Do you know everything about your frigerator, computer and lawnmower? If you enjoy coffee, should you know the art & science of making the perfect cup, when all you wish to do is throw in a spoon of International Roast?
Why do we think non brewers need to know about aspects of beer, apart from 'I like VB, its a top drop" ?
I agree with the sentiment you're expressing, to an extent.
No you don't need to know everything about your refrigerator but I bet most people would know the difference between a fridge and a freezer wouldn't they? But hey they both keep food cold right - who cares which is which?
Ale and lager is pretty much like a fridge and freezer IMO, or a laptop versus a desktop, or a push mower versus a ride on. You don't have to know much about them to know they operate differently, you just need to know the that there is a difference. It's like people know that a diesel, a four-stroke and two-stroke engine is different, they don't have to know WHY they are different, they just have to know to put the appropriate fuel in them to make them work. Mechanic to mechanical forum 'why do we expect non-mechanics to know about different aspects of motor vehicle engines, apart from I turn the key and it goes?' Yes some people put the wrong fuel in the wrong engine sometimes (I'd think them a pretty ignorant person though) but they would learn the hard way pretty quickly and would only do it the once or twice. They still wouldn't know the art & science of it but they'd bloody well know that there is some sort of difference.
I wouldn't expect a non-brewer to know what is different about an ale versus a lager but I would expect them to know that there is a difference of some sort. Something like 'oh yeah they do taste different don't they!' might be an appropriate response rather than 'oh so they're different are they?' A VB drinker would certainly know it tastes different to XXXX, I wouldn't expect them to know what the difference is, but I would most certainly expect them to know that there is some sort of difference. Is that unreasonable?
As for the coffee, well you would know that an espresso machine will make a cup of coffee that is different to international roast wouldn't you? No you don't have to know the science behind it all but you would know that each system will make a different coffee?
As for my comment about the hops. Like I said, I have shown them pictures & photos, I have talked to them, I have shown them hops, I have told them what hops are for. In fact I don't think they knew about hops until I introduced them to hops; so I thought that was kind of covered with them. It is basic common knowledge that yeast eats sugary stuff and make alcohol. That is basic science that everyone learns at school. It is around us to some extent (sugar cane or grains to make ethanol to make E10 fuel etc). Bundy rum factory is in the sugar cane area so that they can use SUGAR from sugar cane to make (horrible) booze. If he had of said 'so you put more sugar in to make it stronger?', that would have been an ok response.
I don't expect non brewers to know much about beer but I don't think it is unreasonable for them to know that there is some sort of difference between an ale and a lager. As for the hops, I am dismayed that they have not listened to a single thing I have told them.
Edit: Ho hum that was a bit of a rant.
Think I am going to go and try to find some giffs like that pork sword swallower.