Enjoying Naturdays: A Path Towards Defeating Craft Beer Elitism

Disclaimer: I am a huge advocate for the independent craft beer scene. I love craft beer and spend a fair amount of time searching out, sharing pictures of, and pairing cookies with locally produced Connecticut craft beer. I also sometime drink Bud light if I’m at a concert or at a picnic, mowing the lawn or being polite and accepting what someone happens to have on hand. With that in mind, check this out and let me know what you think.

So, I broke down and bought some Naturdays. If you’re unfamiliar, this is a flavored version of Natural Light. (affectionately called Natty Light by college kids all across the land) It is advertised that it is “for those who like strawberry lemonade and drinking beer.” I mean that’s me - at least I think that’s me. I can certainly understand the appeal, while holding onto a fair amount of skepticism. How could his actually be good?

So I went to my local package store and picked up a 12 pack. It was the smallest available size and also under $10. The guy who rang me up said excitedly, “Dude, these are actually really good, just drink them really cold.” Which is exactly what I did. Now the can of Naturday I drank after dinner wasn’t my favorite drink of all time but it was fairly good. The flavors are kind of fake, like flavored soda can be, but not gross or too sweet like I feared. I know when I share these with friends, many other people are going to enjoy them too and if these were released while I was in my early twenties I would probably be drinking these regularly. With that said, there are plenty of craft beer people out there hating on the Naturdays trend as if it were the worst possible thing a person can admit to liking. To that I say, “Get over it.”

My experience putting back some Naturdays made me think about something that’s been bugging me lately:

There is no beer you are SUPPOSED to like.

This is a simple idea, but we do often get wrapped up in hype and hops and the fever of one of the many ‘hip’ styles of beer.

Elitism in beer is so off putting. The idea that there is one style of beer or one particular brewery that you should and must like, to be considered a connoisseur, is flatly ridiculous.

Personal freedom and pluralism is what America is founded on. You don’t have to like big bitter beers, you don’t have to like fruited sours, you don’t have to like beer at all. Don’t let anyone tell you different.

IPA is not the only style of beer - neither is strawberry lemonade lager - and thank God for that. The Brewer’s Association identifies over 150 styles of beer. 157, to be specific, but some of these include multiple varieties. On top of that, there are always experiments happening all the time and we know there are other styles that don’t make the list.  

We have all come across that person who refuses to drink a New England style IPA that’s more than a week old, or posts a video of pouring a half full can of beer down the drain while railing about how bad it was. We see posts on the internet about bad beer all the time. Being critical and providing feedback to brewers can be valuable, and great brewers are always looking to improve, however I think we can agree that criticism veiled in hate isn’t really helpful.

The prevailing attitude that there is a beer that you are supposed to like and if you don’t you aren’t an accepted member of the craft beer community feels very wrong.

To steal from Malcolm Gladwell, there isn’t one perfect beer. There are perfect beers. Perfect summer afternoon beers, perfect winter evening beers, perfect beers for my wife, perfect beers for my Uncle Bill, perfect beers for sad conversations, perfect beers for celebrating love. There are so many perfect beers.

A controversial moment in the most recent installment in the Star Wars franchise comes to mind. Rose says, “That's how we’re gonna win. Not fighting what we hate, saving what we love.” Whether that fits in Star Wars could be at debate, however I think it fits perfectly for my attitude about craft beer. Sharing stuff we love so we can appreciate it more and spread joy is what we here at CT Beer and Cookies are all about.

The Buddha said, “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the single candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”  

So, next time you’re at the package store be open minded, try something new. Maybe a Weiss beer, an ESB, a Gose, or a Brown ale, or even a six pack of strawberry lemonade beer that costs less than five bucks, you might be surprised.

Just as a quick resource I thought I would include a list of Connecticut craft beers that are light, refreshing, and possibly fruity that fit the category of a strawberry lemonade lager.

Black Hog- Citra Seltzer: Raspberry Lime IPA

New Park- Blender Series: Mega Fuited Slightly sour beers

2 Roads- No Limits: Hefeweizen

Counter Weight- Crimson Briar: Raspberry Berliner Weiss

There are too many more to list, Cheers!