Idiot beer snobs-

[TomHanx]

I hate snobs of all kinds but have a special place of distain for beer snobs in my heart.

Was listening to the ticket (dallas radio sports station) and there was a very rare beer talk segment this morning, and after the discussion they take some calls. Well 2nd or 3rd caller calls in and starts off with "you should watch a documentary called Beer wars and you'll never drink big companies stuff again. They're bullies".

I'm going to try not to make too many references to that hack job of a documentary that makes bold ridiculous claims such as big beer companies "force consumers to use their products" b/c of their marketing practices. Yeah that’s it, Bud has figured out how make me drink there beer because they advertise during the superbowl. I also only eat doritoes b/c of that too and not because I like them.

I digress, my point is he started out saying watch this movie and you'll never drink there beer again. Why can't people think for themselves? Why couldn't he come up with a single argument of his own design?

When people tell me to watch this or watch that to prove a point- it's usually a red flag to me that they are not knowledgeable themselves enough about something to form their own opinions. You might as well be saying "I'm too dumb to know, watch this".

 

[Revvy]

 

[jdlev]

Well...a lot of people never touched McD's after 'supersize me' came out. Sometimes documentaries can hold a lot of sway over the populous. I know I took a 3 month hiatus before the big mac finally called me back.

With beer snobs, I don't like to say this (well maybe I do because I consider myself one), I like to think we've simply made it to the promised land where other people are still searching. We've discovered the 'wee' heavys, the dogfish 90 min ipa's, heck...even the new castles and blue moons, and know what it is to enjoy a good brew. We can appreciate a good beer for being a good beer and know we drink them to get more than a buzz.

There is a dark side to becoming a beer snob even though the beer is better. The down side is I used to enjoy beers like miller lite and coors lite and now I only drink them on rare occassions. Even yuengling doesn't really do it for me anymore. So you're spending about 2x what you were on beers before.

 

[TomHanx]

Also I hate the fact that people like that associate themselves with homebrewers and beer lovers. Makes us all look like we're fanatical anti big beer companies. Not everyone things InBev is the evil empire. I dont set at home and draw x's over the Busch family's pictures and throw darts at them but I do love beer. Don't want the homebrewer and microbrewery community labled that way.

 

[makomachine]

Drink what you like and give the one finger salute to those who criticize your tastes. Big company brew, micro brew, home brew - JUST HAVE A BREW!

 

[Revvy]

also i hate the fact that people like that associate themselves with homebrewers and beer lovers. Makes us all look like we're fanatical anti big beer companies. Not everyone things inbev is the evil empire. I dont set at home and draw x's over the busch family's pictures and throw darts at them but i do love beer. Don't want the homebrewer and microbrewery community labled that way.

+ 1,000,000,000,000

 

[Revvy]

Oh yeah, don't forget that to be a "beer wars beer snob" you also have to hate come segments of the craft beer industry as well. I figured that out when inbev bought goose island.

So I'm trying to figure out the rules for being an EAC (look it up) Beersnob of the "Beer Wars" Variety. As opposed to just a normal beersnob, like I consider myself, who enjoys great beer, but doesn't give a care what other folks choose to drink, nor has fault with making money or running a business (which is really ironic since I'm a "bleeding heart" liberal and therefore I'm supposed to not eat meat, wear leather, believe in capitalism or shave my legs.) And occasionally drinks things like PBR and Labatt's.

We have to hate BMC because they are the big evil corporate empire, and because their beer is the most popular on the planet and therefore it is crap.

But we ALSO have to hate the following micro/craft brewers mostly because they are too popular and/or they're not us and we're jealous. Maybe it's barrel size? If you are too big, meaning big sales then you suck?

We have to hate New Belgium Brewing Company, because frat boys like Fat Tire and therefore it sucks.

We Have to hate Dogfish Head and Sam Caligione because he had a tv show on discovery channel, and therefore his beer sucks.

We have to hate Jim Koch and Sam Adams because he runs commercials and sells a lot of beer, Sometimes he needs to have third party brewers contract brew it to meet demand, and therefore it sucks, DESPITE the fact that He supports homebrewing on so many levels including and not limited to making hops available to homebrewers during the hops shortage AND hosting the Longshot competition which gives a chance for homebrewers to have their beer brewed professionally, and showcased to a huge audience, but of course those folks who enter and win are actually not real homebrewers but poseur sellouts who's beer sucks (because it's not any of us who won.)

We have to hate Bell's brewery because he decided to protect his trade mark and therefore he must care about making money so his beer sucks (and he probably sleeps with sheep or something.)

