The Secret Code of Craft Beer: Are We All Just Pretentious Parrots?

Last weekend, I attended an exciting bottle share where enthusiasts gathered to sample and discuss unique brews. Amidst the crowd, an intriguing barrel-aged sour was uncorked, and with a slight air of confidence, I found myself the center of attention. I confidently declared my “appreciation for the interplay between the characteristic brett and oak tannins, resulting in some exquisite phenolic compounds.”

However, I’ll let you in on a little secret—I had no idea what phenolic compounds even were. It dawned on me later that I had likely scrambled together some wine lingo with a fuzzy memory from a brewing podcast. The surreal moment came when everyone around me nodded along as if I had just unveiled some profound truth about brewing science. Emboldened by their approval, I took it even further, speaking about how the beer “displays local terroir through indigenous microflora.”

In hindsight, I was definitely talking a good game without understanding the playbook.

This isn’t the first time that I’ve felt like I was just stringing together fancy-sounding phrases. Just the other day, I found myself raving about a beer’s “mouthfeel complexity” when, in reality, I meant it simply tasted thick. How did we get to this point where craft beer discussions feel like a language of their own?

It often seems like we’re all reciting craft beer jargon we’ve picked up along the way, hoping no one will challenge our credentials as aficionados. I’m left wondering: Is this a rite of passage in the craft beer community, or are we all just pretending to be knowledgeable about something we barely grasp?

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? It would be great to hear your stories of pretentious phrasing and the secret language of craft beer. Let’s lift the veil on this shared experience!