When I became a member of BA, it was magnificent that the world wide web had such a great site. News, reviews, forums… Everything to do with beer. I’ve long thought this site should be a preinstalled bookmark item in every browser sold. Until their idea to boycott the World Beer Games.The Alström brothers list many reasons for their boycott. It’s juvenile, ignorant, demeans women, supports big brewery, approves the abuse of alcohol, and disrespects beer in general. Now, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but when did the Alströms become uppity breweacrats? Who is willing to bet these gents spent years participating in beer related debauchery?

Let’s get one thing straight: as long as there are frat boys, sports initiations, spring breaks, cottage weekends, stag parties, and your ridiculous drinking age that keeps it taboo therefore attractive; there will be chuggers, guzzlers, funnelers and pounders exploring the wonderful world of beer. The media gets too much credit for it’s influence, or the “dumbing down of America” as the Alströms call it.

If the WBG makes the beer industry “look like jackasses”, why would one of the world’s largest brewers sponsor it? Lumping beer consumers into the same category is patronizing and a generalization. We here at Beerteam are jackasses. You guys at BeerAdvocate are not. The average consumer can see the difference, if not then it’s too late to dumb them down.
I would never defend the Fox Network and the tripe they call programming. Nor would I leap to the defense of a corporation with $13billion in revenues last year. No, I am defending those of us that make the choice to support, promote and participate in beer sports.

Some cars are very nice to drive. Smooth, clean, refreshing. But driving the Volkswagen within predefined limits is usually a bore, right? So what did we do? We crated racing, kept it within the confines of a track, and invited spectators. Get my drift?

World Beer Games is an organized event. Yes, they took money from the first sponsors that offered it. I would have also. Think they just let in the first sixty-four interested contestants? Nope. Those competitors deserved to be there. Exactly as it should be. Worried about the promotion of physical activity while drinking? Like what? Flicking beercaps, tossing cans and throwing quarters?

I concede, the likelihood of a few kids getting their stomach pumped after training for the next WBG broadcast is probably worth a wager. Is this exploration into the brew’s vengeful side not a rite of passage for many of us? Call it an experience. The very result of such excess probably turns more victims into teetotalers than louses. Leave it to pros.

Ok, this is old news. More than 2 years old, actually. Sorry. But it shouldn’t be forgotten. Did this help lead to the demise of WBG? This is an event that Beerteam Canada is dedicated to reviving. Juvenile, ignorant, demeaning, supportive of corporate goliath, tastleless and disrespecting? Probably. Fun? Hell yeah.

Some things just go a little too far. The boycott is politically correct garbage. Get off the moral high horse, guys. BA’s mandate is to promote craft beers. Hey Alströms, you’re succeeding! Market share for the industry titans is dwindling, while microbreweries and their following have exploded, maybe one-hundredfold in the last 20 years. Stick to that mandate, and leave us jackasses to, well, make jackasses of ourselves.
Prosit, #00