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The Art of Pretentious Beer Talk: Have You Ever Faked It?

Last weekend, during a delightful bottle share, I found myself in an amusing situation that many craft beer enthusiasts can probably relate to. As one of my friends popped open a barrel-aged sour, I felt an overwhelming urge to contribute to the conversation. Without giving it much thought, I proclaimed my “deep appreciation for the way the brett interacts with the oak tannins to craft stunning phenolic compounds.”

In reality, I was completely out of my depth. The term “phenolic compounds” eludes my understanding, and I suspect I was combining snippets of wine jargon with half-remembered insights from brewing podcasts.

The awkwardness of the moment was amplified when my audience nodded in agreement, as though I had just unveiled a profound truth about the universe. Emboldened by their approval, I decided to take it a step further and added something about how the beer “expresses local terroir through indigenous microflora.”

Reflecting on my recent conversation about a beer’s “mouthfeel complexity” — when all I meant was that it had a thick texture — was particularly cringeworthy. It struck me that I had ventured into the land of craft beer jargon that often feels like a game of Mad Libs, creating sentences that might sound impressive but often lack real substance.

I can’t help but wonder: Are we all guilty of this elaborate act of pretentiousness? It seems that many in the craft beer community regurgitate phrases we’ve heard, hoping that no one notices our lack of genuine knowledge. If you’re nodding along, rest assured, you’re not alone in this playful charade. Let’s embrace the interesting world of craft beer without the need for fancy terminology that often masks a lack of real understanding. After all, the joy of beer should be in the experience, not the eloquence of our description!