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Steven Coulson
Steven has been drinking beers, wines and spirits for decades and has a propensity to go about them at length after a few drinks.
Latest Posts
- 57/m: Love beer, but it doesn’t love me as much anymore
- No Stupid Questions Wednesday – ask anything about beer
- Does anyone else get treated like a beer snob for ordering literally anything that isn’t a macro lager?
- Is there a polite way to refuse a beer that’s being served in the wrong glassware without making everyone at the table uncomfortable?
- # What’s the most pretentious thing you’ve ever said about beer that you secretly didn’t understand yourself?
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The Great Beer Pretension: Confessions of a Craft Beer Aficionado
Craft beer culture is a delightful realm of flavors, aromas, and intricate brewing techniques. However, it often brings with it a veneer of sophistication that can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, particularly for those of us who enjoy good beer without fully grasping the underlying jargon.
Recently, during a casual bottle share with friends, I found myself indulging in a lively discussion about a barrel-aged sour ale that had just been opened. As soon as I took a sip, I couldn’t resist the urge to sound knowledgeable. I confidently proclaimed my admiration for the “characteristic brett interacting with the oak tannins to create some beautiful phenolic compounds.” Little did I know that my understanding of phenolic compounds was far from solid—I suspect I merely cobbled together some phrases I had overheard in various wine and brewing podcasts.
To my surprise, everyone around me nodded in agreement, as if I had just shared a profound revelation. This prompted me to further embellish my commentary, adding something about the beer “expressing local terroir through indigenous microflora.” In that moment, I realized I was engaging in some crafty verbal gymnastics, conjuring terms that left even me in a state of confusion.
Reflecting on this experience, I remembered a conversation from the previous month where I casually referred to a beer’s “mouthfeel complexity.” In reality, what I meant was that the beer had a thick texture. Honestly, I felt like I was playing a game of craft beer mad libs—filling in the blanks with pretentious terms in hopes of sounding more credible.
It seems we’ve all fallen into this pattern at times, echoing phrases we’ve heard in the hopes that no one will catch on to our lack of substance. Does this resonate with anyone else? Are we just echoing the sentiments of our peers, or do we genuinely appreciate the intricate arts of brewing? Either way, there’s no denying that the craft beer scene is as much about community and enjoyment as it is about the science behind it. Let’s raise a glass to the joy of discovery—both in our palates and our knowledge!