P A G E 6 B O R D E R B A T C H B R E W I N G S
Here ’ s the way I see it thru beer goggles on a cold & blustery fall evening . The gales of November are definitely upon us as I write this piece . Dark beer selections are the popular choice here at The Thinline Bar & the winter reading sessions over big toasty winter warmers have begun in earnest . For some strange reason after finishing the beery Travels With
Barley by Ken Wells , I ’ m revisiting Ovid ’ s
Metamorphoses . I ’ m trying to make it a beery experience by telling myself its research for a couple of good homebrew names . Hopefully there isn ’ t a Greek tragedy brewing in a carboy down stairs - that ’ s not the angle I was playing for . While I didn ’ t take a lot of courses on things like psychology , philosophy or mythology in college , I ’ ve always shown at least an amateur interest in how the human mind operates . ( I just had a rather humorous flash of Stubie locked in an empty room w / a couple of cases of Grain Belt . Now I bet that ’ d be a demonstration on human behavior !) I have been threatening for a while to pen a book entitled The Death of Common Sense in Modern America . Now most of the impetus for this work has been accumulated work related experiences that I ’ m sure lack any interest to those in the brewery hobby scene . However , I ’ ve recently begun expounding upon the theme as it applies in other venues of life . I think its time to apply the concept to the breweriana collecting hobby . So here it is , three obvious signs that Common Sense has indeed left the breweriana hobby building . 1 .) Hobby vs . Job ( Part I ) The prices of items within our hobby reflect to me - at least to a significant degree - an attitude held by a number of collectors that our hobby offers an excellent opportunity for sideline income . This is supposed to be a hobby folks . I ’ ve got a job - I don ’ t want another . If I need some extra income I ’ ll go get another job & keep the collecting as an exercise in pure fun . In my view collecting breweriana in order to sell off the extras for a profit is about the equivalent of joining the Big Brothers / Sisters program in hopes of making a few bucks for babysitting . I can hear the arguments coming already . I ’ m sure my opponents may venture to state that if they take the time to chase down the contacts , spend $ 3.00 a gallon on gas to pick it up & then take the time to clean up that particular piece & haul it off to a show to sell , that those steps are worth a little mark up . Well maybe , but I ’ d say it ’ s a weak counter-argument . If you dabble in investing would you charge a friend or acquaintance a percentage for a stock tip you researched ? Aren ’ t fellow collectors friends or at least acquaintances with a similar interest ? And if not , shouldn ’ t they be ? Do you really need to make a percentage for helping out a fellow collector with something they might like to add to their collection that is not of value to yours ? Common Sense would tell me if it is in fact a hobby & not a business , that I need not participate in said hobby in the interest of making a buck . Sure I see exceptions to the above mentioned breweriana business . Friends giving deals to friends or giving someone a price break to return a favor but they are the exception not the rule . The prices you see on items at shows are the proof . Breweriana shows are not used car lots . Why are
w e setting prices high in hopes of eventually haggling down to a price that still leaves the seller well in the black ? 2 .) Hobby vs . Job ( Part II ) I don ’ t know about the place where you work , but each week I get my fill of dealing with personality conflicts and people with agendas . Why must we bring it into the hobby ? Sure not everybody is going to get along with every single individual out there . Have an opinion , defend it in pleasant conversation , but don ’ t go out there & try to foist of your world view on other people . People are like beers ; the goods one are all different from each other . Enjoy the diversity . Let the other guy enjoy what he enjoys even if you think its crap . With out getting into really specific real world scenarios the point I ’ m trying to drive home here is that trying to get everyone to march to the beat of the same drum & do the same thing at the same time - that ’ s all stuff I get plenty of at work - I don ’ t need it in my hobby . I want to go to a beer event , talk to the people I want to talk to , drink the beer I want to drink , eat the food I want to eat , & look at / purchase the breweriana I want all on my own time schedule as I please . Common Sense should dictate , “ Its my free time , I ’ m the boss .” Sure we all have to abide by some general rules of the social compact to avoid utter anarchy ( drive on the correct side of the road , don ’ t murder people , don ’ t take a dump in the middle of the sidewalk ) but other than those obvious types of things I ’ m not going to surrender control of my mind to someone else . So to summarize this point ; let people enjoy the hobby & their FREE time . If that ’ s beyond your capacity don ’ t be surprised when people buck your agenda . 3 .) Taking the Beer Out of the Breweriana Hobby Have you ever heard comments like , “ I don ’ t really like to drink - I ’ m just here to sell some items ” or “ I wish folks wouldn ’ t drink so much beer at trade events because it detracts from the strength of the sales .” Well I ’ ve only been in the hobby a couple of years & I ’ ve actually heard both of these statements uttered at big beer shows . Here I go with the wild comparisons but isn ’ t taking the beer out of the breweriana hobby the equivalent of taking Christ out of Christianity ? Isn ’ t it the sales & consumption of beer that have created all the wonderful objects of our collecting desires ? HELLO ?!? Now if you make a personal choice not to drink for any number of reasons I can respect that , but I think we ’ ve completely missed the Common Sense train if we ’ re regretting the consumption of beer by collectors at a breweriana show . Especially if your concerned that you aren ’ t going to sell enough merchandise to make the trip worthwhile . After all , Common Sense might suggest that somebody may have a few brews & loosen up & spend more on a piece of breweriana than they otherwise would have . Common Sense should dictate that since it ’ s a hobby we should applaud having a few brewskis to relax & unwind . When breweriana shows become dry , the breweriana shows will dry up . They ’ ll go the way of the dodo & dinosaur - interesting things that have out grown there usefulness & died . Personally , you can count me out if it happens . In closing I hope it ’ s the last time I need get on this particular soapbox . I ’ d like to see some proof that Common Sense is not completely left the hobby . I ’ m looking forward to a spring show season full of great deals on breweriana at shows , a decrease in human drama at those shows , & having a good time drinking good brews with good friends . Common Sense tells me that I ’ ll have to settle for the latter . And you know what ? That ’ s probably enough !