For Fun: Thrillist's 19 Types of Beer Snobs

I typically have at least one beer-related magazine in my bag at all times. Once, a co-worker saw me reading a Draft magazine and asked with a smile if I was a beer snob. I replied that I like to think of myself as a beer nerd, which I'm starting to suspect is what beer snobs say to not sound so...snobby.

I'm not going to say that I don't sometimes give a side eye to people who go into a beer bar and order a can of Miller Lite or PBR. Or the friend who showed up to my housewarming party unironically with Bud Light Lime. However, most of the time I try not to yuck someone's yum. People like what they like and it doesn't affect me in the slightest if you choose to order a domestic beer.

You can read Thrillist's entire article here, but here are the types of beer snobs they list:

  1. The Self-Important Homebrewer
  2. Mr. Groupthink
  3. Just an Asshole
  4. The Condescender
  5. The Master Debater
  6. The Evangelist
  7. Captain Ahab
  8. The Professor
  9. The Trader
  10. The Sampler
  11. The Fresh-Head
  12. The Sour Prince
  13. The IBU Freak
  14. Release Party Guy
  15. The Barrel-Aged Devotee
  16. The Glassware Obsessive
  17. The Complete 180
  18. The Brewery Fanboy
  19. The One-Upper

Like a lot of beer nerds, I fall partially into most of these types and have met all of these types. I have F5ed no less than 5 electronic devices in an effort to get tickets to events such as KBS Week, Dark Lord Day, and the Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB). I have stood in 17 degree weather to get Bourbon County. I have also spent an entire day outside in 40 degree rainy weather in ankle deep water for Dark Lord.

I have proper glassware for my beers and once had some Spiegelau stout glasses same-day delivered. I even registered for proper glassware for my wedding.

I have a bottle of 2014 Bourbon County Proprietor's that I keep in case I want to trade it but will probably never trade it because then I won't have it anymore. I probably won't drink it either because I don't particularly care for the taste of it, which I know is probably sacrilege to the Mr. Groupthink's out there who say that 2014 Prop has a 100% rating on Beer Advocate and RateBeer.

My wardrobe outside of my work clothes consists almost entirely of brewery T-shirts. I even have T-shirts I've designated as the "nice" brewery T-shirts. My husband and I frequently have to make sure we're not both wearing a T-shirt from the same brewery before we go out, usually to another brewery.

I try not to fall into the more irritating beer snob types because, even as a fellow beer lover, I've found the people I've met who fall into these types to be insufferable. I do like to be a beer evangelist, but only to people who are open to my proselytizing. I don't typically offer up my opinion on what someone is drinking or should drink unless asked. I'm not above an internal eyeroll sometimes, but I'm not going to be condescending to people over their beer choices. 

Do you recognize yourself in any of these beer types? If so, which ones? Can you think of other beers of beer snobs who aren't on the list?

 

 

 

Jen Blairbeer, beer snobs, brewery, Spiegelau, Dark Lord Day, KBS, FoBABComment