Beer Geeks VS Beer Snobs

Are you a beer snob?

*Word to the educated, the layman, the professional, the amateur, the modest and the self-proclaimed "expert".

(Forewarning; as many individuals who read these newsletters don't know me personally, tone is often difficult to read in an email. Therefore, note the following is meant to be somewhat truthful but mostly playfully entertaining).

I am so very proud that The Lauter Tun has been visited, often frequently, by resident beer Connoisseurs. I'm sure many of you have seen them around the bar as some have earned the coveted title of "regulars." They typically congregate in one small section of the bar, with one eye on the taps and one on the bartender. Calculating how much beer is left in a keg, determining if they can finish it so the next new beer can be put on tap. Always asking what beers are coming in the order next week, why didn't we get more cases of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, and why did we have High Life on tap for a month?! You can almost always hear them loudly arguing why one vintage of beer is better than another, or how different a Belgian Tripel is than a Belgian Golden Strong (there is little to no difference, especially on paper). They will gladly give you advice on which beer to drink next even if you don't ask. They are beer geeks, and beer snobs.
 

I being an admitted beer geek feel there are many splendid similarities between the geeks and snobs of beer.   Namely, their intense passion for beer. So intense in fact, if you do not enjoy beer, you may not be quite as welcome in their presence. Beer snobs and beer geeks are generally nerds at their core. Often wannabe brewers or beer scientists, video game enthusiasts, and NOT typically...ladies men. Relationships and work often play second fiddle next to the tasty, loving embrace of beer. As beer does not judge or waiver and beer will always be there when they need a friend. There is no such thing as a loyal craft beer drinker or "beer monogomy" as snobs and geeks are always looking for the newest, craziest, tastiest, rarest, most unique brews available. They dream of beers that they are unable to get legally in the state. They will gladly sell their souls for some Dogfish, Stone, Oscar Blues, Lost Abbey (beer we cannot currently get in Nebraska) among others. To those who are in relationships with a beer geek or beer snob...God bless you.

The largest difference between a beer geek and a beer snob is their acceptance and or hatred of "lesser" beers and those who consume them. I, being a bar owner, cannot discriminate against one type of beer or against one type of beer drinker. While I personally enjoy craft and import beers, I do not think less of those lighter, cheaper beers, nor those who consume them. I like asking patrons; Do you know what the BEST beer in the world is?!? It is whatever beer you like. If you like two-buck-chuck, Steel Reserve, or Natty Ice, then great. You are a cheap date. I may ask you to try a craft beer or import but I won't give you the stink eye when you return to your beer of choice. Geeks want you to expand your horizons and try new beers but won't force you. They feel that the world of craft and import beers is so amazing that they want you to join them on the journey. And they also want you to split the bottle and share the tab. 

Beware of the beer snobs. They are cold-hearted psychological killers. Avoid making eye contact. Do not ask if a craft beer bar has a domestic beer on tap while within earshot of a beer snob. Do not bring up anything regarding the making, bottling, storage, styles, glassware or consuming of beers in front of said beer snob unless you are prepared to get a tongue lashing. You do not know as much as they do, and they will prove it. They could have chosen a better drink for you, and they will tell you why. They mean well but don't have the social skills to express their emotions properly or with any tact whatsoever. However, you can generally shut them up two ways: Ask them to go home to their girlfriend (though it is a low blow), or buy them a beer. Take what they say with a grain of salt and then throw that salt in their beer.

All in all, the geeks and snobs just want everyone to enjoy good beer. While opinions differ on the definition of "good" beer, the fact is that, in general, local and craft beer is just that, CRAFT. It is an art form, a labor of love. It takes much longer and costs the brewers much more than you macro beers which is why they have earned such respect among the beer snobs and beer geeks.

So next time you see a beer snob or geek at a bar, move very slowly as to not agitate the yeast in his glass. Say hello, buy him a beer, but be warned, it will likely be a $30 bottle of rare oak-aged Belgian Quadrupel brewed by Monks. You will have a friend for life...you've been warned.

Thanks to http://www.passionbeer.com and www.thebeerbuddha.com for "donating your pictures" (I stole them...but doubt they were yours originally anyway :) )

If you are a lover of beer, from the Omaha NE area, or just want a beer zealot as a twitter follower, please check out our facebook page www.facebook.com/thelautertun  www.facebook.com/chadrozniecki or follow me on twitter @the_lauter_tun and sign up for our newsletter if you want to hear about events and specials at my bar and in the Omaha area, or check out our website which has pictures, and descriptions of every beer we carry at www.thelautertun.com.  

Thanks so much for reading!

Ignoramous to Beer Zealot - My Personal Beer Journey

It's been a long bumpy road, but I'm just getting started.

Not too long ago someone approached me and said, "You don't have a blog?!" I first replied, "Why? Should I?" I then thought, "Does anybody even read those? I assumed it was just a bunch of people writing poetry, complaining about life, and reviewing movies over an overpriced latte..." After googling the word 'blog' I realized there was a lot more to it than some 13 year-old girl gossiping about the middle-school dance.

