Beer Snob vs. Beer Geek vs. Beer Drinker. What's the difference?

I've noticed on here that a lot of you talk about liking Bud/Miller/Coors, Blue Moon and the like. So I think it's time for us to have this discussion.

I used to hate beer. Couldn't drink it. The first one I tried was a Miller Genuine Draft Lite. The first one I could ever finish was a Rolling Rock, then a Dos Equies. Eventually, I settled in to Miller Lite. Then a co-worker of mine talked me into trying a Guiness one day after work, and later that week, a good friend of mine (a chick, nonetheless) opened my eyes to "good beer" by convincing me to try this beer she was drinking called La Fin Du Monde. And I haven't ever looked back.

Here's the perfect analogy. It's like eating a well-done sirloin steak from Ryan's all your life. Hey, it's steak - it can't be bad. A man can go through life eating that steak. Until, one day, he goes to Shula's or St. Elmo or Ruth's Chris and he tries a medium rare filet. The clouds part, the sun comes out, and angels sing. The man can go back to Ryan's, but after that experience and knowing what he's missing, he can never truly be satisfied there again.

It's the same for beer. Once I moved into craft and microbrewed beers, or even really good imports (not Heinekein), I could drink Miller Lite, but I was never truly satisfied with it. So over time, I began to purchase more of the craft and less of the mass-produced beers until I no longer had BudMillerCoors in my beer fridge.

But I'm not a beer snob - a beer geek is what I am. Here's the difference:

Beer Snob - has been shown the light and only drinks "good beer" now. However, whenever he sees someone drinking a BudMillerCoors, he smirks and scoffs in disgust and cannot believe the swine (see "Beer Drinker") that surrounds him. Frequently whines, "Can you believe that this bar actually serves the clientele that would actually drink a BudMillerCoors?!"

Beer Drinker - someone who talks about loving beer. And they do. But they only drink BudMillerCoors. Frequently says, "I hate dark beer - it tastes like oil (even though they've never tasted it), and I only drink American beer and not all that fancy stuff." Can be just as judgemental as the "Beer Snob" (see above).

Beer Geek - gets all geeked out about trying new beers. Probably doesn't drink BudMillerCoors, but if that's what is available at a "Beer Drinker's" (see above) social gathering, he/she will. Sees "Beer Drinkers" and reminds himself that he used to be in those shoes and knows sometimes all it takes is a gentle hand to make a suggestion about a comparable craft beer. Frequently seen saying to a friend or stranger, "I see you're drinking a Blue Moon. I'm very glad you have made the decision not to put an orange in it. Remember, never fruit your beer. I used to drink Blue Moon, too, until a friend of mine told me about this beer. Let me suggest that you try an Oberon, which is made at Bell's Brewery up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It's a lighter wheat beer, similar to the style you prefer in the Blue Moon, but it has a bit more of a kick and a better taste. It is the perfect compliment to a hot summer day, a day in the pool or at the lake, or just a barbeque in your back yard. Bartender, get this man an Oberon on draft (because beer from bottles and cans just aren't the same). I promise that if you don't like it, I'll leave you alone. However, like green eggs and ham, I just want you to open your mind and give it a try. (5 minutes later) Yes, I quite thought you would thoroughly enjoy that Oberon, and I'm proud of you for giving it a try. When you're ready to try some different stuff, just ask me, and I'll be glad to make some suggestions and help you start to pick out the subtleties that make each beer so unique and different. To show your appreciation of my opening your eyes to this brave, exciting new world, why don't you buy me a Tripel de Ripple from Brugge because I've already had my two that they limit me to because of the 11% ABV (alcohol by volume, compared to Miller Lite's 4.5% ABV), and I'll even let you have a sip to show you what you have to look forward to."

I also highly recommend you become a regular reader of the blog Hoosier Beer Geek (www.hoosierbeergeek.com). It's a soft, gentle hand to guide you down a glorious new path to a "good" beer garden!