One of the enduring theological questions that cause great debate in the craft beer community is the theory that one can drink (insert industrial water lager) and still enjoy craft beers too.
This topic came up this month on the excellent BeerNews website in a rant from an East Coast brewer (amongst other rant targets) that I won’t attack as wrongheaded in this post.
I know that someone can drink the full gamut of beers from the lowliest malt liquor to the highest ABV beer stuffed in a squirrel.
I just don’t know how. My tastebuds do not have a reverse on them. Let me explain what that means. Once I had In ‘n’ Out burgers, I could not reverse and have McDonalds ever again. The taste of In ‘n’ Out is light years ahead of the golden arches. Same with coffee. I won’t be buying a tub of Folgers when I can have Stumptown or Intelligentsia.
I can anticipate the argument that comes next. Price. Yes, Stumptown costs more if you just look at dollars and cents. But if the gaze is widened to include how much more flavor and enjoyment you get then the equation changes.
The same for beer. Yes, you can slam more PBR’s for the same price of two of my craft beer bombers. But I am getting something that is full of complex flavors that keeps me interested. I get to sit and enjoy my beer slowly while the supposedly cost-conscious are spending more on aspirin.
Another argument I don’t buy is that it makes someone less pretentious if they are “seen” drinking the industrial water lagers of the world. You should drink beer because you love it or are curious about it. Not to sell the brand of you via the marketing dollars of a mega-brewery.
That is why no one can call you a snob or an elitist if you drink what you enjoy. I don’t drink Dogfish Head or Stone to be cool like Sam or Greg. (Which they are by the way.) I drink craft beer for the flavor.