Beer Styles Confusing or Creative?

[Pub Princess]

Recently I have been finding it more and more difficult to educate the macro beer drinker about microbrewed beer. The reason for this is the inconsistency in style names. As an experienced beer drinker I get it, and personally I love the extreme/big beers coming out, I can look at a label or the ABV and know the difference between an extreme beer and a session beer. I worry about the newbies out there that just figured out they like say a Pilsner and they go to the package store and pick up a Bohemian Pilsner or Black Pilsner and it is just too big for them, they will be back to the old standby macrobeer in no time. What is your take are beer styles becoming confusing or more creative? Are they hurting or helping the market?

[Christina Perozzi, Beer Chick]

I feel you! I get this all the time. There are so many different variations of style - and what people name their beers! I for one, just try to ease people into each style by giving them the quintessential (sp?) beer for that style. For Kolsch I'll give them a Reissdorf and for Hefeweizen I'll give them a Weinstephaner...for Saison, I'll give them a DuPont. I'll say..this beer is the origin of the style, there are many different permutations of this style, but this is what all those variations are stemming from. It seems to help. But you're right. It is super confusing.