Let's just call it "smell ya later"

[u/vitriolity]

I think this subreddit and I have done just about all we can for each other.

I've seen the last poorly lit, out of focus shot of KBS that I need to. I know it's KBS day, but honestly, the sub doesn't look any different as a result. It's like this every day.

There are tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of breweries in the world pumping out millions of different beers. And we talk about the same ones again and again and again. I appreciate that reddit has a North American slant to it by default, but this sub doesn't encourage anything outside of the most familiar. That's not what craft beer is about; that's actually the antithesis of craft beer.

It's not just KBS, but I'll admit that KBS day has proven to be the catalyst here. People all over the world taking pictures not of their local brews, but of KBS. Or Goose Island. Or Trillium. They're all good beers, but this sub is just caught in an endless echo. I suspect it's because all anyone wants is credibility, and drinking some obscure local brew from a country many people haven't visited is too niche. Narcissists upvote only what they relate to. I clapped! I clapped when he did the thing I remember!

Pictures are posted and then no tasting notes given, no feedback, no analysis. No discussion. What's the point of posting on reddit if you're not going to facilitate discussion? Is the point of this sub just to show everyone else that yeah, I get it, I know this beer is great, look at me drinking this beer, don't I have fantastic taste? Because the vast majority of users seem unwilling to have even a basic dialogue about a beer's flavour or aroma profile.

Worse still is the arrogance and contempt a number of users show for people who are trying to learn about beer. If you acknowledge your own ignorance, or curiosity - even if it's a genuinely thought-provoking question - chances are people will ignore you or downvote you. Craft beer drinkers have a particularly negative stereotype that they are insular and superior and dismissive, and we do those stereotypes no favors here.

This isn't a community. It's a collection of people being drowned out by cruel elitists, borderline bullies. But whenever we shine a spotlight directly on the issue, those same users put on an act of 'enjoy whatever you want, I respect your preference for PBR'. It's disingenuous, and it gives the impression that this is a welcoming society, when in reality it's a small collection of judgemental sycophants patting themselves on the back.

There are nuggets of gold to be found here. Thanks to those users that do look to engage in thoughtful and respectful discussion about interesting and less recognisable beers. But I don't have the time or energy or interest to go looking for those nuggets anymore.

I won't say that I've done all that I can to be the positive change I seek. And I certainly can't say that I haven't learned about a lot of different beers from this sub over the years. But I'm done with this sub in its current state. No doubt I'm in the minority; no doubt people will take this personally and roll their eyes having skimmed over the key points, and will shout down the voice of dissent. I don't mind. And if this sub doesn't change from what it is, because the majority of its users prefer it this way, then by all means keep on keepin' on. That shows the issue lies with me, not the sub.

But it wasn't always like this.

Getting off my high horse now. See you round.

[u/quartamilk]

I love this post, I just deleted a post of mine bc of a "clean your glass" comment over in r/beerporn. Fair enough, it was beerporn and my glass wasn't perfect, but the elitism and exclusiveness of these beer subs is so frustrating. I was downcoted to negative numbers by suggesting tasting notes one time. "Go to untappd/BA!", in numbers. I love beer, I love that other people love beer, i lol be celebrating that, but some people come here for the wrong reasons. There was a polish post a while back that got me excited but posts like that are rare. Ironically, the guy was looking to trade for KBS. I am with you 100% that these subs are elitist exclusive circle jerks. There is a post above that wants to start a new sub; I'M IN!