Chip the Beer Guy Rock 107 – Michelob Dunkel Weisse

Today we confronted beer-snobbery. Beer snobbery has always made me laugh. For some reason I expect it in the wine tasting world, but never in the beer world. I picture the swirling wine glasses, pinky-fingers held high, 3-piece suits and Kentucky-derby hats…but with beer, lets face it…our reputation is more pigs-in-the-mud swilling down aluminum cans of Bud. So how did it happen? How did we create beer-snobs…and is it a good thing? Now I don’t mean “is being a beer snob a good thing?”, but what I do mean is, “does this say something?” Has beer finally achieved a level of craftsmanship to the point that it is worthy of snobbery. OK so that sounds funny, but think about it. Over the last 10-15 years beer has changed. Beer has undergone a revolution and suddenly it’s upscale….suddenly we’re competing with wine and winning, suddenly there are good enough beers that us pigs-in-the-mud can pooh-pooh bad beers. This is good, right?

For me this is where the good ends. I agree with Chip and the boys that beer drinking is about the people, and all about enjoying a good beverage with good people. When snobbery takes away from that and makes someone feel out of place or makes someone not enjoy their beverage, then it’s time to call a beer-snob-foul. Sure we can talk about the finer points of beer, but it’s about the people you share it with and the beer you enjoy…not who’s drinking the better beer. Opinions??

Today’s beer of the day ($2.50 @ Grotto WB) is Michelob Dunkel Weisse. I’ve actually had this beer and I can say I (and several friends) actually like it. Please turn off the snobbery and try this brew if you get a chance.

My final point of the day is about the show. As I mentioned above I’ve been a little worried that the show was changing, and here’s my concern. I totally and completely appreciate Grotto’s role in sponsoring the show AND bringing good beers to the community. The problem for me lies in the fact that the “beer of the week” now HAS to be a beer Grotto can not only get, but also a beer Grotto can sell for $2.50. Forgive my economic prowess and poor math skills, but it seems to me that this not only dictates the beer choices but severly limits them as well. This is nothing against Grotto or the guys, but I hope you can both find a way to balance what is good for the show, good for the sponsors, and also good for the listeners.

Cheers Guys….great show!