Have I missed any? Do we hate Stone and Rogue because they paint their bottles and make it hard to re-use them and therefore their beers suck? Or are they for some reason "ok?"

Boy it's so hard to be a beer lover these days, with so many rules to follow. It used to be we just had to like good beer, whatever OUR definition of it was....../Sarcasm


Oh yeah and now we're supposed to hate Goose Island, because they completed a deal that they've been involved with for 5 years and partnered even more fully with AHB. So that means they're sellout bastards and even though we LOVED Bourbon County Stout...it sucks...even though it's been made under that partnership for years. It now is crap.

 

[TomHanx]

For the record my point wasn't so much about homebrews/mircobrews/artisan crafted beers being better than InBev's line, it's more just let people enjoy what they want and think for yourself.

I'm not opposed to documentaries but I am to closed minded thinking and there's not many times people step outside the box to think about things.

I remember Farenheit 9/11 coming out and seeing that and I pretty much knew, I knew that 9/11 was an inside job and the government did it. There was no way you could convince me other wise. Now that I'm a little older, I realize I don't "know" that. Sometimes documentaries are just very cleverly disguised propaganda and does a great job of preying on people with weaker minds.

 

[TomHanx]

Drink what you like and give the one finger salute to those who criticize your tastes. Big company brew, micro brew, home brew - JUST HAVE A BREW!

Amen

 

[TomHanx]

Oh yeah, don't forget that to be a "beer wars beer snob" you also have to hate come segments of the craft beer industry as well. I figured that out when inbev bought goose island.

I figured it out back when Goose island was bought.

Yeah, I was very suprised when I found out how many respected good beers InBev now owns and produces. But they're bully's, having more money and trying to make a profit and be the best is just an azzhole thing to do

 

[bluemoose]

I like beer!
I'll drink the stuff i brew with ease
I'll drink stuff from big companies
I'll drink it from a bottle or can
I'll drink it cause I'm a big beer fan
I'll drink homebrews and even Buds
I'll drink any drink with suds
I'll drink Coors if it's on the taps
I'll even drink a pounder of Pabst
I'll drink a Miller on the links
You're right about those beer snob finks
I'll drink any beer when the day ends with Y
Because being sober makes me cry

 

[Vance71975]

Personally, I lost all respect for Budweiser when they made a commercial after 9/11 and tried to use a huge national tragedy to sell beer and tried to Veil it as a tribute to those who died, like we are really that stupid. That was the final straw for me, and i have not bought a single product of theirs since. For those who have not seen the commercial here it is.




On top of that, i also feel that they make and sell an inferior product. For example, I remember blue moon BEFORE it was bought out, it was an amazing beer, now, After being taken over by Coors, it is crap. If Inbev could produce a Product that was as good as the Dechutes line up, i MAY consider drinking their beer.

 

[j1laskey]

Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening,
terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going in
this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities, the political, the
religious, the educational authorities who attempted to comfort us by
giving us order, rules, regulations, informing, forming in our minds their
view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and
learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable, open-mindedness;
chaotic, confused, vulnerability to inform yourself.

Think for yourself.
Question authority.

 

[suprchunk]

For example, I remember blue moon BEFORE it was bought out, it was an amazing beer, now, After being taken over by Coors, it is crap.

I was under the impression that Blue Moon was always Coors. As it started at their Sandlot Brewery.

Actually it wasn't an impression. They didn't hide it, just didn't advertise it as a Coors product blatantly.

 

[JetSmooth]

I was under the impression that Blue Moon was always Coors. As it started at their Sandlot Brewery.

Actually it wasn't an impression. They didn't hide it, just didn't advertise it as a Coors product blatantly.

This is correct. Wayne, a member of this forum, worked at the Sandlot when it was developed.

Sounds like Vance bought into the anti-BMC propaganda.

*I kid!*

 

[JoeyChopps]

I like beer!
I'll drink the stuff i brew with ease
I'll drink stuff from big companies
I'll drink it from a bottle or can
I'll drink it cause I'm a big beer fan
I'll drink homebrews and even Buds
I'll drink any drink with suds
I'll drink Coors if it's on the taps
I'll even drink a pounder of Pabst
I'll drink a Miller on the links
You're right about those beer snob finks
I'll drink any beer when the day ends with Y
Because being sober makes me cry

This says it all I love beer both good and crappy I share good beer with my bmc drinkers then have one of there beers and Hell about once a year I even go by malt liquor just cuz I like them real cold

 

[Daparish]

Nothing wrong with urging people to watch "Beer Wars". Just another perspective on the beer scene in America to which the average viewer wouldn't be exposed. I wouldn't call it a hack-job by any stretch of the imagination.

