Over the weekend, Boak and Bailey tweeted a telling little anecdote.
The immediate response is obviously that he needs to get himself some new mates, but it illustrates how the craft beer sector, despite its claims to “considered, mindful drinking” is not immune from this kind of laddishness. It also underlines why mainstream draught beers much above 5% ABV are so rare, as they offer an obvious come-on for irresponsible drinking.Bloke tried to order a half of DIPA. Mates berated him for being “such a woman”. He now has a pint of 8%+ beer and looks sad.
— Boak and Bailey (@BoakandBailey) June 16, 2018
Mind you, if you are going to drink pints of DIPA, it’s always best to make sure it’s someone else’s round.
Meanwhile, the beer and food pairing lobby have been coming up with their usual snobbery about how the worst thing that ever happened to beer in this country was the pint glass. It cuts both ways.
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You will be able to see Jane Peyton in person as part of the Manchester Beer Week festival. On July 5th she is presenting a talk at 57 Thomas Street on "the story of Women in Brewing" where you will also be able to enjoy the Lily Waite Exhibition " Dinosaurs must Die" Lily's work discusses her experience as a queer trans woman existing in a problematic society, working in a straight, cis, male-dominated society.
ReplyDeleteAll to enjoy as well as the Manifesto launch: Join us for the launch of a diversity manifesto designed to make the craft beer industry and , in particular, bars , pubs, taprooms and festivals a more welcoming and inclusive space.
Not to mention a plethora of "tap takeovers" "can parties" and a "Colouring club with Beavertown", and best of all Overrated Emperors New Clothes: "Cloudwater at Where the Light Gets in " on Friday 6th July
Pity you cant use italics, most of the above unashamedly copied from manchester Beer Week programme.
How much is it to move to New Zealand?
Also see this post from Kirst Walker about how the biggest failure of inclusion within the craft beer movement is of the working class (and indeed normal beer drinkers in general).
DeleteYou can use italics in comments using the i and /i html tags.
Here's my take on this: My Principa (hat tip to Cambridge beer festival and Sir Isaac) is an 8.4% ABV Imperial Stout. When on in a local village pub an ex Royal marine would drink 8 or so pints of it. Most people drank maybe one pint or a half. Our HMS Glatton is a real East India Pale Ale, not as hoppy as the original but 7.4% ABV. Very warming too. You really know if you knock back three pints of it. I like strong beers and not the weasel pee masquerading as IPA these days. That said our Necromancer is around 5.5% ABV whilst our others are 3.6-4.5% with Feral Nun dark porter at 5%. So we do provide beers that are much easier on the palate and brain. Some pubs selling the very strong ones insist on only selling halves. I think this bloke's mates in the story did him an injustice egging him on to go the full pint. Not everyone likes an equivalent of Special Brew strength. The moral is provide a range of beer strengths commensurate to the tastes of your customers. Some pubs will only take beers under 5% so that's four of ours. Some stray into 5% territory with 1050 from Grainstore but only a few go for the high strength beers. We do a stout at7.4% too. Had one last night. It has been maturing for several months and I noted new aromas and tastes developing. My brother had a half with another half of Guinness and that made a nice pint too (he was driving). Of course the strong real ales also have longevity of their side once vented and tapped. I think they are more interesting re flavour notes but as with any alcoholic drink being sensible is important.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the anecdote, I'm not at sure I go along with the implication in your argument. Now I spend little time with crafties, mainly because I like to DRINK beer rather than sip it.
ReplyDeleteOddly, beer to me is an accompaniment to fun rather than the fun itself most of the time - though I do have my moments - but I haven't seen the kind of goading you mention, nor do I think it representative.
Pint glasses are for supping beer. Strong beer is sipping beer. The difference between the two isn't process or taste. It is why you are drinking it. As fun or as an accompaniment to fun. Conversation about anything other than beer is likely from the latter. As for the former, I certainly remember finishing a session with a nip of Sting,Bass No1 or Gold Label. But nobody in their right mind would do that all night for enjoyment.
Makes you feel old.
This post is more of an observation than a serious, developed argument. I'm not saying that kind of attitude is typical of the craft beer scene, just that things can become uncomfortable when it runs into normal beer culture.
DeleteYou can just imagine a group of lads with deep pockets running riot in BrewDog ;-)
I'm not sure it's a "craft beer scene" thing, , it's just a "young lads posturing" thing. If anything this sounds like people who don't normally drink DIPAs. I remember similar goading back in the day with things like Owd Roger and Old Rosie, both over 7% but hardly "craft" in the modern sense.
DeleteAll that peer pressure.
ReplyDeleteTell us all again how pubs are responsible environments?
Pfft.
ReplyDeleteThis is down to peer pressure (old society), virtue signaling (new society) and clickbait (new society).
Speaking as someone who does not reside in the UK (Canada, so an outside observation) and one who is now in the 60+ range (thus Curmudgeon, maybe Canadian Curmudgeon? - LOL) this might be down to the norm in the UK. While we have pints over here, we have no problem with 12oz bottles or even 6oz samplers. Over here the peer pressure is from goading one to do 'shots' (i.e. hard liquor) with their beer, rather than size of the glass. Now that I'm past my prime I couldn't give a flying rats arse what someone thinks I should or should not do. I will not drink shots whilst drinking beer (and have been asked to do so at social gatherings by people I play with online). I'll have a lager and lime and enjoy it, regardless of what others might think. :)
The "pints" thing is peer pressure; been around for ages. That Morning Advertiser article is clickbait. It's not up to the pub to tell you what size glass of beer to have. If my waiter at a restaurant sniffed at my wine choice he'd be getting a 0% tip.
A lot of people these days (or is that kids since I'm over 60?) deserve the moniker 'snowflakes'. If someone wants to faint because I had a half or a 'flight' or drank red wine with fish or whatever, sod 'em. As long as they don't fall over onto my food or drink whilst fainting.
Cheers!
Younger people tend to be prone to peer pressure and also seem to have a requirement towards tribal membership. Forming friendship groups at school & university. This breaks up at some point in the their 20/30s where they no longer wish to holiday in a group or socialize in packs. I've always thought it was a result of partnering. When forming a steady relationships, groups & friends become less important. Or is it an age thing? It happens regardless of other events? It is older people over 40 who will go in a pub alone and not goad each other into drinking too much, nor feel the need to follow trends. We think of it as simply a result of maturity but it would be interesting to read a sociologist explain it.
DeleteStill 368 days to go before I reach 60 :P
DeleteNot partnering Cookie as lots of blokes are staying single now and mid 30s we can't be bothered holidaying with each other. Quite happy with a good pint, beer garden, newspaper and tunes on mp3 player...
ReplyDeleteMGTOW, eh? Who needs the endless pandering to the whims of women?
DeleteCan't be doing with this beer and food pairing stuff; it's bollocks. Just like red wine with red meat/white wine with fish/poultry. I hate red wine. I'm not keen on dark beer. I like a nice Chablis or Sancerre with a nice meal, regardless of what that meal is, and screw what anyone else thinks.
ReplyDeleteAs to strong beers, at 8% I'd probably be having halves too, despite half glasses being intrinsically wrong. A bit weaker (say Fixed Wheel No Brakes at 5.9% or Backyard East india at 6.8% IIRC) I'll be having pints for sure, just fewer, and switching to something a bit weaker later.
Yes, have to admit that red wine, along with gin, is one of the few types of alcoholic drink I can't really do with at all. So I'm the peasant who orders Sauvignon Blanc with steak.
DeleteI don't mind dark beer as such, but I don't much care for roasty stouts, which to many people is heresy.