Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Are we beer snobs? This VOA video asks craft brewers

It’s a valid question. Are we getting a little arrogant with the traditionally blue-collar experience of having a beer? The Voice of America (VOA) thought to ask. The official external broadcast institution of the U.S. federal government recently pulled together the video above about the booming craft beer industry. The feature starts out as a simple, craft-brewing-has-emerged story, but then (at the 1:45 mark) it delves into the perception of big beer vs. craft beer — specifically the recent Budweiser ad that portrays craft drinkers as fussy, know-it-all, pinky drinkers, who love to sip “pumpkin peach ale” out of snifters.

Around 2:25, Greg Engert, Bluejacket Brewery’s beer director, says the Budweiser commercial has some valid points and “that there is an element of craft beer drinkers today who are dissecting beer at the expense of enjoying it.” That’s probably true. Just as true as Budweiser desperately trying to cash in on the craft brewing market, while making the aforementioned ad. Luckily, the industry accepts all kinds. Let us know your thoughts below.

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  10. I would say to Greg Engbert’s point, don’t tell me how to enjoy beer. I can not enjoy any of my hobbies without that intellectualism. It doesn’t get in my way, it is the way. Without it I would never drink a beer.

Leave a Reply