Beer snobs

From USA Today comes an article about choosing beer tours rather than wine tours, written by Joe Milicia of the Associated Press.

I've excerpted part of it below. But two lines in particular - which I've highlighted - caught my attention.

Beer usually conjures images of fraternity keggers, tailgate parties and Homer Simpson loafing at Moe's Tavern.

But U.S. beer drinkers are becoming more sophisticated in their suds consumption, matching beer with food and experimenting with different varieties than those endlessly promoted on football Sunday TV commercials.

Some are willing to travel long distances to find them.

Although beer lacks a major destination such as Napa Valley, many beer aficionados are taking vacations that are more like extended beer runs, visiting the nation's many craft breweries, brewpubs and beer festivals. <...>

McAllister is a converted wine drinker who gave up on vino because he couldn't afford the expensive varieties he enjoyed. <...>

It turns out the beer crowd isn't all that different from the wine and cheese crowd, according to McAllister.

"A lot of the people who are beer geeks are actually bigger snobs than the wine people — just without the money," he said.

Thanks to a subscriber to DC-Beer who posted the link:
Wine country too snooty? Brewery hopping provides alternative

When I slum it and drink wine, I prefer Burgundy. But that's a style which is priced waaaay more than my budget will usually allow. So, in the summer I switch to French-style rosés: white wines with light-red hues, ravishing aromas, and refreshing palates ... but bone-dry.

Indeed I find some summer-weight beers offered by brewpubs and craft breweries to be dull or derivative. If I have to sample yet another wit or spiced wheat ...!