rant of the day - craft beer ignorance

Yet another ignorantly written article about craft beer. Let's dissect shall we?

Here's the article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324439804578104931608203180.html?mod=WSJ_article_comments#articleTabs%3Darticle

'It doesn't help that I don't drink.' No, it doesn't. Much has changed in the beer world since you quit. If you don't drink, you should probably keep your ill informed and negative comments about craft beer and the craft beer crowd to yourself.

'...back then we didn't talk about beer. We merely drank it. We might occasionally discuss wine—especially if we were in France—but beer wasn't viewed as a suitable topic for conversation. Beer was simply an ingenious device one used to get hammered.' Oh I'm so sorry beer has pushed its way into conversations now, it must be a huge inconvenience. Beer wasn't a suitable topic awhile ago because there was nothing to talk about. Beer has always been viewed as a more humble beverage than wine. The point of the craft beer craze recently is to move beer out of this barbaric light (beer was always viewed as the barbarians' drink while wine was for royalty) and into the more luxurious light while still maintaining a sense of its humble beginnings.

'I go to a restaurant in Brooklyn and the sommelier des bières saunters over to the table to discuss Estrella Damm Daura and König Ludwig Weissbier.' A quick Google search for 'beer sommelier' would show that the term is actually Cicerone. Instead of mocking, get your terms correct. Instead of mocking, realize that beer is not just beer, just like wine is not just wine. There's much more to it, and people that are properly educated in the area can properly discuss with and educate others.

'But that was back in the day when people in bars talked about sports. Now they talk about beer. Craft beer.' If you want to talk about sports, go to a fucking sports bar.

'I don't want to pull into a small town in the nation's breadbasket and come upon a magazine called Peoria Beer Scene or Redneck Riviera Beer Scene or Coeur d'Alene Beer Scene' Um, what the fuck? Why the hell not? If you don't want to read it then don't pick it up. Simple! All that means is small business is expanding enough to warrant others to write about it, creating even more local business. There's a reason no one writes about Bud Light...because there's nothing to write about!

'I think craft-beer mania has replaced golf as something that conniving executives dreamed up.' These executives you speak of are actually from the mega breweries, the ones that don't care about the product or the people drinking it (i.e Bud Light). The only thing they care about is profit and market share to please shareholders.

The 'executives' in the craft beer world happen to be small risk taking business owners. Most of which are the head brewers as well, knee deep in mash and spending hours upon hours trying to make their dream come true. Go to your nearest local brewery and get to know the brewers/owners before making such asinine statements.

My closing thoughts:
Beer is so diverse that it can be both a humble beverage for the masses and a complex experience for special occasions and experienced palates. Could this be why it's the most popular beverage in the world? Perhaps.

What would be the point of having only a few options for the single reason of getting drunk? The big boys tried that and succeeded for a few decades (and are still succeeding in some regards) but people got bored. People rebelled and instead brewed themselves and experimented with flavors, styles and everything in between. It's the American spirit, and right now it's what makes this country the envy around the whole world in regards to beer. There are no rules. There are no barriers. It's what makes craft beer so exciting!

Can craft beer become snobby? Sure it can, just like anything else. Craft beer snobbery accounts for one, maybe two percent of the entire craft beer crowd. Craft beer is about more than just the beer. It's about passion, community, and sharing, and most people embrace that. There's a reason it's growing at an alarmingly fast rate. We'd love for you to join in and find out what the craze is all about, but until then, quit with the negativity Mr. Grumpy Pants.

Support Your Local Brewers. Cheers!