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Can't comment on Rate Beer since I've never frequented the place, but Beer Advocate jumped the shark a long time ago. Right around the time the Alstroms stopped promoting a mentality of "let's start a beer revolution" and replaced it with "drink what you like".
That was also around the same time A-B set up quasi-educational beer site that linked directly back to Beer Advocate and the Alstrom bros re-reviewed Budweiser to bring their rating of it up from 60 something into the 80 zone. Nothing fishy going on there at all.
Oh, and let's not forget the ridiculous antics of that witch cfahooligan.
Craft beer has jumped the shark for me in general though. Not nearly as passionate as I used to be about it and I'm disheartened with how trendy it's become. It's all good though. I've found another hobby that fills the craft beer void.
Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:Craft beer has jumped the shark for me in general though. Not nearly as passionate as I used to be about it and I'm disheartened with how trendy it's become. It's all good though. I've found another hobby that fills the craft beer void.
I get what you're saying however this kinda comes across like "the band I like got too popular so now I don't like them as much."
Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:Craft beer has jumped the shark for me in general though. Not nearly as passionate as I used to be about it and I'm disheartened with how trendy it's become. It's all good though. I've found another hobby that fills the craft beer void.
I get what you're saying however this kinda comes across like "the band I like got too popular so now I don't like them as much."
Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:
Craft beer has jumped the shark for me in general though. Not nearly as passionate as I used to be about it and I'm disheartened with how trendy it's become. It's all good though. I've found another hobby that fills the craft beer void.
Holy F.
Let me guess..... too "hipster" now?
I can't stand those who are anti-trendy just because of a fear of it no longer being cool. Quit being such a snob.
I'm really tired of people who insist on going against the grain or trying to be cool before its cool especially if you are compromising your own tastes.
If craft beer tastes good, drink it.
If you are quick to abandon it because of it being too "trendy" then you were never really a craft beer fan to begin with. You did it to be cool.
I'm going to assume he meant he's disenchanted with it because the movement itself has become too quick to chase trends. People hunting whales and IPAs becoming hop-bombs, etc. More or less the attitude in that first blog.
Craig wrote:I'm going to assume he meant he's disenchanted with it because the movement itself has become too quick to chase trends. People hunting whales and IPAs becoming hop-bombs, etc. More or less the attitude in that first blog.
Disenchanted would mean he was at one point "enchanted". Enchanted as he was in before it was cool. He is what he hates.
Craig wrote:I'm going to assume he meant he's disenchanted with it because the movement itself has become too quick to chase trends. People hunting whales and IPAs becoming hop-bombs, etc. More or less the attitude in that first blog.
Disenchanted would mean he was at one point "enchanted". Enchanted as he was in before it was cool. He is what he hates.
There's a difference between being cool and being prone to trend-chasing. I don't really agree with him, but you guys are putting words in his mouth.
Craig wrote:I'm going to assume he meant he's disenchanted with it because the movement itself has become too quick to chase trends. People hunting whales and IPAs becoming hop-bombs, etc. More or less the attitude in that first blog.
Disenchanted would mean he was at one point "enchanted". Enchanted as he was in before it was cool. He is what he hates.
There's a difference between being cool and being prone to trend-chasing. I don't really agree with him, but you guys are putting words in his mouth.
Perhaps.... or, just calling out those without conviction.
Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:
Craft beer has jumped the shark for me in general though. Not nearly as passionate as I used to be about it and I'm disheartened with how trendy it's become. It's all good though. I've found another hobby that fills the craft beer void.
I am still a big fan of craft beer and am not likely to pick up a box of Molsons any time soon but I can see your point.
There are so many options out there now that were not available when I started becoming passionate about craft. I do not need to follow the latest releases and rush to my local to ensure I get something tasty. If I miss out there are a half dozen "go to" brews available that will keep me happy.
The Brewers and the LCBO have jumped on board with the hotness of craft and are flooding the market with large format, large priced bottles that are too often of questionable quality or at least do not appeal to me. I am just not interested in a ten dollar bottle of beer and rarely do I consider buying a six dollar bottle. I find myself reading the new release posts and being interested in very few.
I am far from complaining though, the boom in craft has made it readily available instead of something I must devote extra time and effort too and this is a good thing in my book.
I said "kinda" because of what Craig said. If he's talking about the whale chasing and the need to try everything, I can understand that. What I don't understand is the "how trendy it's become" part. If you love beer, you love beer. Shouldn't stop loving it because more people now do.
For me personally I've stopped chasing whales and really stopped trying to try everything. Now I just want quality. When in FL 2 weeks ago I got to try some really great stuff, but that 12 pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for $12.99 was what I'm missing most right now.
MatttthewGeorge wrote:Boy there's a lot of rage on this board.
I said "kinda" because of what Craig said. If he's talking about the whale chasing and the need to try everything, I can understand that. What I don't understand is the "how trendy it's become" part. If you love beer, you love beer. Shouldn't stop loving it because more people now do.
For me personally I've stopped chasing whales and really stopped trying to try everything. Now I just want quality. When in FL 2 weeks ago I got to try some really great stuff, but that 12 pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for $12.99 was what I'm missing most right now.
To use your example from earlier, I see it more like not keeping up with the newest bands because they're all so trendy, rather than not liking your favourite band any more because they got popular.
But I don't want to speak for Ale too much here, it just seemed like the response was out of proportion with what I thought he was saying. Peace and love and all that jazz.
MatttthewGeorge wrote:Boy there's a lot of rage on this board.
I said "kinda" because of what Craig said. If he's talking about the whale chasing and the need to try everything, I can understand that. What I don't understand is the "how trendy it's become" part. If you love beer, you love beer. Shouldn't stop loving it because more people now do.
For me personally I've stopped chasing whales and really stopped trying to try everything. Now I just want quality. When in FL 2 weeks ago I got to try some really great stuff, but that 12 pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for $12.99 was what I'm missing most right now.
To use your example from earlier, I see it more like not keeping up with the newest bands because they're all so trendy, rather than not liking your favourite band any more because they got popular.
But I don't want to speak for Ale too much here, it just seemed like the response was out of proportion with what I thought he was saying. Peace and love and all that jazz.
Possibly a better analogy. Regardless, it's a strange statement and I can't agree with it as such, however the rage is unwarranted, absolutely.
I've also stopped posting ratings on RB, mostly because all the one-offs available nowadays makes it sort of pointless. I think it's still the best barometer for public opinion on beers that have been around for a while. The percentile/style percentile is a great metric. But yeah, definitely don't need to read so many tasting notes.
Considered taking up Untappd, but the ratings system is way too simplistic to be meaningful.
