Beer snob?

I was talking to a blogger friend about being a "Beer Snob". For the most part, I agreed with everything he was saying. Yes, I would consider myself a "Beer Snob". And most people who read my blog are fellow "Beer Snobs". But is that a bad thing? Come to think of it, it might be construed as an insult.

Guys, take a minute and think back to high school. How cool was it to score a 6 pack of Bud light back then? But that isn't where I am going with this story. Every school had one. Every guy knew one. That girl. That super hot chick that every kid in school thought was "Hot".

You know who I am talking about. What was her name? Jennifer? Or was it Lisa? What about Heather? Or was it Bambi? Yes, Bambi. That was it wasn't it. Remember how she dated the Quarterback, or the rich kid, or the guy you just didn't like? And do you remember what you called her?

Snob!

But was she really? To be honest, you didn't know her that well. She might have been the nicest person in the world. Sure, she might have been a little self absorbed, but was she really a snob? Is it possible that she was just far more advanced than we were? (D's in High school? I would say yes!) Or was it that she just had a better idea of what she wanted than we did?

Fast forward to that last time you stood in the beer section, looking at all those different beers. To the left, we have the math club members (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc,). In the middle, we have those people we all knew and were friends with (Heineken, Becks, Stella, New Castle, Smithwicks, etc.) Those were the people who thought they were cooler than they really were. Just like these beers. For the most part, they are like the Big 3, but think they are better. But we all know they are owned by the Evil Empire.

Then there is the right. The special. They are where you spend most of your time, and where you wished you would have spent most of your time in high school. You have the Dogfish Head, Stone, New Belgium, Flying Dog, Sierra Nevada, Left Hand, Laguintas, Deschutes, and so on. That group that is special indeed. That group that is so different, that you have grown to love, and appreciate.

Why is that? Because they are "Snobby"? No, because it is just a better place to be. Does that make us "Beer Snobs"? I don't think so. It just means that we know what is good, and what isn't. At this time in our lives, we know what qualifies as good, quality beer instead of that watered down, flavorless, piss water that they call light beer.

It might have taken us a good 10 or 20 years to realize what Bambi knew all those years ago in High School. But it is our time to shine. We have arrived. And there is nothing wrong with being a so called "Beer Snob". Come to think about it. Snob was just the name that we gave to that "Hot" girl who wouldn't give us the time of day. And now, "Beer Snob" is the name that all those Bud, Miller, and Coors, drinkers give to us because we are on a higher level that they are.

So celebrate being a "Beer Snob". We are a special kind of people. And be willing to share, or point and laugh when some band geek buys a sixer of Bud Light. We have earned our stripes. We have done our time. And at that 20 year High School reunion, buy Bambi a real beer.

-Prost!