Sir, – Your recent radio advertisements champion a new role on your writing staff – a “beerista”, a beer expert and writer on such.
As someone who believes the title “barrista” to be a meaningless term invented to allow people feel better about working for the minimum wage, making foamy coffee while being allowed the perk of growing luxuriant yet obsessively groomed beards (“mixologist” being another), I’m forced to take umbrage with your new work title.
There is a term already for what is also known as a beer sommelier and while just as vainglorious a title as your own invented one, it nonetheless exists. The name is a cicerone.
A cicerone being an individual with knowledge and expertise in beer similar to that of a sommelier’s in wine.
If words are to be used to make people feel better about working in the service industry for minimal reward they should at least be the correct ones.
– Yours, etc,
EVAN MacHUGH
Aarhus,
Denmark.