros. Again the goal being to price out the local guys. It's not because it's cheaper to make, it's because they can afford the losses the small guys can't.

You hear all the time about "thank you gifts" big beer gives to bar owners where I'm from (Massachusetts) for carrying their "craft" products. Think Celtics, Bruins tickets, concert tickets , etc. Yes this is illegal. Yes it happens anyway. No, micro breweries can't afford to do the same.

I get that independent local/craft is more expensive. I just think it's well worth it to avoid these kinds of shady practices. It's also a hobby/non-necessary good. I don't "have to" drink beer so I'm not going to get mad at the price.

 

[303Dan]

Definition of a snob: "a person who believes himself or herself an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is condescending toward or disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field".

That speaks to attitude and behavior, not to your tastes and principles. So, if as you originally said, you're not being outwardly obnoxious about it, you're not a snob.

The term beer snob get used incorrectly more often than not. It has a negative connotation and going by the definition, it should. But people get labeled that a lot just for having certain tastes.

Dan

 

[r4dyce]

Definition of a snob: "a person who believes himself or herself an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is condescending toward or disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field".

That speaks to attitude and behavior, not to your tastes and principles. So, if as you originally said, you're not being outwardly obnoxious about it, you're not a snob.

The term beer snob get used incorrectly more often than not. It has a negative connotation and going by the definition, it should. But people get labeled that a lot just for having certain tastes.

Dan

So I can still be inwardly obnoxious? 👍 Haha

 

[brewcat]

I'm a beer drinker. I'll try new beers from anyone. The only time I was a beer snob was when I was a new beer drinker. Now I'm a homebrewer. None of the breweries can rely on me.

I'll leave you with something to think about. Today I brewed a Batch 19 clone recipe. A beer that Coors did that I really liked. I would have never tried it if I only bought from smaller breweries.

 

[BWE]

Being a snob in any aspect of life is annoying. I drink whatever, whenever... not a big deal. If a friend offers a Natty Light, I drink a Natty light. I'm not going to be a rude prick and try and make him feel inferior. That would not only be a ****** move by me, but would show insecurities in my own confidence. Beer is good. Drink beer. Mich Ultra all the way to Dogfish 120. Enjoy the style of each.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

Yes

 

[Murphys_Law]

I don't like Sam Adams or Fat Tire. I kinda like Blue Moon. Some of my beers are really good, some are OK and a few I've dumped (they were OK but not up to my home brew standards).

I met a buddy every Friday for beer and wings and drink Miller Lite.

I won't pay top dollar for BP.

I don't really care who makes the beer As long as it's good and within what I feel like paying at the time.

Honestly, I'm more concerned with the company I'm keeping while drinking than the company I'm drinkimg.

 

[Lefou]

After becoming a homebrewer, I've found my taste has become more discriminating. Does that make me prejudiced or a snob?
Maybe. I DO have definite opinions on what I like. Everyone does.

There are commercial beers that manage to find their way into my refrigerator during the change of seasons. I still like a few Coors, Blue Moon wits, or Shiner bocks now and then for "lawnmower beers" or washing down heavier food during the summer - and I can tell the difference in beers from lot to lot, even if it's the same brand. Making my own beer made me better informed and more knowledgeable about what good beer costs, what it contains, and what it should taste like regardless of style.
Excellent German and Belgian styles made me wonder where all the comparatively "good" American brands were - then I realized if I wanted a comparable alternative, I'd have to make good American beer in those styles myself.

 

[Stillraining]

Iv always been a beer snob..If you dont drink what I like your taste in beer sucks!

 

[bkboiler]

more and more been taking who brews it into account. i live so close to BP that it's been painful to stop buyin their stuff but it just costs too darn much now. stone is still independent and the beer is decent. i bought a 6 pack of sierra nevada tropical torpedo ipa the other day, but forgot that not-local means i should have looked at the botted-on date...that was some old ipa..

 

[Lefou]

I've gotten to looking for "best by" or "brewed on" dates myself.
Not all beer ages well and if I find a beer that isn't in the refrigerated section and has no date, I assume it isn't worth drinking. Certain brands I buy like Victory and Paulaner have dates on the bottle.
Same with my extract purchases. Freshness matters.

 

[Bosh]

I don't care about who made the beer as long as the price and taste are right.

HOWEVER, often big breweries use their power over distributors to get more shelf space for their beers and to squeeze out the competition.

If a microbrewery folds because a big brewery makes better beer cheaper than I'm not going to cry any tears. But if a microbrewery folds because a big brewery used monopolistic power to freeze them out of distribution then that's wrong and I don't want any part of that.

But who am I kidding. I buy almost no beer. Got a closet full of my brew and when I gp out to eat I usually drink makgeolli (Korean sour rice beer).

 

[Lefou]

You're a lightweight. Real men only drink soju or kumbok-ju.

 

[Bosh]

You're a lightweight. Real men only drink soju or kumbok-ju.

Well back when I was single I drank more of that. Or yogurt soju or oshipsaeju (soju and baeksaeju mixed in a kettle, the kettle is essential).

Also a lot of the time I'm eating out it's after a hike and hikes need makgeolli.

 

[Lefou]

I'm being a knucklehead and only joking.
When I was on the DMZ back in 1989, according to the old Korean who was my sergeant of the guard on Kamak-san, putting a snake in your soju was good for you. I laughed, then realized he wasn't joking when he held up his jar. It had a wriggling garter snake inside.

Come to think of it, soju, kumbok-ju, and makgeoli weren't kind to me even when I was a young guy. You can have my share.

 

[seefish]

Yo,

I was having an argument with a buddy really enjoys balast point beers. I mentioned I no longer buy anything they make since they sold out and I no longer think of them as "craft". He said all your doing then is missing out on good beer. I'm not an a-hole about it, if someone bought me a sculpin I would drink it. I just think it's worth going out of the way to buy something that's truly craft and truly independent.

Funny I went to a bar the other night claiming "18" craft beers on tap. Only 1 was actually craft, a local IPL. Everything else was a sub-brand.

Anyway where do you fall on the spectrum, do you take into account the company before buying the beer?

IMO if you don't like a company based on it's business practice you shouldn't consume their product. However, I have a total disdain of the word "craft" in that it has no real definition. I can understand how it has a place in legal terms but it is not a parameter I consider when choosing a beer.