The above tweet and responses comefrom ESPN business reporter Darren Rovell, who, admittedly, has one of the most ardent collection of online trolls of any reporter personality.
But the reaction from several of his followers isn't just a case of Angry Internet Stalkers emerging form under a bridge. It's an honest representation of how many view beer - it's a means to get drunk or access to some kind of WHALEZBRO dick measuring contest.
It's easy to get caught up in our own world of beer enthusiasm, where like-minded people reverberate our passion and interests, but it's also an insulation. The vast majority of beer sales are still macro lagers. Michelob Ultra is growing at a fast rate. Alcohol content does matter to people.
Craft beer is 11 percent of volume share. That leaves a lot of percents on the table ... or in pint glasses.
So every time we have a conversation about whether craft lagers are A Thing or how hops impact what beers we drink, it's even more important to remember that most drinkers are not us. They're interested in how they can make beer bend to their wants and needs, whatever they may be, or how calories might impact their waistlines.
Perhaps this is why conversations with friends often lead to the importance of education with fellow beer drinkers, to show there is more out there than a hopped up IPA or barrel-aged stout. But many drinkers might not care, and that's OK.
It's just a reminder that the beer-drinking public goes far beyond blogs and online discussion threads where people actually know what's a Pliny the Elder.
We can be a niche, but don't ignore the rest. It's our own educational opportunity waiting to happen.
Bryan Roth
"Don't drink to get drunk. Drink to enjoy life." - Jack Kerouac
