Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Thoughts here by Ashvegas commenter Isle of Man regarding the upcoming Beer City USA online poll:
There’s a reason people “disparage” the pole, Ash.
I enjoy many of the local brews, but I think a lot of people forget that the beer culture here is very much a localized, downtown sort of phenomenon that, at least in my mind, is built upon a laughably myopic, arrogant “In Crowd” state of mind. The vast majority of people living in and around Buncombe County have no idea nor care about the comings and goings of the local beer scene, this poll or why some of us think it should matter. It’s become more of a vanity business, and this poll just amplifies that.
To make things worse, rather than having actual journalism on a subject that is apparently so important to our local media outlets, what we have now instead is a growing Twitter-azi of self-promoting, self-important media hacks who enjoy cuddling up to those behind the scenes in exchange for free beer and feeling like they’re “part of something.” All while shirking their duties as self-appointed beer experts and never once being honest (at least not in print) about the fact that there is some really sub-par beer coming out of some of our breweries here in Asheville. But wait, we’re Beer City USA! Right?
Meanwhile, drive anywhere outside of downtown and I bet you 7 out of 10 people cannot name more than one brewery in business here, much less care about some silly online poll that is beyond unscientific.
Mention this pole to anyone in Portland and you will most likely be treated to a big, hearty laugh.They’ll be too busy making some of the (legitimately) best beer in the country to bother refreshing their browser 50 times per day to vote again and again.
/end rant
Regarding the “in crowd” mentality that pervades: I think you could say the same about the local music scene, or the local food scene, or the handmade/craft scene, or other niches. I just don’t understand why people get so heated about the beer thing. For example, why aren’t people up in arms about the ongoing chef’s challenge that’s happening right now? My point is that we all know the beer poll is unscientific, trivial. It’s just fun. But it has translated into some economic development – some tourists come to Asheville for the beer and the local breweries employ people. I agree that the vast majority don’t care much about any of it.
I also agree that media coverage of the beer scene largely flows in a promotional vein. I’ve never seen a local beer writer publish a critical review of a brewery or local beer. It’s the same for food reviewing – there is none in the Mountain Xpress or Citizen-Times. Any criticism is left to bloggers. But at least we get an honest review now and then.
Asheville's so-called "beer culture" and "Beer City USA" are such huge jokes. This online poll is a total sham and worthless of news coverage here, or in the local rag, or anywhere else for that matter. It just shows how little real news takes place here that this stuff would even merit mention. This reporter Tony Kiss has got to be one of the worst writers I've ever seen — no wonder he has been employed by the Citizen-Times for so long. I met him in person and he is hillbilly personified — I would have sworn he was drunk in early afternoon. No wonder he writes about beer.
Yawn. Much ado about nothing.
Some of the beer is good, happily. I could live without most of the groovers who show at The Wedge (it is beyond silly sometimes) but hey, whatever. It's America.
Ash's speaks the gospel when he points out the lack of print criticism of almost ANYTHING in Asheville. The town, from restaurants to music to other arts and culture, would benefit greatly from a writer who could act as a real critic, pointing out both positives and negatives. It seems that food especially could benefit from a real critic. So many restaurants in Asheville suffer from wild inconsistencies but there is no impetus for improvement at popular restaurants because tourists will fill their bank accounts one way or another. Lets get a real critic in a popular print medium so that accountability can exist, people can have an idea of what to expect from places where they spend their money, and Asheville can improve its food, beer and art scene which is great for everyone.
this dude's rant is silly. but, portland's breweries are way better than ours.
"(I've seen the Gaelic Ale on tap in Raleigh and Atlanta) This brings money that isn't from tourism into the local economy."
I don't know if anyone caught this, but the syntactic structure of this poor attempt at a sentence is completely idiotic and clearly brings into question the intelligence of the author's larger point…
Oh no it's the Grammar Police!
Is it just me, or does anyone else have a hard time taking this rant seriously? I'm not sure what this guy's obsession with 'poles' is, but it sounds like he should be exploring that rather than getting uptight about the beer poll.
There are plenty of crappy local beers in AVL. The Wedge serves a great many of them, but Craggie isn't far behind. But, you know, Portland has some crappy local beers too. You have to be willing to take the crap with the good stuff, because 90% of everything is crap. 🙂
Mr. Ranter needs to allow for some taste differences and appreciate what building a vibrant beer industry in the area brings us. The local competition and the insistence on higher and higher quality beers will increase demand for our local product elsewhere – which you can already see with many of the Highland beers. (I've seen the Gaelic Ale on tap in Raleigh and Atlanta) This brings money that isn't from tourism into the local economy.
Anyway, let's not spend too much time on the rantings of some half-literate half-wit. Go out. Enjoy a (local) beer.
Doesn't the "in-crowd" drink PBRs?
I know people from all over the South that come here, and a main reason for a lot of them is to drink the beer. Maybe since we live here it sounds silly. Plus, this is an industry that is creating jobs… something we need right now.
While we are on the topic of beer I mentioned last year that French Broad Brewery was too hoppy and heavy for my tastes. A couple of you clued me onto the kolsch, which is now my favorite local beer. I stand corrected and thank you!
Isle's comment loses I lot of cred when he spells poll wrong in the first sentence. And, btw, having lived in Oregon, 70% of the people there don't care about microbrews either.
Fair points by all who have posted responses thus far. While I stand by the thrust of what I was trying to say, my rant does sound a little petty reading it one day later.
As to why I chose to focus on one aspect over another: Ash's original post mentioned that lots of people dog on the pole for how silly it is. So it was an attempt to answer why that sentiment exists.
