Does Taste in Beer Indicate Class?

Though we don't like to think of America as a class structure, there is no denial that some people are looked at differently depending on factors such as socio-economic status, race, gender, and even taste. I would certainly consider myself a "foodie," but what does that say about my class? How about my taste in beer? There are some sociologists, such as Pierre Bourdieu, that would argue that taste is a form of cultural capital, and having it can serve as a form of power that can pull us up the social ranks. So what's to say about a beer snob like myself that certainly makes no great strides as a poor college student with a freelancing gig?

To explore this idea, we look to the real experts on class and taste in beer: bartenders. These members of our society know what people drink, and though they may have different conceptions of what "class" may be, they all have an opinion.

Michael Kostin, a 38 year old bartender from Bellevue, Washington who has worked in "neighborhood bars, nightclubs, golf course clubhouses, chain restaurants, fine dining restaurants, casino bars and cocktail lounges," disagrees with the assumption that taste indicates class:

"I think that when it comes to beer, a person's taste in beer (in a bar setting) is more indicative of what is available and how much they are willing to spend for drinks than their social status. It also has a lot to do with what they have been exposed to and how adventurous they are willing to be when it comes to beer."

He explains that he has "seen wealthy men with six figure incomes, nice cars and nice homes drink the $1 PBR and Miller High Life after a round of golf or while gambling hundreds of dollars at the casino."

There are some that would be incredibly surprised to hear this statement, and argue perhaps that income doesn't necessarily indicate class. However, I would stretch to say that it is likely that someone with a six figure income that spends quite a bit of time at a country club or golf course would likely be of a higher class.

Other factors play into taste in beer as it concerns social settings. Taylor McIntosh, a bartender that lives in Akron, Ohio, agrees with the idea that there are those who break the mold-either drinking what would typically be considered cheap beer, or those with substantially lower incomes that drink well-crafted microbrews. He also discusses some of the social factors that come into play when we make these decisions:

"Hillbillies drink bud light and miller or whatever because they either went to (a local) High School or they don't want to affect their social status within their class. You won't be respected at a keg party if you show up with a bottle of good wine. You don't see deer hunters taking Guinness on hunting trips. This is because Anheuser-Busch knows how to tailor to the fears of lower middle-class members, their fears of losing their status among classmates."

In this way, class may be superficially represented, and perpetuated by our decisions concerning the beer we drink. I have certainly been called out in family get-togethers by my mother who says I drink "weird" beer, but I would certainly not consider her a "hillbilly." At the same time, however, there can be social and cultural advantages to maintaining group solidarity, though regulating and perpetuating some of the stereotypes that run rampant in our society.

So does the beer we drink indicate our class? I honestly cannot give you a clear-cut answer to this question. I do, however, feel it is important to examine the class structure in our society and understand that the choices we make oftentimes validate a system that produces inequalities. If you drink microbrews or imports, do you frown upon those that are with you when they order a Bud Light? Do you find someone "snobbish" if you generally drink domestics? Understanding how we think will allow us to be more conscious of our biases and help us to confront prejudices we never knew we had in the first place.

I personally say drink whatever makes you happiest. I'll stick to my delicious "weird beer," though.