OK, So I’m A “Beer Snob”

Foothills Brewing flight
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Let me preface this by saying that this is in no way a diatribe against the big beer companies and/or those who drink their products. After all, those who are craft beer enthusiasts usually start out drinking the Miller Lites, Bud Lights, Natty Lights, etc. of the beer world — myself included.

The reason I felt compelled to write this post is because a couple days ago, Nick and I were at the Flying Saucer for some pre-Beard wedding festivities and while our entire party of 11 was enjoying various Sierra Nevada beers (it was Sierra Nevada glass night), two of the tables next to us were enjoying bottles of Budweiser and/or Miller Lite.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, it is a restaurant that boasts 200+ beers and loyal patrons can join The UFO Club to track the beers they have consumed. When a person has drank 200 unique beers, his/her accomplishment will forever be remembered with a golden plate (or “saucer”) that will hang on the wall or ceiling of that particular location for years to come. Each plate has a color on it which signifies how many times someone has reached that 200 mark, as well as the person’s name and the name of the 200th beer.

Now, normally I wouldn’t pay attention to what those around me are drinking; however, nothing irks me more than going to the Saucer – a restaurant whose name and philosophy are based on the notion of trying different beers – and ordering the likes of a Miller Lite or Bud Light, over and over again. I’ve seen it countless times and it’s quite comical to see some people complain about how large the beer menu is or that some beer sounds “weird.” Why even bother going to the restaurant if all you’re going to do is complain about the primary thing being sold? It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

The same goes for the people who go to a brewpub/microbrewery and never order their beer. Not sure about how one will taste? Ask for a sample or order a flight. My  mum is not the beer drinkin’ type, but even she was able to find something she liked when we ordered a flight from Foothills Brewing.

I guarantee if you stepped outside the beer box, you would find something new and different to enjoy. And no, it doesn’t make you a “hipster” if you like craft beer. And if people want to make fun of you for drinking craft beer, who cares?

Anyway, I needed to rant and if I’m the type of person that people refer to as a “beer snob,” that’s fine. Whatever. But at least i’m enjoying good beer — cheers!