Dark Beer

A little while back I discussed a few misconceptions people have about craft beer and drinking other things than macro lagers. Well, the point was driven home last night once again. I was at a new liquor store that had a pleasantly wide selection of beer. It is also on my way home from work (sort of) so that was a bonus. I picked up just two bottles of Boulevard's specialty beers that I needed to try, went to pay, and this was the ensuing conversation:

Me: So have you tried this Saison?

Guy: No, I'm just starting to get into "dark beer."

Me: (winced) speechless

This Saison is definitely not a dark beer, far from it in fact. One shouldn't use the phrase "dark beer" colloquially to describe anything that doesn't say Coors or Bud on it.

I'm not trying to be a beer snob, I just am trying to shed some light on the fact that a majority of people have an image of what beer is, or what a person who likes to drink beer is and it is wrong. A good beer has just as much if not more flavor and complexity as wine, but society has held up wine as a more refined, sophisticated drink. So I can see how these misconceptions are born...but it doesn't mean I have to go along with them.