I have become a complete lurker. These days I'm mostly interested in low oxygen techniques, because I have the impression that they improve my beers a lot. Unfortunately for me this is not a safe place to discuss them, so I have to go elsewhere.
That's interesting to me, because from my perspective I feel often I can't post something about my particular brewing techniques without them being critiqued (usually negatively) by one or two members of the "lodo nazis" ... as it were.
Does it happen sometimes the other way around? Yep. Sure does. No doubt about that. But look at it from another perspective: The AHA forum is a forum dedicated to every level of homebrewing. But when a certain crowd comes in and argues with experienced and even award winning brewers that their brewing methods are subpar based on another method, that starts to get old real quick. And it works to drive new brewers away. And even experienced brewers who want to discuss topics without endless bickering.
There are certain approaches to brewing that certainly make huge improvements to anyone's beer. And those have been the items we have all been trying to steer new brewers toward when they ask questions. But when one or two members of the forum come in and start to derail threads based on methods that, well let's just be honest .... haven't quite worked for everyone ... then it drives everyone away.
Not everyone who wants to attempt to brew beer needs a master's degree in chemistry. And not every little nuance that is insisted upon is going to make award winning beer.
Some of us feel you can still make great beer with a copper wort chiller. 
Nazis? As someone who was on the other side of the whole Low Oxygen thing, and who used the term "Lager Nazis" to describe them, I can say from experience: it's a dick move.
Oh give me a break. We talk about people being "style nazis" all the time. The LODO "fanatics" sounds better? YOu guys are convinced that your method is the only method that makes great beer. And that is great! But the way some of you try to act as if it is the ONLY way to make great beer makes it over the top. And is the reason we have people afraid to post here. And, obviously, it goes both ways as far as arguments goes. ((In other words, people arguing with you about your methods.)
Now, calling people "dicks" approaches "banable" offenses.
I'm sure the ban button is hot keyed right next to the thread lock button. You can't ban somebody for calling you a dick after you called them a Nazi!
It sucks that people don't want to post anymore because of nonsense on this forum. I've gone away from this forum a few times before: one time self inflicted and the other after coming to grips with the initial presentation of my current brewing methods.
There have been some derails lately and I realize that gets frustrating. I get what you are saying and as unfortunate as it is, thems is the breaks. You are adults. If words posted by people you don't know from Adam cause you to refrain from posting words, I don't know what to tell you. Don Corleone says it best:
We may be, as Denny put it earlier, the niche group of the niche group, but intermediate to advanced home brewers are what comprise this forum. Let's not pretend that we don't make up the majority here. If someone says something out of line or that you don't think applies, don't respond! It's as simple as that. Let's face it: The people brewing extract batches a few times a year don't give a crap about a bunch of beer nerds on the AHA Forum. What does that leave? A bunch of people getting bent out of shape for what? Someone says something you interpret as not being warm and fuzzy?
If you post something and it gets out of hand? Man up! Get everyone in line. Don't delete your post! Tell people to chill!
I stress: this is beer talk on the internet!
If someone said upfront that they didn't want me to post on a thread, I'd oblige. I'm not trying to ruin anyone's good time on this forum. Also, if someone said to me, "Hey, interesting info but it's not what I'm looking for...", I'd be fine with that too. It's sad that that's the state of affairs but I'm not trying to make it a bummer for the average poster.
I'm willing to eat crow any day of the week if it means I can make better beer and I've got a thick skin. Remember where I was at over a year ago? There are some people on here who, through pride or what have you, could NEVER do that.
Topic: Decided not to ask my brewing question on AHA (Read 7316 times)