The point is for consumers to make an informed decision, regardless of whether they end up drinking Coors Lite or Lagunitas. If I had my druthers, I'd always give my money to the small, regional brewery that takes pride in the quality of its beer rather than BMC, but I'm not adverse to drinking macro-brewed beer. I'd never deign to call someone out for drinking Miller, etc. Like Bobby Brown says: "That's my prerogative."

 

[jdlev]

I agree on the point that people need to think for themselves. I wonder how often people ask themselves that after seeing a big box companies advertisement. I mean, when you see a punch of big knockered ladies runnin around, and hear them pop the top on the bottle, the last thing you're thinking about is, "I wonder if there's something better out there". You're just thinking, man, I'd love a cold miller lite.

On a side note: I love that the craft brew movement has taken hold in this country. I'm not sure if we can claim 10% market share or not yet, but I'm proud to see a lot of fine quality brews coming from American breweries (On a side note to the side note - I think being a beer snob used to mean you were an imports only kind of guy). The reputation of american brews is changing with the craft brew movement underway. In my travels to Europe, people over there used to hate American beers (and they still hate the big boxes), but a lot are trying and loving a lot of our craft brews. It's great to see!

 

[Boodlemania]

Do not take anything at face value.
Question everything.
Think for yourself.
Brew for yourself.

 

[jdlev]

Like Bobby Brown says: "That's my prerogative."

Actually he said, "It's my prerogative"

 

[Daparish]

Actually he said, "It's my prerogative"

I'm taking some artistic license here.

 

[thegerm]

Oh yeah, don't forget that to be a "beer wars beer snob" you also have to hate come segments of the craft beer industry as well. I figured that out when inbev bought goose island.

I haven't seen beer wars, but I saw a BBC story that went after Samuel Smith's for being some kind of anticompetitive blah blah in their hometown of tadcaster. I'm like, seriously? Samuel Smiths? You wanna go after Samuel Smiths? Why don't you kick a puppy, too? Really made me more irritated at BBC than anything. People are stupid, drink what's good.

 

[nefarious_1_]

For the record my point wasn't so much about homebrews/mircobrews/artisan crafted beers being better than InBev's line, it's more just let people enjoy what they want and think for yourself.

I'm not opposed to documentaries but I am to closed minded thinking and there's not many times people step outside the box to think about things.

I remember Farenheit 9/11 coming out and seeing that and I pretty much knew, I knew that 9/11 was an inside job and the government did it. There was no way you could convince me other wise. Now that I'm a little older, I realize I don't "know" that. Sometimes documentaries are just very cleverly disguised propaganda and does a great job of preying on people with weaker minds.

I agree. However, there are some good points raised in "Beer Wars." I'm not saying it's great by any means, in fact I think it's kind of dull as a whole, but the bit about advertising is spot on.

Any Marketing professor will tell you, advertising has a HUGE measurable impact on the consumer market: there is no question about this; not even debatable. Why do think companies spend billions of dollars every year doing it? Just to waste money? Certainly not.

Saying that advertising "makes" someone buy beer is incorrect, however advertising instills the idea of buying that beer without question. And when the huge beer corporations have a bankroll that dwarfs the pocket of the little guy, guess who's going to be doing most of the advertising and instilling those ideas?

 

[APietru]

Do not take anything at face value.
Question everything.
Think for yourself.
Brew for yourself.

This sums up my stance very nicely.

 

[screamingcities]

Sometimes documentaries are just very cleverly disguised propaganda and does a great job of preying on people with weaker minds.

Yeah- I think watching a single documentary and suddenly changing your perspective without further research is kind of dumb. Just like when doing any sort of research you need to fact check and verify sources.

That said, sometimes if you know the source, and they've been a good one in the past, it's easier to trust them without a lot of additional research (IE I'm pretty sure I'd trust the Oxford English Dictionary when it comes to how to spell a word or something.)

Also if the person telling me to watch a certain documentary is someone I trust, and respect then I'm more prone to believe what the doc says.

As to the topic at hand- I've never seen the documentary so I can't really comment there.

Money doesn't make someone evil, but someone can do a lot of evil with money that's for sure!

Miller Coors has done a number of things though that have soured my taste for them over the years. Combined with the fact that I generally like the taste of other beers over their main products, I find myself hardly ever buying their stuff. I don't make it a point to not buy it, or make a show of it though.

I don't get offended by others buying from Miller either (or even saying they prefer the taste to other stuff...) Provided they don't get offended by my liking what I like. To each his/her own.

