The Art of Pretension in Craft Beer: Confessions from a Bottle Share

In the world of craft beer, it’s not uncommon to find ourselves wrapped up in the allure of artisanal lingo and sophisticated jargon. Recently, during a bottle share event, I experienced firsthand the strange dance of pretentiousness that often accompanies discussions about our favorite brews.

As a particularly intriguing barrel-aged sour was popped open, I felt an overwhelming urge to sound knowledgeable. With a casual air, I proclaimed my “deep appreciation for the interplay of brett and oak tannins, resulting in some beautifully crafted phenolic compounds.” In that moment, I realized that I had strung together a handful of words I barely understood—’phenolic compounds’ being the crown jewel of my elaborate statement.

What’s even more amusing is that everyone around me nodded in agreement, as if I had just unveiled the secrets of the universe. Emboldened by their reactions, I pushed the envelope even further, mentioning how this particular brew “expresses local terroir through indigenous microflora.” It was a veritable cocktail of brewing buzzwords, all while I silently grappled with my lack of real understanding.

Reflecting on my adventures in beer discourse, I found myself recalling another curious incident from just last month when I described a beer’s “mouthfeel complexity.” What I really meant was that I found it to be thick—but who would settle for such simplicity?

It’s a phenomenon I’ve come to recognize as the craft beer equivalent of playing Mad Libs. More often than not, it feels like we’re all just echoing phrases we’ve heard, desperately hoping we don’t get called out for lack of depth in our understanding.

So, the question arises: Do you find yourself in the same boat? Have you ever caught yourself using eloquent terminology to describe something that, at its core, you don’t fully grasp? The intrigue of craft beer makes it easy for us to entangle ourselves in the art of pretension, and sometimes, it can lead to hilarious confessions like mine.

In the end, perhaps the beauty of craft beer lies not just in its complex flavors but also in the shared laughter and camaraderie of those who partake in this enchanting pursuit, regardless of how pretentious our conversations may become!