Unmasking Beer Snobbery: When Craft Beer Terminology Gets Out of Hand

As beer enthusiasts, we often find ourselves in social settings where the conversation revolves around our favorite brews, new releases, and the intricate nuances of beer tasting. However, there are moments where the discussion can veer into pretentious territory, leaving some of us wondering if we truly understand what we’re saying—or if we’re merely echoing terms we’ve picked up along the way.

Recently, I attended a bottle share that sparked this very reflection. When a fellow participant uncorked a barrel-aged sour, I felt an irresistible urge to showcase my knowledge. I confidently stated something along the lines of how I “truly appreciated the characteristic brett interacting with the oak tannins to create some beautiful phenolic compounds.” In that moment, I realized I had strung together a collection of words that sounded impressive but meant very little to me. Honestly, I couldn’t define “phenolic compounds” if my life depended on it.

What’s worse is the way everyone engaged with my comments, nodding along as if I had unveiled some great truth about the beer. Encouraged by their reactions, I felt compelled to delve even deeper into the technical jargon, mentioning how the beer “expressed local terroir through indigenous microflora.” It was a classic case of faking it until you make it, and I was deep in the weeds.

This isn’t a standalone incident in my beer journey. Just last month, I found myself discussing a beer’s “mouthfeel complexity,” all the while meaning to convey that it had a thick texture. It made me realize that, at times, we might be slipping into a mode of craft beer speak that resembles a game of Mad Libs, filling in the blanks with fancy terms in hopes of sounding knowledgeable.

Does anyone else find themselves in similar situations? Have you ever caught yourself parroting what you’ve heard from others, just waiting for someone to call your bluff? The world of craft beer is rich with terminology, but it’s also filled with opportunities for genuine conversation about what we love—hopefully without the pretense. Let’s embrace the flavor and enjoyment of beer for what it truly is, rather than getting lost in the complexity of language. After all, isn’t the real pleasure in sharing a great drink with fellow enthusiasts, regardless of our level of expertise?