If the beer’s good why aren’t you smiling?

Pete Brown’s name is short. And plain.

There, I’ve written something about him that wasn’t complimentary. Now I can go back to praising his posts (wouldn’t want you to think I have a crush or anything).

I’d be typing this even had I not had a conversation just Friday about what a splendid beer White Shield remains. You must read all of For Christ’s sake, cheer up!, both pre- and post-rant. To encourage you, I offer this:

The point is, there’s an attitude in beer appreciation that’s the same as the one I used to have when I was a teenage indie kid: back then, we thought anything on a major label was shit, anyone who actually got into the charts had sold out. It seems lots of beer fans enjoy being just as miserable as I was then. Big brewers churning out bland lager are easy hate targets, but when they start to show some interest in characterful beers, the vitriol only increases. Why?

So is he talking about you?

8 thoughts on “If the beer’s good why aren’t you smiling?”

  1. yes, yes he is… (as I wonder if my old Hüsker Dü t-shirt will still fit…)

    we can all agree that the brewers at the biggies are all extremely good at what they do. however, I have yet to see any sort of beer from them that didn’t appear designed by the marketing department, not the brewers. I understand that a beer has to sell, but look at wine (and vodka, for that matter…) the market for more character, depth, and flavor exists …

    and, I just tried the He-Brew pomegranite ale, forget the name, but I wasn’t that impressed. it’s fairly bitter and hoppy, why let all that get in the way of a fruit with character that begs to shine through?

  2. Dann, I have three words to say to you: Courage Russian Stout. The best beer I’ve had (by quite a way) and always brewed by one of the biggest breweries in Britain.

  3. Ron brings up a point to the post I was going to make — it seems like I gravitate more toward import macros (I guess you can call them that) than the U.S. biggies — if we’re strictly talking big breweries. I’ve often contended that Spaten and Paulaner Helles are the beers BMC wish they were. And those Euro “macros” tend to grasp the soul of beer much more than any U.S. industrial-sized brewer.

    That said, I gave the new, all malt Michelob an honest chance when it came out last year and was seriously underwhelmed. I still can’t get my arms around the Bluemoon craze either — especially when Ommegang and Allagash are beating Coors at the Wit game.

    OTOH, even with their A-B tainted reputation, Red Hook ESB has become a go-to beer for me — it’s just a damn good drinker.

    So, am I the beer drinker Brown is talking about? Maybe to some extent because here in the U.S. I still haven’t seen anything from the big three to excite me, but that doesn’t mean they can’t surprise me! In the meantime, I’m keeping my eyes open for the Courage.

  4. Steve, I think the Redhook-Widmer analogy (since the are merging) is a good one, although A-B “only” owns a minority stake.

    As to Courage, it still hasn’t been brewed for sale since 1993 (right Ron?). I heard that test batches were made about five years ago but nothing came of a possible revival.

  5. He’s not talking about me, hell, I think he’s channeling me! I’ve got two words for the folks he is talking about: BLIND TASTING. Gawd, I’d love to administer some blind tastings to BeerAdvocates and ratebeerians and RealBeerPeople.

  6. “…although A-B “only” owns a minority stake.”

    Completely understood, and to emphasize my previous point some — I’m among those who defend Red Hook, Widmer, and now Goose Island when everyone thinks the evil empire has its hand in the brew kettles.

    Lew — administer? You’re starting to sound more militant than me! 😉
    Seriously though, an underlying theme has gained a lot of momentum at RealBeer, if it tastes good, why not drink it? My Red Hook ESB is a good example of that to me. But bring on the blind tastings — just keep the malted rice out of my glass, I won’t get past the second sip!

  7. Talking about me on both accounts, indie kid and craft beer adult. Of course deep down I still have the indie kid at heart. Maybe misery loves company, just not too much of it.

    Then again maybe power is just waiting to turn to the hands of the distributors. With consolidation up in the distribution industry, we could end up seeing the same thing as the music industry: lots of small breweries trying to make it big but can’t get a distributor to pick them up.

    Of course I will be one of the first to say that not all indie bands and craft brewers are good, but that’ll have to be left for another comment.

  8. Steve, thanks for saying in a word what I didn’t do so very well in a sentence. the “soul” of beer… I like that a lot… (now I’ve got something to write on all those scoresheets…)

    Lew, one RealBeerPerson right here, sign me up for some blind tasting. what’r’ya doing the weekend after next? we’re having a little party up here in MN, even Stan is coming… http://www.mnbrewers.com/mashout/

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