Is Beer Losing its Fizz?

Here's an interesting article about the loss of market share the brewing industry has suffered as a whole. Beer is perceived to be a poor man's drink; not as varied as cocktails and wine. "Beer is suffering from a bit of an image problem. The core consumer of a cold brew is widely thought to be either the football-loving couch potato or anyone with a household income below $45,000 a year. But in today's Internet-savvy, consumer-driven culture, those are not exactly the beacons of a populace that increasingly buys well-designed home products at Target and flips longingly through the Pottery Barn catalogue."

This is a perfect example of what I call the "Snob Factor." Basically, the more expensive the activity (doesn't matter what it is), the more people want to participate to distance themselves from "the unwashed masses." Hence, beer snobs prefer Heineken over Bud. Wine snobs prefer wine over Heineken. And alcohol snobs prefer single malt scotch over wine.

I say, let 'em have their fun. Remember, beer is the civilized drink. Wine was made with wild fruits and honeys, no agriculture needed. But beer, well, you need agriculture to produce the grain, and you need civilization to support the agriculture. The next time a wine snob sniffs disdainfully in your direction as you quaff a brew, feel satisfied that you are continuing to support civilization.