The Art of Pretentious Beer Talk: When Does Enthusiasm Turn into Nonsense?

As craft beer enthusiasts, we often find ourselves in the midst of passionate discussions about our favorite brews. However, the fine line between genuine appreciation and pretentious jargon can sometimes blur.

Take a recent experience at a bottle share I attended over the weekend, for instance. When someone unveiled a barrel-aged sour, I felt compelled to express my admiration. I confidently remarked about how I “truly appreciated the characteristic brett interacting with the oak tannins to create some beautiful phenolic compounds.” The catch? I have no real understanding of what phenolic compounds are. It seems I had inadvertently strung together some fancy wine terminology and snippets from a brewing podcast I’d once half-listened to.

What made it even more amusing was the consensus around the table; everyone nodded as if I had just delivered profound wisdom. Fueled by the nods of approval, I added an ambitious comment about the beer “expressing local terroir through indigenous microflora.” What was I even saying?

This recent escapade isn’t the first time I’ve found myself caught in the web of craft beer lingo. Just last month, I described a beer’s “mouthfeel complexity,” when in reality, I was attempting to express that it simply had a thick texture.

It’s become evident to me that within the craft beer community, we sometimes resort to what feels like a game of beer-themed mad libs. We repeat phrases and terminologies we’ve heard from others, banking on the hope that no one will call us out for our lack of understanding.

Does anyone else find themselves in similar situations? Are we all just guilty of adopting a pretentious tone to hide our uncertainties? Let’s embrace the joy of beer without overcomplicating it—we might find it more enjoyable!