I fucked up. No one died. Life will go on. No one was shattered by it. The only really victim was myself. So as fuck ups go, I can handle it. But it’s still a fuckup.

I am a beer snob in a serious way. I like what I like and I don’t like what I don’t like. This is well-known at the brewery. People bring in all sorts of beer that I hate. I appreciate it. I respect it. I learn from it. But I don’t want to drink it. I make beer myself that I don’t drink. I made a really good lager that was just taking up keg space because I drink ale.

The craft beer revolution was initially the rise of ale in America. Yes, there were exceptions, like Boston Lager, but the main new thing we got out of the craft revolution was really good ale in America. Sierra Nevada is the well-known example and Summit Extra Pale Ale was the beer that brought excellent ale into my home every day.

I am an ale snob. I drink 1 lager for every 1000 ales. I’ve had August Schell a thousand times, almost always against my will and didn’t like it. If Schell Hefeweizen is the best beer on tap, I’m drinking G&T’s.

Add to this the Big 3 who cram lager down our throats constantly. Almost every tap everywhere you go is pale lager beer. The craft revolution is in large part a rejection of pale American lager.

So when I saw Schell post an article about not being listed as craft brewers by the Brewers Association, I was not sympathetic. I thought, “If they were known for making great craft beer it would be obvious and we wouldn’t be having this discussion.” Without too much thought I posted something to the effect of “it’s because you don’t make good craft beer. Make good craft beer”.

A shit storm resulted.

I work at Lucid Brewing. They are the nicest guys in the world. They are friends with every brewer I know. They would never disparage another brewery the way I just had. I realized this when a few hours later I got a very mad tweet from a Schell drinker. And then from a Schell brewer. And then I knew that I had completely fucked up.

Here’s how:

1. Schell does make a lot of craft beer. A lot of people think it is great.
2. Schell is a lot smaller than I thought.
3. The people at Schell are people too.
4. I’m a brewer now and brewers don’t diss each other’s beer.

#1 and #2 were just ignorance. If I wanted to comment on Schell’s craft beer I should have done more research. #3 I just should have known. #4 is something I am new to and struggling with. I hate a lot of beer. I hate sour beers. I hate most porters. There are times I drink a beer and my natural response is “yuck!”.

But every time I taste a beer I don’t like, I assume the person that made it does like it. I’m not saying people are bad at making beer, I’m saying they like to make beer that I don’t like. I never have and never will question the skills of any brewer.

I delete my idiotic Facebook comments so as to not keep fanning flames I never should have started in the first place. Feel free to contact me somewhere else if you want to discuss the actual issue that Jace brought up original in the first place, which I respond to here.

I sincerely apologize to August Schell and the people who like their beer.
Even though my comments are my own, I apologize to Lucid Brewing for their name being brought into this. They had nothing to do with it and, incidentally, they make great beer.

I’m not an asshole. I listen. I learn. I fuckup. I listen again. Thanks for your patience and your friendship and I hope to see you soon.

Cheers,
Michael Koppelman