WSJ Article said:
"In Monk, a bar popular with hipsters in downtown Brussels, Sebastien Morvan is promoting heresy.
“We’re the antithesis of the old theory that there’s a relationship between God and what’s in the beer glass,” said the co-founder of the Brussels Beer Project, a collective of beer creators who get others to brew for them."
That quote really tells the story. What a dirtbag.
It's incredibly self-serving for this guy to be bringing God into it. Maybe he can also bring politics into it for his next soundbite, or reference militant islamic fundamentalism, or pitchforking babies. The sleaze factor is way high here, folks. The Jerry Springer show should have him on.
He is counting on people being lemmings ... oh, and the free publicity.
The issue is that while being a brewer is an ancient and respected profession, this guy is a charlatan trying to cash in on that fact. And that is what actually irks the real brewing community.
An analogy from the cider world comes to mind ...
The most popular cider in the UK, Strongbow, has been around for over half a century.
The second most popular cider in the UK, Woodpecker, has been around for over a century.
Now just because a recent mass produced product like "white cider" (“White Lightening” brand for instance), a cheaply produced, made-from-pommace-and-corn-syrup, low-priced, high-alcohol fermented product, made lots of money for it's corporate producer that does *not* mean it displaced Strongbow or Woodpecker ... and certainly did not make those more venerable brands any less desirable.
What the traditional brewers cited in that WSJ article are now protesting in Belgium is the apparent “someone riding on the coat tails" of the historic tradition of brewing.
Traditional brewers were the ones who kept the flame going for the profession and the art.
They continue to .
And will continue to.
And just as “white cider” met it’s demise in the arena of public sentiment, and more traditional cider brands still have the largest market share and following ... so will beers brewed with a real connection to the traditional brewing profession maintain their status and following.
Tradition, history, craft ... a beer is held in esteem and purchased for these qualities too; as well as what’s in the bottle.
IM
HO