This is my first attempt at blogging and I hope I don't mess it up too much. My wife actually convinced me to start a blog or two, likely in an attempt to get me to stop blabbing to her about my beer opinions and reviews. I hope to shed a little light on many of the local beer spots and breweries, some new brews entering the area and some interesting beer gossip and events. So here goes:


My name is Chad Rozniecki and I love beer, though it took me a long time to realize it. I think to understand where I'm coming from, and what makes me worthy to write about beer and bars, you need to see where my beer journey started. Growing up, I had fairly easy-going parents. Groundings were not a regular occurrence, granted, I never really got into trouble. My friends were mostly math nerds and band dorks. Playing Warcraft II and III was more fun for them than going to the high school parties. I wasn't a complete nerd though. I also was in rock bands which I feel raised my 'cool-level' a point or two, but whatever coolness I had achieved I think was erased by my tuba-playing, marching band endeavors. But I digress. In my household the topic of alcohol was never taboo. My parents weren't heavy drinkers but would have a drink with dinner or at parties. The fact that I was around it so often made it seem like it wasn't a big deal. Of course my parents discouraged underage drinking but didn't necessarily forbid it. If they knew we were going to a party they would simply say "be safe! And for God's sake, if you need a ride just call and we wont ground you, we just want you home safe!" I think they realized a long time ago that if they treated alcohol like some horrible thing and said 'NO NO NO' then we would rebel and do it anyway. All that being said, I never really had a drink before I turned 21. Not because I was above it, or for religious purposes, or due to family history etc. Perhaps it was because I was just too busy to bother, or because my friends didn't partake often, or because the only beer I had tried was my dad's Michelob Ultra, but for whatever reason, I never had anything more than a sip or two of a beer before my 21st birthday.

While I could make this next section last hundreds of pages, delving into my college experiences, bands, relationships, random jobs, I'll try to cut to the chase and focus on those experiences that shaped my beerducation. When I finally was of legal drinking age, I was performing at Mark's Bistro in Dundee Nebraska, and the guitarist who was playing with me bought me a Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. "WOW...This beer is like motor oil." I said. Then he bought me a Bud Light. "WOW...this tastes a lot like carbonated water." Especially after the Guinness. You could imagine, my palate was shocked after those two first beers. I started thinking that if these beers are so different, what else is out there? I immediately started visiting local Hyvees and grabbing 6-pack samplers of craft and import beers. Trying the typical progression of wheat beers to brown ales, German and English, Stouts to Pales, IPAs to Belgians, Imperials to Barrel-Aged and Sour beers. I started visiting the neighborhood Old Chicago before graduating to the craft beer bars like The Crescent Moon and breweries like Upstream and Nebraska Brewing Company. It wasn't long before Paul Kavulak (Owner of Nebraska Brewing Co.) encouraged me to start homebrewing. I became OBSESSED. While most homebrewers brew once a month or biweekly, I started brewing sometimes four or five times a week! I read dozens of books, subscribed to magazines, and read tons of online forums. I started frequenting breweries, picking the brains of the geniuses behind the beer. I started entering my own beer into competitions and started working for local beer bars and breweries. I quickly earned a job as a brewer at a local brewery, the hardest but best job I have ever had. Since then I have been involved in beer bars, cigar bars, restaurants, and now I own The Lauter Tun Craft Beer Bar near Oakview Mall in Omaha Nebraska.

It is these experiences that has led me to where I am today, and I'm just getting started.

I've gained a lot of great friends and contacts through my experiences and random jobs and hopefully very few enemies. I try to build and repair bridges and not burn them if at all possible. I'm very excited about the beer scene in Omaha and it keeps growing and evolving. 

Some people might wonder why I, a bar owner myself, would want to review other bars and and promote their events and upcoming beer releases. Am I stupid or just crazy? Well the jury is still out on that but I am all about promoting beer. I hope that the other beer bars and breweries in the area feel the same, but as for me, I just want people to find the right experience and the right beer to match it. I have no problem sending my guests to another local bar and have done so numerous times. If I wasn't able to get a beer that Krug Park in Benson has, I will gladly tell a guest to visit that bar and try it out..."but don't drink it all because I'll be down there later to try it!" I try to patronize the local beer bars, stores, and breweries as often as time allows to show my support, and I hope the feeling is mutual and reciprocated. There are plenty of patrons to go around and plenty of great beer to be had by all. And, to be clear, I will never bash on another bar or brewery or event. Every bar has it's merits and I plan to focus on those regardless of my own personal taste regarding the venue itself.

I'd be lying if I said I am not planing to promote my bar and events as well, but I will without a doubt be promoting the heck out of my 'competitors' as well.

If you are interested in other Omaha Events, please check out my wife's wonderful blog called Stalking Omaha.

So here's to beer!

Na zdrowie!

Chad