Dear Mr. Beer Manners
A modern-day guide to enjoying craft beer … without being a jerk about it.
Dear Mr. Beer Manners, Recently, I had a few friends over so I could share some of the best bottles from my beer cellar and they could do the same. One of my friends brought a bottle of beer that everyone knows isn’t very good. It made for an awkward evening. How would you have handled the situation? Sincerely, Nick in Topeka
Dear Nick, First of all, your friend—let’s call him Jerry—might not have known that he brought a bottle of infected donkey pee to your fancy party. If he did, Jerry’s either messing with you (which is actually kind of funny), or he thinks your taste in beer is so bad that you won’t know the difference (think hard about the beers that you have recommended to Jerry in the past).
In cases like this, it’s also possible that it’s a Russian roulette beer, and there’s really only a 50 percent chance that it’ll be awful. Sometimes you just have to put the bullet in the chamber, spin, and pray for a click.
But the bottom line is that you’re forgetting why you’re having a bottle share in the first place. Yes, it’s to drink great beer—but mostly it’s to hang out with people you like, right? If not, you need to rethink your priorities. You should be able to be open and honest with your beer buddies—crack that puppy open and let it flow. Your friend will get the message if people are dumping their tekus.
Dear Mr. Beer Manners, I just started dating someone who says he hates craft beer. I really like this person, but the beer thing is a major bummer. How can I make him like craft beer? Sincerely, Abby in Reno
Dear Abby, Let’s not be too rash about this. As long as this person recognizes that you love craft beer and is willing to put up with your craft-beer talk and craft-beer friends and craft-brewery visits and craft-beer spending habit, you’ve pretty much got it made.
If it’s really that big of a deal to you, however, there are a few things you can try. Over the long term, make sure to offer him sips of your beers, and don’t get offended when he says no. Pay attention to the types of other things he likes to drink and then introduce beer styles that have similar palate profiles. Don’t try to get someone who drinks only white wine to knock back a glass of bourbon barrel–aged Russian Imperial Stout. Instead, offer a Belgian wit or German Hefeweizen.
If you have a question for Mr. Beer Manners, please email him at mrbeermanners@ beerandbrewing.com. We reserve the right to edit your questions for length and clarity.
BEERSLANGING