A Culinary Explorer and Craft Beer
Anthony Bourdain, a celebrated chef, author, and television host, was known for his love of food and drink. He took his television audience to far-flung places, enthralled them with his storytelling prowess, introduced them to exotic cuisines, and unapologetically quaffed his preferred beverages. However, one thing you’d never catch Bourdain sipping on was a craft beer.
The Unexpected ‘Beer War’
Bourdain harbored a somewhat surprising stance on the so-called “craft beer revolution.” Once considered a niche market, craft breweries have proliferated over the last few decades, producing diverse and distinct varieties of beer. Craft beer devotees appreciate these small-scale breweries for their creativity, experimentation, and distinctive flavor profiles. Yet, Bourdain tended to view the discourse around craft beers with a skeptical eye.
Why Craft Beer?
It’s Not Just About the Beer
Bourdain had nothing against the beer itself. In fact, he acknowledged and respected craft beer’s ability to challenge conventions and push the boundaries of taste and sophistication. He recognized the hard work and artistic talent that goes into developing different flavors, and he fully understood the role of craft beer in revitalizing local economies and creating community gathering spots.
Bourdain’s Critique: The Culture of Beer Snobbery
However, the beer expert’s primary reservation was geared more towards the culture that often accompanies craft beer – a culture that, to his mind, too frequently tips into pretentiousness and snobbery. He expressed this sentiment in an interview with Thrillist in 2016, where he openly critiqued “beer nerds” for taking the joy out of drinking.
Bourdain was very much about the communal aspect of food and drink. For him, it was all about relishing the experience, immersing in the atmosphere, and forging bonds with people. He felt that obsessive dissections of hops, aromas, mouthfeel, and intricate comparisons between different batches, took away from the experience of just enjoying a good drink with good company.
Bourdain’s Preferred Poison
More Budweiser, Please
This world-renowned food connoisseur was anything but a beer snob. In contrast to the craft beer phenomenon, Bourdain had a noted affinity for mass-market beers like Budweiser. Known as the “King of Beers,” this particular brew was a Bourdain favorite because of what it represented. For him, Budweiser was the epitome of a social drink: unpretentious, straightforward, and conductive to a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. There was simply no space for highbrow beer scrutiny on his booze-filled adventures.
Whiskey – The Bourdain Way
When not sipping on a cold Budweiser, Bourdain was also known to enjoy a glass of whiskey. Though he appreciated a good whiskey, he didn’t overcomplicate it. Once again, his focus was on the experience, not the minute details. He preferred his whiskey neat or simply with one large ice cube – a clean, straightforward approach that mirrored his overall perspective on food and drink.
Final Thoughts
While craft beer enthusiasts may have found it hard to align with Bourdain’s position on beer, his perspective offered a valuable reminder that food and drink should be about more than just sophistication or pretentiousness. It’s about the experience, unity and shared conviviality. Bourdain embarked on his culinary explorations for a simple purpose – to create connections, cultivate understanding and share in the simple pleasures that food & drink, even a simple Budweiser, can offer.
The engaging article gives an overview of the surprising stance of the late iconic chef Anthony Bourdain towards the craft beer trend. While recognizing the artistic value and economic benefits of craft breweries, Bourdain critiqued what he saw as pretentiousness and snobbery in the culture surrounding craft beer. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of Bourdain’s culinary philosophy, reminding us that food and beverages are, above all, about enjoyment and connection.