HaterAde and Calls to Action
Every so often, there’s something going on in the beer world that’s generating so much conversation that it needs to be addressed. A little while back, it was Rock Art’s trademark dispute with Monster over the Vermonster name. Last week, everyone was talking about Sink the Bismarck, the newest super-high alcohol beer from the Scots over at BrewDog. This week, people on Facebook, in forums and on Twitter seem to be buzzing about two topics in particular; the Call to Action posted by documentarian Anat Baron (director of Beer Wars) and a post on New Brew Thursday titled “Want to advocate for Craft Beer? Then don’t be a hater!“
What the posts boil down to is that the internet tends to make people into (excuse my language) assholes, and this isn’t a good way to share, promote or grow the world of craft beer. At best, this kind of attitude makes the community seem hard to break into and kind of insular. At worst, it makes craft beer fans – and by extension, any beer brewed by an independent brewery – completely unapproachable.
I’m aware that this isn’t a new discovery, since I’m sure people have been jerks on computers since the first scientist that transcribed “you suck, dude” into binary. Still, I think it’s worth mentioning, if only as a wake-up call to beer geeks who act in a way that drives away both craft beer drinkers and non-geeks alike.
Remember; even though you’re on the internet and the only face you have for most of the other posters is an adorable avatar, there’s a real person with real feelings behind the forum posts. This extends to craft brewers, most of whom put their blood, sweat and tears into brewing really good beer. True, they don’t always succeed. And true, some are taking shortcuts and knowingly making cheap mediocre beer in hopes of making a quick buck. But before you rip into the new IPA from Johnny McLocal Brewery and suggest that the brewery shut down and the brewer’s wife leave him, consider offering some constructive criticism instead. If you had a beer you didn’t like, it’s cathartic to rip into it, for sure. If you’re taking the time to post online – where other people are going to read it – it’s better for you, your audience and even the brewery to put down the emotional hand grenades and talk honestly about what you did like about the beer and constructively about what you would change.
It’s also worth mentioning something that seems to be forgotten with distressing regularity; beer tastes and enjoyment are by and large subjective, not objective. There is an objective manner to look at beers, for sure, in the BJCP guidelines. These offer a great way to look at beers and judge them against the standards of a style. Taste and enjoyment, however, are subjective fields that are dragged into the world of objectivity. My tastes in beer, intelligence, my right to opine on beer and even my sexuality (yay, ad hominems) are called into question when I dare to say that one of my favorite go-to brews is New Belgium’s Fat Tire. Remember what it means if you don’t like a beer – it just means that you don’t like the beer.
Pretty much everyone in the world of craft beer, from authors to brewers to bloggers to documentary directors, does this because we’re passionate about good beer. Even in a growing industry, opening a craft brewery is a far cry from gaining instant wealth. Very few beer authors or beer website operators make enough to call it their day job, and the pickings are slimmer for beer bloggers and freelancers. Before you cut down the Alstroms, or Hop Press writers, or Anat Baron, or your fellow community members, remember that they aren’t anonymous evildoers trying to force you to drink bad beer or kill the industry – they (we) are advocates, just like you. We love craft beer, and want to see it succeed. It sucks to be attacked when we’re coming at the industry from a place of love just like you.
I’ll end with the closing words from the New Brew Thursday post, since they summed their thoughts up far better than I can sum up mine;
With all the new craft beer drinkers coming into our online community every day, what impression do we want them to get ? That we are a bunch of beer snobs, or beer douche-bags that won’t accept them because they can’t explain the difference between a Barley Wine and an IPA .. or do we want them to see us as a group of buddies who love beer, and want to enjoy their journey through craft beer as much as we enjoyed our own ?
I choose the latter. Even if you don’t agree with Anat, NBT and I, I’d ask that you at least think of this post before the next time you rip into someone’s beer or beer tastes.
18 Comments to “HaterAde and Calls to Action”
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[...] You can read my collected thoughts on the posts on the Hop Press. [...]
Josh you #@%* pansy-arse $^!#. You have no taste and you’re ugly besides!
Sorry, couldn’t resist. I agree with you wholeheartedly.
HERE HERE!
Couldn’t agree more.
I wholeheartedly agree. However, I think a lot of people jump to conclusions and don’t realize that you can hate a beer and NOT the person who drinks it. Youcan look down on a certain beer but not think less of the person or people who drink it.
