The Craft Beer Conundrum: When Pretentious Language Meets True Understanding

Craft beer culture is rich with vocabulary that can leave even the most seasoned enthusiasts scratching their heads. Recently, I found myself in a somewhat amusing yet slightly embarrassing situation at a local bottle share event. A friend brought out a barrel-aged sour that was lauded for its unique characteristics, which inspired me to dive headfirst into a discussion that I can now safely say was more pretentious than profound.

Without fully grasping the concepts I was spouting, I confidently remarked on how I “truly appreciated the characteristic brett interacting with the oak tannins to create some beautiful phenolic compounds.” In truth, I scarcely understood what I was talking about—sure, I had heard the terms before, likely in a brewing podcast, but the specifics? Let’s just say they eluded me entirely.

The real kicker came when everyone around me nodded, seemingly impressed by my “insight.” Buoyed by their reactions, I doubled down and elaborated on how the beer was “expressing local terroir through indigenous microflora.” If you had asked me what that meant, I might have struggled to provide a coherent explanation.

This isn’t an isolated incident for me. Just last month, I found myself casually describing a beer’s “mouthfeel complexity” when all I really meant was that it had a thick taste. In retrospect, I realize that I was engaging in something resembling craft beer Mad Libs—stringing together jargony phrases in the hope that they conveyed an air of knowledge.

It begs the question: Are we, as craft beer aficionados, often just echoing phrases we’ve absorbed from our peers, hoping to avoid being called out? Seeing the occasional dip in confidence, I can’t help but wonder if many of us feel the same way.

When it comes down to it, craft beer is meant to be enjoyed and savored. Let’s celebrate it for what it is instead of cloaking it in a haze of pretentiousness. So next time you’re at a bottle share, remember: you don’t need to sound like a master brewmaster to enjoy the experience. Embrace the flavors, share your genuine thoughts, and let the beer do the talking. Cheers!