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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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Navigating the Craft Beer Conversation: How to Share Your Passion Without Being Overly Pretentious
If you’re an enthusiast of craft beer, you might find yourself in a familiar situation: your friends make casual plans to grab “a beer,” only to show up with a case of a mass-produced lager. It’s a moment that can be both amusing and frustrating, especially for those who appreciate the rich variety craft beer offers.
The scenario often plays out in shared social settings, like dinner outings, where a simple point at the menu suffices for your friends to order a generic “beer,” as if it were a one-size-fits-all beverage. Meanwhile, you may be savoring the flavors of a nuanced Belgian tripel or a hoppy IPA that takes your taste buds on an adventure.
At a recent gathering, I brought along some unique selections, hoping to introduce my friends to a new realm of flavors. However, their reactions were telling: one polite sip followed by a swift return to their familiar taste of Natty Light. This left me questioning how to effectively communicate the distinctiveness of craft beer without falling into the trap of sounding pretentious.
The moment I mention the intricacies of hops or any brewing techniques, I can practically sense everyone tuning out. It’s as if I triggered an instinctual response—an internal defense mechanism set to neutralize what they perceive as a “craft beer lecture.”
But this begs the question: Can we truly compare a mass-produced lager with the complexities of craft beer? The craft beer world is rich with diverse flavors and brewing methods, yet many remain unaware of this vast universe while they’re perfectly content with their carbonated bread water.
If you’ve faced a similar challenge in sharing your passion for craft beer with friends, you’re not alone. So how can we navigate these conversations without sounding snooty? Here are a few strategies:
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Keep It Light: Instead of diving deep into brewing science, share simple stories about your favorite craft beers, focusing on the flavors and experiences they evoke.
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Incorporate Humor: A light-hearted joke about the difference in taste can break the ice and make the conversation approachable.
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Inclusive Tastings: Host informal tastings where friends can sample different styles of craft beer alongside their usual favorites, making it a fun exploratory experience rather than a lecture.
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Encourage Questions: Invite curiosity by asking questions like, “Have you ever tried a beer with fruity notes?” This can