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I have to take issue with the inclusion of "craft beer" in the list of examples of "premium mediocre" at the top of the article. There is certainly "fake" craf

I have to take issue with the inclusion of "craft beer" in the list of examples of "premium mediocre" at the top of the article. There is certainly "fake" craft beer, made by the macro beverage companies that is designed to basically trick people into shelling out more because they believe they are buying into some premium category. It's classic aspirational stuff all built around marketing. But then... well, there's all the REAL craft beer, which is (for want of a better word) crafted, made with care, creativity and in an environment of independence and experimentation. This stuff is genuinely good, or can be (sometimes experiments fail and this is fine), and like indie movements in music, art and literature deserves to be celebrated as an authentic expression of human endeavor. So don't buy Goose, buy Revolution. Don't buy Elysian, buy New Glory. Go see what your local brewery is making. Better still, make some yourself and see how you like it. Don't order "$25 signature burgers" from those places with all the trappings of the hipster movement but are actually owned by investment banks, order them from your local places that're actually doing it for themselves. It's not that hard to tell the difference usually. I guess I agree with the article in the final analysis because I hate to see big companies ripping the genuine creativity out of grassroots/artisanal scenes and turning it into a shadow of itself for profit.

seliopou 8y ago
“Craft beer” as far as I can tell just means overhopped. There’s nothing crafty about it beside swindling people into overpaying for something that tastes like acetone smells. So I think this article was spot on by including it.
- eveningcoffee 8y ago
  Regardless of its taste, craft beer movement started as class root movement by beer enthusiasts to make more individual beer in small quantities and has been very experimental (in places where it flourishes) and has produced really unique tastes and flavours. So the GP is correct. See also https://meaningness.com/geeks-mops-sociopaths https://meaningness.com/geeks-mops-sociopaths I think that the main issue is the knowledge about the real value is very hard to obtain and this gives the marketeers an upper hand to flood the marked with the fake information.
- kochikame 8y ago
  I disagree. Good craft beer is far more than "overhopped". It's very difficult to make, and make consistently, and there are a plethora of different ingredients, styles, techniques and methods out there that people are using and innovating with. A lot of the "overhopped" stuff is actually macro beer disguised as craft beer. If you don't like it then that's fine of course, but I think it's hard to deny the amount of creativity and innovation that goes into making a really good beer.
  - ghaff 8y ago
    And while I’m mostly not going to get excited about macro beer mascerading as craft beer, I still find it a net plus that I can get some e.g. Goose Bay IPA on a plane flight. It’s probably overhopped but it’s still better than Heineken to my taste.
- WAthrowaway 8y ago
  It's incredible on HN the lengths people go to assert their authority and their righteousness over things they know absolutely nothing about.
- 3pt14159 8y ago
  Where do you live? I only ask because I can see that being the observation if you're in a place that doesn't have a high concentration of millennials. But if you're in a place like Toronto then it doesn't track with reality. There are plenty of ciders and beers that are truly different with real nuance and varying flavour.
- eeeeeeeeeeeee 8y ago
  If you only ever order IPAs, sometimes. You need to try some other beers. Try to find maltier ones, they do exist. But there are also fantastic IPAs that have hops but are still drinkable. Sadly a lot of mediocre breweries sprouted up during the boom and it’s saturated. But let’s be honest here — the “craft” people are the ones driving the entire industry forward. Look at how popular cider is, which had always been a niche thing before.
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xamuel 8y ago
I guess I'm a dork, but I'll never understand beer branding. The active ingredient is alcohol, a drug that induces various desirable effects. You wouldn't pay extra for artisanal aspirin or tylenol, so why alcohol? Reminds me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBb9O-aW4zI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBb9O-aW4zI
- kochikame 8y ago
  It tastes better. Like, way better.
  - xamuel 8y ago
    Call me a philistine, but you could mix high-proof liquor into whatever beverage you want. There's no reason why the active ingredient and the flavoring need to be correlated.
    - jazzkingrt 8y ago
      That's called a cocktail! The process of brewing beer produces interesting flavors. Why not take advantage?
- chillacy 8y ago
  Do you drink pure ethanol or something? Even that is produced by fermentation, I’m sure different brands will end up being different as a result of impurities. Impurities may mean different taste or just worse hangover.

seliopou 8y ago

“Craft beer” as far as I can tell just means overhopped. There’s nothing crafty about it beside swindling people into overpaying for something that tastes like acetone smells. So I think this article was spot on by including it.

eveningcoffee 8y ago
Regardless of its taste, craft beer movement started as class root movement by beer enthusiasts to make more individual beer in small quantities and has been very experimental (in places where it flourishes) and has produced really unique tastes and flavours. So the GP is correct. See also https://meaningness.com/geeks-mops-sociopaths https://meaningness.com/geeks-mops-sociopaths I think that the main issue is the knowledge about the real value is very hard to obtain and this gives the marketeers an upper hand to flood the marked with the fake information.
kochikame 8y ago
I disagree. Good craft beer is far more than "overhopped". It's very difficult to make, and make consistently, and there are a plethora of different ingredients, styles, techniques and methods out there that people are using and innovating with. A lot of the "overhopped" stuff is actually macro beer disguised as craft beer. If you don't like it then that's fine of course, but I think it's hard to deny the amount of creativity and innovation that goes into making a really good beer.
- ghaff 8y ago
  And while I’m mostly not going to get excited about macro beer mascerading as craft beer, I still find it a net plus that I can get some e.g. Goose Bay IPA on a plane flight. It’s probably overhopped but it’s still better than Heineken to my taste.
WAthrowaway 8y ago
It's incredible on HN the lengths people go to assert their authority and their righteousness over things they know absolutely nothing about.
3pt14159 8y ago
Where do you live? I only ask because I can see that being the observation if you're in a place that doesn't have a high concentration of millennials. But if you're in a place like Toronto then it doesn't track with reality. There are plenty of ciders and beers that are truly different with real nuance and varying flavour.
eeeeeeeeeeeee 8y ago
If you only ever order IPAs, sometimes. You need to try some other beers. Try to find maltier ones, they do exist. But there are also fantastic IPAs that have hops but are still drinkable. Sadly a lot of mediocre breweries sprouted up during the boom and it’s saturated. But let’s be honest here — the “craft” people are the ones driving the entire industry forward. Look at how popular cider is, which had always been a niche thing before.

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xamuel 8y ago

I guess I'm a dork, but I'll never understand beer branding. The active ingredient is alcohol, a drug that induces various desirable effects. You wouldn't pay extra for artisanal aspirin or tylenol, so why alcohol? Reminds me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBb9O-aW4zI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBb9O-aW4zI

kochikame 8y ago
It tastes better. Like, way better.
- xamuel 8y ago
  Call me a philistine, but you could mix high-proof liquor into whatever beverage you want. There's no reason why the active ingredient and the flavoring need to be correlated.
  - jazzkingrt 8y ago
    That's called a cocktail! The process of brewing beer produces interesting flavors. Why not take advantage?
chillacy 8y ago
Do you drink pure ethanol or something? Even that is produced by fermentation, I’m sure different brands will end up being different as a result of impurities. Impurities may mean different taste or just worse hangover.