We’ve all been there. We get into craft beer, download untappd, and realize it’s a cool way to keep track of all the varying types of craft beer being thrown in front of us to try. Traveling and going to different states/countries, you can look up a beer anywhere.
Somewhere in the last few years we’ve gotten lost and this app has done a number on the industry as a whole.
Pivot to today (2019) and we have beer snobs worrying about a beers rating, bringing down the culture of craft beer as a whole. Just because you see a beer not “5 star worthy” doesn’t mean it’s bad. That’s your rating, not anyone else’s. Everyone has a different palate, enjoys different flavors and styles and needs to decide for themselves what they like. They don’t need others telling them what is acceptable to drink.
Regardless, beer fans are clearly swayed by what they see on the app, even if the ratings and claims are baseless. It’s gotten so bad, and gone so far, that brewers and owners are actively talking about only making “4+ star untappd beers”. What happened to making a beer to make it, and not worrying about an online check-in?
We need to get back to enjoying a beer for what it is. What the flavor profile is according to the style and realizing that all brewers are different. With 4,000+ breweries out there (and growing) its time we realize they’re all different and don’t brew the same way.
Hopefully as more and more breweries open with increased variety, this subset of beer culture fades. Craft beer is about bringing customers together to enjoy new and exciting flavors and styles; not having to worry about beer snobs mocking your choices or what the beer is rated.
