The Art of Pretentious Beer Talk: Are We All Just Faking It?

As I sat at a bottle share event last weekend, a moment of revelation struck me when someone opened a barrel-aged sour beer. Caught up in the atmosphere, I boldly declared my appreciation for “the characteristic brett interacting with the oak tannins to create some beautiful phenolic compounds.” It wasn’t until after I spoke that I realized—what on earth are phenolic compounds? My mind had merely cobbled together bits of wine jargon and fragments from a brewing podcast I had listened to ages ago.

The reaction around me was a real kicker. Everyone nodded in agreement, as if I had shared a profound insight. Emboldened by their endorsement, I added a comment about the beer “expressing local terroir through indigenous microflora.” In retrospect, I could hardly reckon what I truly meant.

Just last month, I found myself using the phrase “mouthfeel complexity” to describe a beer’s texture, when in reality, all I intended to convey was that it had a thick sensation. This is nothing but verbal acrobatics, akin to playing a game of craft beer mad libs.

It makes me wonder: are we all just echoing phrases we’ve heard from others, hoping to escape scrutiny for our lack of genuine understanding? Is the craft beer community filled with individuals who throw around technical terms, only to mask their uncertainty? If you’ve ever grappled with similar feelings, you’re definitely not alone. Let’s explore this phenomenon together and add a touch of honesty to our beer discussions!