I like beer.

 

[jdlev]

I'm taking some artistic license here.

It's ok...I'm just pointing it out because I'm a music snob as well as a beer snob

 

[Vance71975]

This is correct. Wayne, a member of this forum, worked at the Sandlot when it was developed.

Sounds like Vance bought into the anti-BMC propaganda.

*I kid!*

Actually no propaganda, i was under the impression that about 8 years ago or so that it was owned by someone other than Coors, maybe because back then it was good. The last time i had it, about a year ago, it tasted like crap. So i assumed that it had been bought out. My mistake.

 

[screamingcities]

Wait- I thought Britney Spears said that...

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Isn't this thread about beer snob snobbery though?

 

[makomachine]

Wait- I thought Britney Spears said that...

She lip-synced it.

 

[jdlev]

Found Beer Wars on Hulu

 

[Daparish]

I agree. However, there are some good points raised in "Beer Wars." I'm not saying it's great by any means, in fact I think it's kind of dull as a whole, but the bit about advertising is spot on.

Any Marketing professor will tell you, advertising has a HUGE measurable impact on the consumer market: there is no question about this; not even debatable. Why do think companies spend billions of dollars every year doing it? Just to waste money? Certainly not.

Saying that advertising "makes" someone buy beer is incorrect, however advertising instills the idea of buying that beer without question. And when the huge beer corporations have a bankroll that dwarfs the pocket of the little guy, guess who's going to be doing most of the advertising and instilling those ideas?

I thought the bit about beer placement on grocery store shelves and exactly who determines which beers go where was very interesting as well. Now when I go to my local grocer, I'm cognizant of what is where. I also think that the practice talked about in Beer Wars has been largely discontinued over the past few years.

 

[wildwest450]

Also I hate the fact that people like that associate themselves with homebrewers and beer lovers. Makes us all look like we're fanatical anti big beer companies. Not everyone things InBev is the evil empire. I dont set at home and draw x's over the Busch family's pictures and throw darts at them but I do love beer. Don't want the homebrewer and microbrewery community labled that way.

Do you ever read any threads on this site? It's very fashionable to bash "bmc".
I can find hundreds of posts proclaiming that "my beer is better than...".


_

 

[Willum]

I remember Farenheit 9/11 coming out and seeing that and I pretty much knew, I knew that 9/11 was an inside job and the government did it. There was no way you could convince me other wise.

I assume you also believe in UFOs, Santa Claus, and Bigfoot as well.

 

[nefarious_1_]

I assume you also believe in UFOs, Santa Claus, and Bigfoot as well.

Now, now, let's not go taking things out of context...

Do you ever read any threads on this site? It's very fashionable to bash "bmc".
I can find hundreds of posts proclaiming that "my beer is better than...".


_

I completely agree. When I was first reading that quote, I was thinking to myself, "Ah, you mean like half the threads on here?" haha

 

[nefarious_1_]

.

 

[Willum]

Now, now, let's not go taking things out of context...

Context aside, I am floored that anyone would take something that Michael Moore put out as anything other then pure fiction. Even for a second.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I also think that the practice talked about in Beer Wars has been largely discontinued over the past few years.

Not here in the twin cities. The other day I was painstakingly deciding what six pack to grab while two miller-coors reps were busy rearranging store displays, discussing where to put what beers of theirs next to what micros (seemingly based on package color and design). They placed 12 packs of miller lite lime? In the fridge next to SN and NB products because they fit with the green of Pale Ale and Ranger..... Even tho the miller lime had it's own shelf down the aisle with other MC brews..... Advertising and brand recognition are KEY in ANY business, big or small. The big guys just have more weight to throw around.

 

[olllllo]

I thought the bit about beer placement on grocery store shelves and exactly who determines which beers go where was very interesting as well. Now when I go to my local grocer, I'm cognizant of what is where. I also think that the practice talked about in Beer Wars has been largely discontinued over the past few years.

The practice continues. It's more insidious than you think.

 

[Willum]

Do you ever read any threads on this site? It's very fashionable to bash "bmc".
I can find hundreds of posts proclaiming that "my beer is better than...".


_

I don't hate on BMC ever. The only beer I would drink for years was Bud Light. I don't drink it anymore, but if it was the only beer at a party I would drink it. I also like Blue Moon a great deal, so being a hater would make me a hypocrite. Also, I have yet to taste a homebrew that accurately clones Budweiser. So if by better they mean different then okay sure; However, if they mean I made this beer in exactly the same way and mine is better. I am not so sure.