Introduction

In 1965 a man walked into a bar only to find that his favorite beer was about to go out of production. A month later, that man—Fritz Maytag, heir to the appliance fortune—bought a controlling share in the Anchor Steam brewery, one of the last small breweries in the United States. Maytag ran Anchor Steam successfully for forty-five years.

The mid-twentieth century was a dismal time for beer snobs, with generic big breweries dominating the landscape. The revival of Anchor Steam was the beginning of the revival of craft beer—defined as innovative brews produced by small brewers—in the United States. People became more interested in local, fresh food and wanted good beer to drink with it.

Craft beer took off in the 1990s both in the United States and around the world, and today there are more than 4,000 brewers in the United States. With the rise of craft beer came the rise of the beer snob. In the past few decades, beer drinkers have become increasingly knowledgeable consumers, collecting, brewing their own, and reading and writing reviews. But beer snobbery is a mark of pride, not superiority. It’s not about keeping others out, it’s about inviting them in for a pint. From German beer halls to the pubs of Great Britain, beer has always been a beverage to share. (In South Africa, a traditionally brewed beer called umqombothi is drunk out of a communal bowl that is passed around when company comes.)

So whether you’re having a cold one on the porch, in a pub, in your living room, or at your best friend’s house, this little book will help you live your beer snob life to the fullest. Because, in the end, beer is delicious to drink, rewarding to analyze, and a good excuse to hang out with the people you love.

Am I a Beer Snob?

Before we go any further, determine whether you are, in fact, a beer snob. Check all statements that apply.

 I have strong opinions about beer and don’t hesitate to make them known. Occasionally at length.

 My friends look to me for beer recommendations.

 I can spot a good (or bad) pour from across the bar.

 I can’t remember the last time I had a generic lite beer. (Okay, maybe it was at my cousin’s BBQ, but only because there was nothing else to drink!)

 I have been on more than one brewery tour.

 I plan vacations around brewery tours.

 I own more than one kind of beer glass.

 I own five or more kinds of beer glasses and have rules about what goes in them.

 My friends/spouse refuse to go into a well-stocked store with me because it will take me hours to examine the different kinds of beer.

 I bought this book.

 Someone bought this book for me.

 I’m drinking a beer right now.

If you checked three or fewer, you’re a beer snob in training. But with interest and dedication (and a new set of glassware), you’ll become a full-blown beer snob, one pint (or 14-ounce pour) at a time. This book is for you.

If you answered yes to four or more, you are definitely a full-fledged beer snob—but then, you probably knew that already. This book is definitely for you.