# A Sommelier Is To Wine As X Is To Beer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** beer, wine\ **Created:** [November 23, 2016, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843 "2016-11-23T22:04:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/1 "2016-11-23T22:04:01Z")
The sommelier is in charge of managing the wine inventory, suggesting pairings to customers, that sort of thing. Is there an equivalent position with regards to beer? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/2 "2016-11-23T22:14:33Z")
Bartender. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/3 "2016-11-23T22:14:59Z")
Looks like the beer experts have co-opted the term “[cicerone](http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/08/24/214582851/wine-has-sommeliers-now-beer-has-cicerones)”, since nobody else was using it any more. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/4 "2016-11-23T22:18:59Z")
Um, Billy Carter? any dude who brews Stella Artois. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/5 "2016-11-23T22:25:59Z")
Kegmaster. The most important office I held in my fraternity. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/6 "2016-11-23T23:15:46Z")
Wikipedia has an article on “beer sommelier”. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/7 "2016-11-24T02:35:05Z")
If beer has sommeliers or cicerones, can dope be far behind? Why do I have the feeling that there’s the equivalent for weed in Denver, Seattle and/or Portland? And then soon to be in SF and LA, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/8 "2016-11-24T02:56:07Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Bartender. > [@dtilque](#): > > If beer has sommeliers or cicerones, can dope be far behind? Why do I have the feeling that there’s the equivalent for weed in Denver, Seattle and/or Portland? And then soon to be in SF and LA, of course. Budtender. ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/9 "2016-11-24T03:16:37Z")
Bubba. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/10 "2016-11-24T03:32:56Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Budtender. Well, yes, I knew about budtenders, but are they actually the equivalent to a sommelier? A bartender is not and I would expect the same for a budtender. It takes a lot more knowledge to be a cicerone than a bartender. This idea may be jumping the gun. The legal mj market is only a few years old, and it may take longer than that to generate the base knowledge needed for a dope sommelier. But it will come sooner or later. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/11 "2016-11-24T05:15:54Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Bartender. Had it in one. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/12 "2016-11-24T05:39:57Z")
It looks like the press is using [weed sommelier](http://qz.com/782403/weed-sommelier-classes-are-now-offered-in-colorado-for-marijuana-food-pairing/). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/13 "2016-11-24T07:40:04Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > The sommelier is in charge of managing the wine inventory, suggesting pairings to customers, that sort of thing. Is there an equivalent position with regards to beer? In my experience, “hipster douche”. I like beer, make some myself, but the people working at the local brewpubs, man… ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/14 "2016-11-24T07:59:33Z")
Wanker. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/15 "2016-11-24T08:09:41Z")
Norm Peterson from Cheers. Image: [https://www.google.com/search?q=Norm+Peterson+from+Cheers&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj7rsmj-MDQAhXhqlQKHdWgBmkQ\_AUIBygB&biw=1024&bih=672#imgrc=DzAC97HFT3vyeM%3A](https://www.google.com/search?q=Norm+Peterson+from+Cheers&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj7rsmj-MDQAhXhqlQKHdWgBmkQ_AUIBygB&biw=1024&bih=672#imgrc=DzAC97HFT3vyeM%3A) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/16 "2016-11-24T08:18:08Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Had it in one. wrong. A bartender just pours whatever beer is ordered. That’s not the equivalent of what a sommelier does. > [@ENugent](#): > > It looks like the press is using [weed sommelier](http://qz.com/782403/weed-sommelier-classes-are-now-offered-in-colorado-for-marijuana-food-pairing/). That page and [one](http://www.trichomeinstitute.com/interpening-faq-1) it links to, claims the word is **interpener**. It also says the equivalent for coffee is **cupper** and one for cheese is **monger**. Not so sure about that last one; a monger is usually someone who sells some product. A fishmonger sells fish, a cheesemonger sells cheese, etc. > [@MrDibble](#): > > In my experience, “hipster douche”. I like beer, make some myself, but the people working at the local brewpubs, man… Pretentiousness is always a danger in these professions. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/17 "2016-11-24T10:35:59Z")
Barmaid. :o [![](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZogAAOSwqu9VTlbT/s-l400.jpg) ](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZogAAOSwqu9VTlbT/s-l400.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/18 "2016-11-24T12:57:22Z")
All joking aside, I know two guys who went all out studying and applying for certification as a [**cicerone**](https://www.cicerone.org/). It’s fun drinking with these guys. I ordered a New Belgium Brett the other day and received a complete dissertation on the style. Never had a Brett before (other than Russian River Sanctification), and it is a favorite now. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/19 "2016-11-24T13:13:10Z")
> [@Tinker\_Grey](#): > > Bubba. Your stereotype’s about twenty years out of date, if not more. These days, the beer drinkers are the kinds of college-educated young men who’d know the word “cicerone” and where it comes from, and be pretentious enough to self-apply it. They’re less about pickup trucks and swilling mass-produced lagers at a wipe-clean tavern with chicken fingers on the menu and more about Priuses and quaffing hyper-local microbrews at a faux-industrial brewpub that has something involving radicchio or a “reduction” on the menu, possibly at the same time. They ain’t the Old Chevrolet Set, but they’re not quite the Jet Set, either. If anything, they’re the No TV Set, or the Gluten-Free Set. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843/20 "2016-11-24T13:35:18Z")
^yep. For thanksgiving dinner I am opening two $30 bomber bottles of The Breury’s _Sour in the Rye_, a sour rye ale aged in oak barrels. Interested family members will be offered teensy sips. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-sommelier-is-to-wine-as-x-is-to-beer/772843.md?page=2)