Why Anthony Bourdain Wasn't A Fan Of Craft Beer

Anthony Bourdain will be remembered for many things — his extensive world travels, compassionate journalism, his admirably hedonistic approach to food and drink, and as an out-and-out craft beer hater. How could a man who traveled the world in search of some of the most unique, remote flavors hate on the craft beer movement? Speaking with Build, Bourdain complained, "I don't want, like, fruity notes ... Notes of hippie is not something I want in my beer." However, it seems that much of his animosity wasn't so much about the beer itself as the snobby, somewhat pretentious culture that surrounded it.

In a 2018 interview with Thrillist, Bourdain responded to critiques from the craft beer online community, saying, "You know, I haven't made the effort to walk down the street 10 blocks to the microbrewery where they're making some f***ing Mumford and Sons IPA. People get all bent about it." On a trip to San Fransisco, Bourdain walked into a scene he found most unpleasant: folks in a brewery, sipping tiny cups of beer, and jotting down tasting notes. Bourdain said of the memory, "This is not a bar. This is f***ing 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers.' This is wrong. This is not what a bar is about. ... It's not to sit there f***ing analyzing beer. It's antithetical."

Anthony Bourdain loved a good drink on his various shows such as "No Reservations," and "Parts Unknown." But for him, he didn't think those beverages needed a whole backstory to be enjoyed. In his conversation with Build, Bourdain said his go-to drink was a simple pint of beer, "somewhere in the middle" between a standard lager (like a Budweiser) and a craft microbrew. He added that he liked cold, readily available beer, and didn't need a whole spiel from his bartender about its origins.

Don't feel too salty if you're a lover of the ultra-niche brews, because Bourdain's disdain for this sort of drinking culture wasn't limited to just craft beer. He said that he felt the same way about wine, preferring to drink it than hear about it. And even Bourdain could be persuaded to enjoy a craft beer, saying, "If you bring me a really good one, a good craft beer, I will enjoy it, and say so. But I'm not gonna analyze it."