Comments on: Is the Beer Nut Nuts?

By: LStaff

LStaff — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:03:38 +0000

I think BeerNut #37 misses a huge point that not all beer writing is or should be intended to sway swill drinkers to craft or to hold beer geek newbies hands. There is a much wider audience than just newbies who may be turned off by opinion writing. As a long time beer geek, I prefer to read beer writers who aren’t afraid to speak their mind or give their honest opinions (hence, why I was introduced to this article through Andy’s blog instead of Beer Nut #37′s blog…err, electonic version of a newspaper article – as if there’s a difference.)

I have much more respect to those who put their views out there rather than taking the “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all approach” or try to sugar coat and downplay anything negative. To me it is dishonest and is not doing the industry any favors by hiding poorly made beer or industry practices that are detrimental to craft beer.

I mean how many articles do we need that just reviews beer, or says how wonderful McNiell’s is doing because he has a new packaging brewhouse? How long does it take for someone to realize that the shallow end of the pool is warm because the kiddies are all peeing it? At some point paid beer writers have to get the balls to jump off the high dive – the opinion bloggers are just those who have no fear of commercial backlash since they don’t need to make a living off being nice to industry players. The more diversity, the better, I think.

By: Russel Kealoha

Russel Kealoha — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:43:41 +0000

As long as other bloggers are promoting craft beer/home brewing, then it’s all good to me. As far as I see it, we are all on the same side. A brother hood of beer bloggers of all varieties

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:34:13 +0000

The Kierkegaard angle may be the most unintentionally funny part of this whole ridiculousness. As one emailer noted to me, “I think he really has added “what would Kierkegaard say” into the beer blogging lexicon.” Because nothing says accessible like a string of 19th Century Danish philosopher quotes…

For the record, I still, countless posts later, have no idea what George’s original point was in either column. For the best I guess…

Cheers,

Andy

By: Jim Dorsch

Jim Dorsch — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:14:14 +0000

I wonder if Kierkegaard was a beer drinker.

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:14:17 +0000

Thanks – that cleared it all up nicely.

By: Geo

Geo — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:02:08 +0000

Thanks for all the feedback. I welcome all of it, excpet when it misrepresents what I wrote.

For the record, at least a dozen or more people, over the years, have told me my column has got them to try craft beer. Not all liked what they tried, granted, but they DID try.

Just FYI.

Oh and Kiekegaard would say:

“Take away paradox from the thinker and you have a professor.”

Or:

“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.”

Cheers.

By: Jim Dorsch

Jim Dorsch — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:40:05 +0000

The consumer press definitely can influence nonbelievers. I suspect that readers of a beer column might primarily be enthusiasts, but a feature could certainly draw the attention of many of the non-converted.

I don’t think a newspaper article is going to persuade the Miller Lite drinker to instantly change, but I’m sure that repeated exposure to beer articles will cause many to become curious. Couple that with perhaps a beer-enthusiast friend or a friendly beer retailer, and that person might give it a try.

Using myself as an example, I read a newspaper article about homebrewing after it was legalized in 1979. That article caused me to take up the hobby.

By: mark taylor

mark taylor — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:10:42 +0000

I suspect that writing about craft beers and breweries in mainstream publications does little to influence the uninitiated into sampling craft beers as much as it simply entertains the regular readership and reinforce opinions already established. I can’t think of anyone I know that decided to give up their Miller lite for a Dogfishhead for example because of an article in the paper. Good writing is what’s being sold here not beer. So I have to take issue with the implication that the writer is helping or harming the craft brew industy.
mark
http://www.backyardbrewer.blogspot.com

By: erik

erik — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:30:37 +0000

The discussion over on Tim and Amy’s blog is ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous.

I wish I could understand what the man is writing so that I could be truly enlightened.

By: Alan

Alan — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:08:47 +0000

Just on that point, he might say we have to inquire as to the implications of his statement and guiding principle that subjectivity is the truth. But that's just me, right? Just a blogger.