Am I a beer snob?

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I’ve noticed that people have started to call me a beer snob. I think there’re a good reasons why I’m not a snob but people don’t seem to understand. (For the purposes of this post, keep in mind I don’t live in the US so a good beer selection isn’t always easy to come by)

For example, when I go out, if the only beer available is the really crap local mass produced pale lagers (RCLMPPL for short), I usually avoid them and drink something else like a can of smirnoff ice (yes drink selection here can get that bad)
If I go out for dinner and the selection is the same I’ll just drink coke instead. If I’m at someone’s house and they offer me said RCLMPPL I’ll choke down one or two to be polite but then just stop and go to coke or something else. If there is something like Heineken or Stella available, I can spend most of my night on that if necessary. The problem here is, unless you’re at a place that specialises in beer then Heineken or Stella is about as good as can be expected.

The reasons for my selective drinking are: First of all, it seems unlike most people I know, I drink for the enjoyment of it. For me drinking RCLMPPL is not enjoyable so why would I drink it? Drinking the RCLMPPL actually gives me a headache if I drink four or more of them, who the hell wants that? and finally I just think it’s a waste of money buying the RCLMPPL because I simply don’t enjoy it.

I don’t mock people for their drinking of RCLMPPL. I don’t complain about the beer selection if it’s only rubbish and I never try get people to go to a place that serves good beer but will suggest one if someone asks me for an idea.

I explain all this but it seems it still makes me a beer snob. Am I really a snob? Do I just need to loosen up? Or do people just not understand?

You say "beer snob" likes it’s a bad thing.

Yes, you’re a snob. No, you don’t need to loosen up. Yes, people just don’t understand.

The only difference in a snob and a selective drinker is that a snob will verbalize it. It’s one thing to not want to drink beer you don’t like, it’s a whole other story when you start clowning on other folks for the beer they are drinking or being miserable when all a place serves is mass produced.

Originally posted by jimmie65
You say "beer snob" likes it’s a bad thing.

Yes, you’re a snob. No, you don’t need to loosen up. Yes, people just don’t understand.

I’ve always felt there is a difference between a beer geek and a beer snob. A Beer geek is the person who really appreciates good beer. A Beer is snob is like a beer geek but does it in a condescending way while turning their nose up at other people’s beer selection.

You have the right to drink whatever you want.

You only become a snob when you judge others for what they’re drinking.

Originally posted by Sevenlee
I’ve always felt there is a difference between a beer geek and a beer snob. A Beer geek is the person who really appreciates good beer. A Beer is snob is like a beer geek but does it in a condescending way while turning their nose up at other people’s beer selection.

Semantics. You’re obviously not judging other people’s choices, so I would not consider you a snob by your definition.

I don’t mind be calling a snob, but the only people whose choices I judge are my wife and my kids. After all, what they drink reflects back on me.

Nope, not being a snob at all. As has been said above, if you’re not verbalizing or gesturing a complaint, declaring yourself and/or your choice in beer superior, or criticizing others who drink said RCLMPPL than you are not being snobby about it. I am usually the same way and my friends still call me a snob sometimes. I will politely tell them that I am a beer geek who has no problem drinking a RCLMPPL if they wish to buy me one, but I am not going to purchase something I do not enjoy when that money could be spent elsewhere.

Yes. But so what? So am I.

I’m seeing a lot more beer blogs these days with "beer snob" or something similar in the title, only to scroll down and see posts praising Dale’s Pale Ale and the like.

I wish there was a "Like" button. :)

Originally posted by Sevenlee

Originally posted by jimmie65
You say "beer snob" likes it’s a bad thing.

Yes, you’re a snob. No, you don’t need to loosen up. Yes, people just don’t understand.

I’ve always felt there is a difference between a beer geek and a beer snob. A Beer geek is the person who really appreciates good beer. A Beer is snob is like a beer geek but does it in a condescending way while turning their nose up at other people’s beer selection.