Over the last decade in Canadian politics we have witnessed the implementation of a new sort of social engineering aimed at specifically undoing what is claimed to be a former set of social engineering. We are asked to go along as part of the reversal of a pendulum swing or, worse, a resetting of affairs back to some fictitious normal. I am starting to have a creeping suspicion that I am witnessing the same sort of constructed re-truthing with good beer. Bigger than any one participant, here are some illustrations:
♦ I found Lew's recent post about the limited role of homebrewing in the US craft moment a bit reengineering-esque. Not the sort of thing I expect from my Lew reading. I think it is a fair statement to say that US beer is outgrowing the homebrewing connection but that does not mean the 90 degree turn to massive hops that gathered pace in early 2000s makes the home brew inspired brown ale revolution of the 1990s a side show. Pleased to have caught the shift in this 2004 post early on in my edjification. How do we describe this multi-faceted history if not based on the shoulders of US home brewers who stood on the shoulders of their earlier UK counterparts? It's not like Papazian invented the stuff.
♦ Jeff has thrown his lot in with a very large project, the entire description of flavour: "I harbor the idea that it's possible to come up with a system that allows diners to select appropriate beers for their meals. I further harbor the idea that the key has nothing to do with styles and everything to do with flavor elements in beer." I enjoy a goose chase as much as the next guy but I fear the flavouristas. I don't look forward to being told how wrong I am by this brave new movement. And at needless expense at that.
♦ Stan reports upon a brewery that has been working upon its 285th experimental project. Boak and Bailey confirm the obvious truth that many who jump into good beer jump far too soon. Getting the good stuff right is a challenge enough. Do we really need to accept these many who, if this were the 1800s, might be accused of being adulterous? Hiding fault or, worse, a similar or even dull drink though supposedly canny adjuncts and techniques does begin to wear - and not just because of the embarrassing surcharge for their assertion of pleasure and place. I used to think that the brewer who could coax notes of apple and pear out of pale malt as part of their standard line up were the best. I still do.
It seems part of a bigger thing. Since Michael Jackson passed, there has been a subtle jostling to fill his boots. Or sometimes not so subtle... though to be fair "one of" has been a welcome restatement. There is also a related real struggle to make a buck. People who have found interest in good beer are now wanting to make a go at it as more of a job which means recognition of expertise on a topic that does not actually attract expertise so much as simply experienced familiarity. [Could you imaging a suit for professional negligence in the field?] As a result, what a real struggle it is. Not only is good beer under appreciated as a topic, there really is not that much to write about. Notice how many style guides for newbies there are? How many lists of important beers to have? We do not really need 100 full time professional beer writers in English. We can make do with under 30. I doubt there are really ten dedicated exclusive beer writers making a real living in the language. Shocking? Why? Does the topic demand more? Has it earned its place with other more complex topics? Or is it just because it's the topic you like?
Similarly, would a bit of a craft brew market collapse not be timely - and sooner rather than later? When movements become too elaborate, too focused on the accessories you know you are close to the end of something not the beginning. Are we there yet? Sign me up when the back to basics snake oil salesman comes to town.
Comments
Pivní Filosof - March 13, 2012 12:01 PM
I've been quite lucky in that the people for whom I write or have written for have contacted me and I must say it's great to get paid, at least something, to do what I basically do as a hobby (the book, on the other hand, was a bit more than a vanity project). Now I want more, I'd love to be a full-time beer writer, but, even though I have the advantage of knowing three languages, I don't think it will ever happen, as you say, there's no market, so, in the meantime, I feel fortunate (and a bit flattered) that my hobby has allowed me to earn a bit extra every month.
Bailey - March 13, 2012 1:00 PM
We don't get to be overlords? We're just pointers out of the obvious? Aw... [throws away elaborate Darth Vader style costume]
Jeff Alworth - March 13, 2012 1:30 PM
Alan, I forsake any connection to flavouristas--or actually, any knowledge of them. I am willing to become an overlord, but someone needs to send me the job description.
In seriousness, I write about what interests me, as I have done for the last six plus years, and flavor is getting its day. I'm a blogger and that's what I do. Every subject has a massive gaggle of people blogging and tweeting about it, from knitting to grammar to beer. Is our interest in our hobby unseemly? Almost certainly. But we're humans and we obsess over small things.
olllllo - March 13, 2012 2:19 PM
I see the sense of detachment from homebrewing as being one of the reasons why the idea of nanobrewing has taken off.
It's a pendulum swing back to an ideal of simple. What is simple? If I can take a snapshot of your brewery and get all of the pieces in the frame, that's simple.
Alan - March 13, 2012 3:28 PM
Maybe the new boss or trend is inevitable, natural. But if we notice them passing by at least we'll recognize them next time they come around. Today I want access and simplicity. Tomorrow?
Gary Gillman - March 13, 2012 10:46 PM
On the point of homebrewing, I think it had a big influence on commercial craft brewing.
It's true not all craft brewers started as homebrewers, although many did. There were and are all kinds of people who get interested in craft brewing, they come from different backgrounds. (Not sure I'd include Fritz Maytag as a craft brewer since he started before the modern craft era began and in a brewery that dates from the late 1800's. Also, part of his approach is old school, e.g. pasteurization). But the market for craft brews found ready acceptance amongst those who brewed at home because they couldn't find anything better to buy. People who never would have dreamed of going into business for themselves started to buy the commercial equivalent to what they made at home which in many cases was superior, this at a time when e.g., malt extract was still used in a lot of homebrew recipes.
I recall attending early beer festivals and beer events where many of the attendees were homebrewers, they were supplying part of the market as mentioned above.
I agree that today though the influence of homebrewing is less than it was, simply because the craft brewing business is so much more established and successful at making reliably good and interesting products.
But I still feel that the experimentation with "strange" ingredients and that kind of pushing the envelope has its roots in homebrewers' intrepid and even carefree (of tradition) approach to their hobby. I'm sure the first guy to put chipotle pepper in beer was a homebrewer. Today the craft beer movement is a kind of river sourced from many tributaries: homebrewing, the influence of good imports, the importance of Belgium, the importance of Jackson. But at the beginning the homebrewing side played a big role in providing both many (not all certainly) of the entrepreneurs who started up in brewing and certainly many of the first customers.
Gary
Lew Bryson - March 16, 2012 1:49 PM
I've actually always felt this way about homebrewing, Alan...but I'm also willing to admit it's a personal prejudice, and often offered a bit tongue in cheek (which is why I make my point about "unpublished" work). Homebrewers, in my experience, tend to overstate it: I feel a need to pull it back a bit. But it's nothing new for me; I've made my statements before.
In other words...don't take that post too seriously.
Alan - March 16, 2012 5:33 PM
I know - but it's more the UK home brewing experience before and supporting the US home brewers / crafters that I don't want to get dropped off the radar. Now I would say you are pretty much on the mark as so many new brewers are no hobby obsessives first.