chris_schryer wrote: That being said: I think it important to say that the term "World Class" is, of course, totally subjective. I actually agree with your feeling that there may well be 100 World Class beers in the US. Gary might feel that that is outside the definition of the term, that only the top three or so can stake a claim to the label. That's his prerogative.
Can't argue with that, though I provided a fairly clear definition of what I consider the term to mean.
chris_schryer wrote: Your point about the availability of the greats in the USA vs. Canada is interesting, but it has absolutely no bearing on the realities of brewing in each country, just the distribution laws. Vermont's World Class beers aren't more Word Class than Ontario's just because you can get them in South Carolina, but you can't get XX Tempest in Quebec. The beer is good, whether it's easy to find or not.
To the extent that there are three Sheds for every Alchemist that exists in the States, your point is well taken. But I would argue that 1) the situation in Ontario is more like fifteen Beau's/Lake of Bays/Trafalgars/Waterloos for every Bellwoods, and 2) the distribution issue matters because it affects the amount of good beer that is available in any given place, and what discerning consumers are able to purchase as a result. If I'm a beer nerd in Vermont, I can access not only the world-beating locals but also Lagunitas Sucks, Jack D'Or, Bigfoot, and other top U.S. beers, in which case the mere availability of Shed Mountain Ale becomes less important. And, as we know, the better bars and stores tend to stock more of the former (plus global imports) and less of the latter.
chris_schryer wrote: I don't value BA/RB that much...I don't think the democratic voice matters...Just because many people say something is good, doesn't mean it is good.
We'll have to agree to disagree here because I don't view the average passionate beer geek on BA/RB/Untappd to be part of "the ignorant masses."
A major reason why I respect the "meta" opinion of BAers and RBers is because the reviews come from thousands of people like yourself – thousands of beer geeks who are involved in their local beer scene, who homebrew or bartend, who thoughtfully taste and review beer and blog about it, and some of whom are cicerones and BJCP judges.
Sure, there's idiots who review on each site, but unless a beer or pub has a very low number of reviews, their opinions aren't able to override the collective, democratic view of the overall membership.
chris_schryer wrote: I know a good beer from a bad one, and I know when I'm drinking an exceptional one. I don't need to be told.
Nor does any thinking beer geek, and I sure hope you don't think you're special in this regard. The sites act as a guide for purchasing, how certain beers compare to others within their style, and so on. Ultimately users like myself form their own opinion by reviewing the beer, sharing our thoughts on this site, or simply chatting about it with others at a bar or festival.
chris_schryer wrote: Even among some respected beer writers, there is a shocking North American-centric view.
I don't find the praise "shocking" because the U.S. leads in the all the areas that myself, atomeyes, and TheSevenDuffs mentioned, as well as others. Here again, we'll have to agree to disagree.
"Bar people do not live as long as vegan joggers. However, they have more fun." - Bruce Elliott