I have many friends who still drink macros but I don’t think they’re base cavemen. Some people don’t dig chocolate and I do. That doesn’t make them less human.
I also wholeheartedly agree! It’s wonderful that we have, thanks to a whole bunch of crafty brewers, a myriad of beer flavors and even whole new styles. I like nearly all of them (even Fat Tire!), but not all of them. Some of my very favorite brewers make some of my least favorite beers! Those that I don’t care for are there for the people who are lucky enough to appreciate them. And cheers to us all!
well said, Josh. This goes hand in hand with snobbery vs. geekery.
So where do you personally direct a fledgling craft beer enthusiast who’s hungry for knowledge? In recent years I’ve pointed to (and loaned) various beer books to friends precisely because of the negative attitudes that stalk many of the beer-centric forums around the net.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by jchristie: New on the @RateBeer @hop_press; Calls to Action and Haterade. http://is.gd/94Kqu...
Very well written piece. I agree wholeheartedly. I came to Ratebeer a little late in life, but I’ve always enjoyed “better” beer. Anything that promotes craft beer is worth while. Attacking and ridiculing some ones efforts, is not worth while.
my introduction to craft beer was (is) through ratebeer. I’ve found no hostilities, only openness and friendliness.
People seemed confused that I’ve been able to make friends like this over the internet, but the vast majority of my experiences with the craft community have been overwhelmingly positive.
I’d probably still send them to the online forums with the caution to read more than post and to take many things with a grain (if not pound) of salt. I’d also probably act as a Tom Fagan and try to show a friend craft beer first hand whether going to decent beer bars or dinners or ‘fests.
Kumbayah!
Josh, your observations are pertinent not only to to the beer world, but to the greater internet community in general. When is the last time you saw a positive comment on a YouTube post? I’m guessing not very often. There is something about the anonymity of the web that seems to encourage outrageous anti-social comments. I for one do read the last five or six reviews for the particular beer I’m rating, and I am usually impressed with the decorum shown. In general, beer and beer discussion should not cause stress in your life–it should be fun (even if you want to take seriously).
Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! Now I’m kind of worried that all the good vibes here disprove my point :-p.
@wunderbier I think you’re on the right track with beer books as a way to indoctrinate…. er, include a growing beer lover. The Naked Pint. He Said Beer She Said Wine and Tasting Beer are great examples of books that provide an awesome overview of beer tasting, different styles and beer culture. I think that most beer bloggers and forum posters are a positive bunch, but brooha is right – tell them to approach things with a sack of grains of salt.
@matthewjk I agree completely! I’ve been reading Lanier’s new book You Are Not a Gadget, and the parts about anonymity and internet culture inspired this post as much as NBT and Anat’s posts. There is a majority of positive people in the beer community online – it just seems like a silent majority more often than not, unfortunately.
@wunderbier I hear there’s a great site called The Hop Press you can direct your fledgling beer lover to
I have found 99.44% open and friendly people in my beer travels in person. When online, that number goes down (but not alot) because people feel like they can vent 150% percent of their emotions in that venue.
What we need is for people to speak up a little more in person and less online. Maybe then the balance can restore itself.
I think subjective judgement makes beer blogs great.
We are human beings. We all have prejudices and preferences. I think that trying to be non-judgemental is a huge disservice to people who really want hard opinions on what beer to purchase and buy.
If I post a scathing review, I would hope that people would go out and try that beer to see if I made any sense. If I did, tell me. If I did not, call me out.
I have a short attention span and certian buzzwords and vitriol stimulates my mind. It really does not matter if the writer is wrong or right. All that matters is that the writer got me to think and to try some new beer. My taste buds will be the judge for me.
I figure if a beer is not receiving any publicity, it must not be worth trying.
Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! Now I’m kind of worried that all the good vibes here disprove my point :-p.
@wunderbier I think you’re on the right track with beer books as a way to indoctrinate…. er, include a growing beer lover. The Naked Pint. He Said Beer She Said Wine and Tasting Beer are great examples of books that provide an awesome overview of beer tasting, different styles and beer culture. I think that most beer bloggers and forum posters are a positive bunch, but brooha is right – tell them to approach things with a sack of grains of salt.
@matthewjk I agree completely! I’ve been reading Lanier’s new book You Are Not a Gadget, and the parts about anonymity and internet culture inspired this post as much as NBT and Anat’s posts. There is a majority of positive people in the beer community online – it just seems like a silent majority more often than not, unfortunately.