And while I wish it were something as simple as getting "snubbed in some trendy beerhall" that stirred the pettiness within me, it's really just simple observations from someone who has lived around and been loosely associated with local beer since it started here back in, what, 1999? More than anything, I strongly believe that if we're going to make such a big deal about beer in this town we need some solid journalism to come out of it, not promotional pieces written by local writers who waste time producing boring puff pieces with absolutely no insight. The breweries spend enough on marketing and advertising, they don't need free brown-nosing from our two most highly circulated newspapers. I know that print journalism, as a whole, is basically a dead business and in dire straits financially, but when you start worrying about offending potential advertisers with what you write, then you are no longer a journalist but a second-hand tool, at best.
As for the other points I made, you can take 'em or leave 'em. I really don't take it THAT seriously, but this is a blog where we're supposed to be able to discuss various aspects of our community, what we like, what bothers us, what gets on our nerves, etc. My apologies for considering a different approach/response! Next time I'll tow the line and simply write about how wonderful Asheville beer is what it does for us. Something original like that.
As to Ash's points: How many festivals and constant, year-round media attention do we have centered around "crafts" and "chef challenges?" Hardly an appropriate comparison. And music is everywhere, not so much a niche. Also, if this poll is so "trivial," why are we constantly clogging our local media and blogs with such "trivial" topics?
But you're absolutely right, local beer has done a lot to pull tourists into the area, and that benefits all businesses, which is obviously a good thing. I don't think anyone can deny that. The larger point I was getting at (call it "whinning", call it "trivial" I really don't care) is that, having traveled to many different beer destinations across the country, I can say unequivocally that no where else takes itself as seriously and touts its supposed greatness with such mixed results as does our beer scene here in Asheville. We've got a long ways to go, in my opinion, before we can legitimately lay claim to be truly Beer City USA.
The brewery scene here contributes so much more than just beer to the community, but most who tend to view beer, alcohol, and brewing in general as something that should be done away with are the folks who would never take part in the activities that truly help define the culture that Asheville has become famous for, and that so many travel here to experience. The breweries sponsor fundraisers and events (some that don't necessarily involve beer at all), most have music and have become music destinations in and of themselves, independent of the beer served, AND most gigs at breweries do in fact pay better and draw better crowds than some established music venues in town (I know this from experience). The breweries encourage a sense of camaraderie and fellowship that might not otherwise be seen as well amongst diverse sets of folks, and most all of the breweries work together to keep their community and products strong. Asheville has many divides in culture and disparities in affluence vs. poverty, but most anyone can sit down and trade ideas, stories, etc. over a pint or two at a brewery and find some common ground. Our founding fathers traded many an idea and debated many key topic over a pint or two. In fact, history points to the notion that without brewing and the economic and social avenues it opened up, our culture and this country may not have grown as it did (and it was a great way to use/preserve grains, etc. 'back in the day'). So yeah, 'Beer City USA' may not mean much except a little fun braggin' rights (and I could care less about it myself), but for people to discredit what the brewery scene has brought to Asheville in general by way of the poll is to ignore what has been a big economic and social boom to the area. And you don't have to be a 'hipster' to enjoy the brews and beer scene… most 'hipsters' would rather drink their PBR anyway. So let the exposure help us, whether you participate or not.
Sounds like this author got snubbed in some trendy beerhall putsch. Hasn't everything in post-1995 or so Asheville been "built upon a laughably myopic, arrogant "In Crowd" state of mind"? I guess it just depends on who is doing the laughing and whether you feel part of the crowd.
Enjoy your beer, let the media hounds spin, and maybe don't take it all so personally. Nobody wants to be Portland except Portland, anyway.
I found pieces of the aforementioned "Beer rant," someone posted earlier: my repsonse, To complain about the 'inclusive nature' of Asheville's Beer Culture is a petty argument. Sure, there are beer snobs by the bunch. But why focus on this 'insider culture?' Are you only going for the People scene,or the Beer? Hey, I moved here from Oklahoma (sad, sad, but great flyover state!) where beer is limited to Buttweiper, Coor's Racist Suds-Lite, Miller Genuine Men's Urinal Genuine Draft, etc. If you want good Good, fresh made brew, you have two,maybe, three choices. Though, those choices are pretty weary themselves. Hey, I don't care for the Trendy AVL Gimp-Hipsters myself; I can, and do, enjoy the many fine Beer choices avalable tome, here in WNC. I believe I speak for several folks here, don't like the trendy hipstershit beer culture? Buy a growler and stay home. Be sureto skip voting in the Beer City Poll, this year. You won't be missed. Now, where is Wedge IPA I ordered 20 minutes ago…?
What bug crawled up this person's butt? I don't think any of the "beer" people in AVL discount the fact that there are other cities with great beer. In fact, most "beer" people I know travel far and wide to experience beers from around the country or even the world. As for the sub par beers the writer mentions, I agree that there are some less-than-amazing beers out there in MY opinion. Beer is subjective just like food, movies, and music. There's something for everyone. Any time there is a passionate following for a something whether it be beer, food, or a band, there will be some amount of "snobbery" around it, but I think that reflects individual insecurities or personality issues. It's not fair to vilify and tear down the whole culture/industry. If I had to guess, I would bet this writer has experienced some perceived slight from local "beer people" and wrote this rant in response. One last thing…these breweries and other related businesses have brought dollars into this town and NOT at the expense of our precious resources. I feel grateful for the income and attention these entrepreneurs have brought to our humble mountain home.