A beer geek, a beer snob, and a beer nazi walk into a bar. The beer geek orders a cream ale and the snob snorts, rolls his eyes, then asks for an IPA. All this time the Nazi walks out because the bar does not carry Sierra Nevada harvest ale and we all know that if a bar does not carry any Sierra Nevada its just not worth the time.
I was working on a post about this topic when my latest edition of Beer Advocate magazine came to my door. Inside was a very nice article about the very subject I was going to post on, so I deleted it. But now I thought, why should I not post my article on the matter just because someone else did it? After all, this blog is not a professional outlet, just my take on beer, brewing, and beer culture. So I thought I would go ahead with the post anyway.
For those in the know about beer, I am sure you have come across all types of beer enthusiasts of all different levels of interest and knowledge. But in my eyes there are three basic types of beer lovers, you have the beer geek, the beer snob, and the beer Nazis. Each has his or her qualities that make up the beer community and have an impact on beer culture. Let me cover the three types.
The beer geek, is someone who not only knows a lot about beer and/or brewing, but also understands that each beer has its place and like them or hate them, even the American lagers are a style to be appreciated for what they are. Websters defines a geek as: An expert or enthusiast especially in a technological field or activity. So in the beer world, a beer geek would be one who may be a self-proclaimed expert in beer, beer styles, or brewing. In my eyes it’s an enthusiast who has taken the time to try to learn as much as they could about beer and styles, and even though there may be beers or styles they are not fond of, they can respect the beer for what it is.
A beer snob is someone who thinks that any particular beer, brewery, or style is the best or maybe specific beer types, such as low alcohol beers or American lagers are not worth their time or inferior because basically they don’t think they are real beers. Snobs can be hard to get along with, but they usually do show a passion for beer. Many people today proclaim themselves as beer snobs, and refuse to drink anything other than extremely hoppy or very high alcohol beers. Anything less is not “in your face” enough for them. This is OK, but in all honesty they are missing out on the whole picture.
A beer Nazi is by far the worst. They take snobbery to a whole new level and think that only barleywines are good beers, or only beers from their favorite brewery are worth drinking, or if it doesn’t have 20 pounds of hops per barrel then the beer is crap. What separates the nazi from the snob is the strength of their convictions based upon their supposed knowledge of beer or brewing.

I think we all know at least two of these types of beer lovers. I’m not saying that if you are a beer snob, then you are a big jerk or anything like that, but I often wonder how one can truly claim to be a beer lover, enthusiast, advocate, or whatever and completely alienate a beer based on what style it is, who made it, or how extreme it is. After all, shouldn’t we be appreciating a beer for how good it is? How well it was brewed? And in some cases how true to style it is? I like to think so, but I know there are some who beg to differ and think that the envelope should be pushed at all times.
Personally, I can appreciate that, but more often than not I just want to enjoy a good well crafted beer regardless of how extreme it is, or who made it. Heck, I grew up on Bud Light, Michelobe, and Bush and once in a great while I get a craving for it. Sure it’s not my beer of choice and you probably will not find them in my fridge, but it’s not because I think they are crappy beers. They are just not what I usually want. After all, who wants a McDonalds hamburger when you have easy access to nice ribeyes for only a few cents more?
In the end, all I am suggesting is that it is OK to have a favorite brewery, a favorite style, a favorite beer, or a favorite type of malt, ect. But as a beer lover, I ask that you try to take a look at the whole picture and open your mind up to all the potential styles, flavors, and aromas that beer has to offer. I know most of you realize that a cream ale, or American lager can be tough to brew. There is not much flavor or aroma to hide behind, so you do have to respect that these brewerys can make a consistent product that is very tough to produce. I’m not saying you have to drink them all the time, but if your buddy offers you a Budweiser or Michelobe Amber Bock, don’t snort at him and turn your head to his offering. Try to look on the bright side and drink the beer for what it is, then go home and crack open that Imperial IPA

Stay tuned for Part 2, A segment on Beer Styles.