Talking to people not into homebrewing

[bennyd]

Have you ever been frustrated by trying to talk about beer or brewing with someone who really has never been introduced to the hobby? It's quite frustrating because they haven't been bitten by the bug. They don't understand the addiction and really don't know as much about beer as you thought they did.

My knowledge about beer has grown exponentially in the last 5 months and I've been swept away by this hobby. I just get excited about it very easily. It's nice to have a place like this where you know that people are not only willing to talk beer.......but expecting it.

 

[DavidSteel]

Yeah, this is every single day for me. Luckily, I simply educate people when they get the chance. If it's you that initiates the conversation, no one will be interested usually and you'll get annoying. But they know you are the beer guy. Once they have a question or something, they will go to you and then you can educate them. I've learned to stop talking beer so I don't seem snobbish or whatever.

 

[Airborneguy]

When people come to me with questions, I answer them. But I have found there is no point to try to "teach" or "convert" people. Beer is like food, everyone has their individual tastes. You can't technically know better than that person what they will like, and I find you must be very careful because people get insulted easily when you try to do that.

Let people approach you, if they don't, who cares? It's not like they somehow affect your enjoyment of good beer.

 

[MeatyPortion]

Have you ever been frustrated by trying to talk about beer or brewing with someone who really has never been introduced to the hobby? It's quite frustrating because they haven't been bitten by the bug. They don't understand the addiction and really don't know as much about beer as you thought they did.

My knowledge about beer has grown exponentially in the last 5 months and I've been swept away by this hobby. I just get excited about it very easily. It's nice to have a place like this where you know that people are not only willing to talk beer.......but expecting it.

I tend to tune people out. I try not to act like a knowitall unless someone asks me specifically how to do something. Plus, I don't know that much about homebrewing yet so I can't give very good advice yet.

 

[Yooper]

When people come to me with questions, I answer them. But I have found there is no point to try to "teach" or "convert" people. Beer is like food, everyone has their individual tastes. You can't technically know better than that person what they will like, and I find you must be very careful because people get insulted easily when you try to do that.

Let people approach you, if they don't, who cares? It's not like they somehow affect your enjoyment of good beer.

That's what I do. Oh, I'm into talking about beer with anybody who's interested, but if they're not interested, I talk about something else.

I mean, what if their passion was WWF wrestling? I have no interest, and I'd really dislike it if they tried to convert me to show me the error of my thinking. I would probably hate WWF even more than I do now. I guess I could say the same about NASCAR. I have had some very boorish people try to "convert" me to loving NASCAR anyway. I no longer associate with them if I don't have to.

I save my beer obsession discussion for those equally obsessed, or at least those interested.

 

[Pappers_]

Absolutely, nothing worse than being a boor. I speak from experience

 

[steakandale]

I totally agree. My answers vary in length, in direct proportion to the interest the other person shows. Or I just quietly say I like it, and learning how people did it thousands of years ago without thermometers fascinates me.

 

[bennyd]

I guess I should elaborate. By no means am I learned enough to give anyone advice. I just get really excited about the upcoming brews I have planned and I want to talk about them. But, at the same time, I don't want to be annoying.

That's the frustrating part.

 

[gtpro]

I'm always thrilled to answer peoples questions, and I try not to but sometimes I end up rambling on about things that they dont really care about.

 

[uechikid]

I just retired from the grocery business. I had one customer who told me Coors is the best beer on the planet. And let me tell you, there was no talking to him about that. All I could do is LMAO every time he told me that.

 

[LarryC]

Hey, wait a minute, everyone should love NASCAR

Ok, back to the topic of the thread - I don't feel like I know enough about beer to be preaching to others but I do try to share good beer with people who are interested. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the taste of good beer is worth a thousand times more than a picture - share the Home Brew

 

[TheBeerNerd]

Yeah, this is every single day for me. Luckily, I simply educate people when they get the chance. If it's you that initiates the conversation, no one will be interested usually and you'll get annoying. But they know you are the beer guy. Once they have a question or something, they will go to you and then you can educate them. I've learned to stop talking beer so I don't seem snobbish or whatever.

That's why I made my own site to talk about beer... hopefully people who don't care won't read it.

 

[EO74]

Is this thead about my WIFE?????

 

[EO74]

Is this thead about my WIFE???

 

[fifelee]

I just retired from the grocery business. I had one customer who told me Coors is the best beer on the planet. And let me tell you, there was no talking to him about that. All I could do is LMAO every time he told me that.

Should have had him do a blind taste test. Bet he couldn't have picked Coors out of a line up.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

Should have had him do a blind taste test. Bet he couldn't have picked Coors out of a line up.

Reminds me of what they did in Beer Wars. Though I wonder how many people they tested who got it right.

 

[Kickass]

Hey, wait a minute, everyone should love NASCAR

YES indeed!




As for the beer preaching, there’s nothing worst than a know-it-all of a subject you don’t care about. Save the beer talk for the beer geeks and the naturally curious…IMO.

GO HARVICK!!

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

I just retired from the grocery business. I had one customer who told me Coors is the best beer on the planet. And let me tell you, there was no talking to him about that. All I could do is LMAO every time he told me that.

My great-uncle worked at PBR in Milwaukee for 42 years. one day, back in the 90's, I asked him what he thought about Coor's. He just said "thats a shabby operation". I didnt ask for details.
I've been drinking my homebrew for about 3 hours now, so what is this thread about anyway?

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

Let me tell you about my character.

The 15th time Paul started a conversation (and I use the term loosely. Each time it was him droning for 30 minutes to two hours while I politely looked for a way to escape or distract him.) with that phrase I had the epiphany that essentially no one wants to hear about your realm of geekdom.

Since then I make a point of not starting a conversation with anyone about my personal nerd topic. If someone asks me about it, then I warn them that I'm a nerd and incredibly likely to go on for way too long, so please interrupt me when they've heard enough.

 

[Boogdish]

Beer is like food...

...best if consumed at least 3 times a day.