World traveler, off the beaten path foodie and television star are just a few of the ways to describe Anthony Bourdain. One could also say he is a bit of a snob when it comes to his food… as in if it is good, he’ll go out of the way to get it, no matter what.
However, just don’t expect him to be that way when it comes to beer. That’s because he hates… HATES… craft beer snobs.
According to a recent interview with Thrillist, Bourdain says his biggest critics are those who believe he doesn’t highlight local beer enough when he’s doing shows like No Reservations, The Layover and most recently. Parts Unknown.
“The angriest critiques I get from people about shows are when I’m drinking whatever convenient cold beer is available in a particular place. You know, I haven’t made the effort to walk down the street 10 blocks to the microbrewery where they’re making some fucking Mumford and Sons IPA. People get all bent about it. But look, I like cold beer. And I like to have a good time.”
His hatred for beer snobs comes out in full, thanks to a story about a recent trip to a bar in San Francisco. One in which he was confronted with a group of guys taking down beer flights and notes on each of the beers tasted.
Let’s just say that isn’t exactly Bourdain’s goal when going to a bar… ever.
“This is not what a bar is about. A bar is to go to get a little bit buzzed, and pleasantly derange the senses, and have a good time, and interact with other people, or make bad decisions, or feel bad about your life. It’s not to sit there fucking analyzing beer,” he says.
Hoo boy: Bourdain just laid waste to craft-beer nerds https://t.co/3u98QZMNiF pic.twitter.com/l5U6bQEkIm
— First We Feast (@firstwefeast) November 2, 2016
While there is a great beer world out there to explore, going to a bar and taking 20 minutes to decide between the IPA or the Double IPA or that rare bottle imported from some random farm brewery in Belgium probably should be eliminated.
As a beer connoisseur myself, I can agree. Those moments are best saved for beer drinkers at home. Enjoy all the crazy beer and all the intense notes and differences between hop flavors you want; just don’t jam up my night out with friends or to escape from reality with your snobbery.
So what if I feel like a Miller Lite tonight? What’s it to you, bro?
After all, that is the beauty of beer — each person has a different and unique relationship with it. Who are we to judge someone for their choice? (Unless they are going weakest to most intense in ABV… that’s just amateur hour.)
Do we really want to become those wine snobs we see out and about? Let’s just agree to not take beer so seriously and enjoy the suds in solidarity.
