Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed  (Read 14676 times)

Offline bluesman

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8825
  • Delaware
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #45 on: April 02, 2013, 10:34:55 am »
The industry will have more situations like this very soon. A friend works part time for a supplier located in Ypsilanti MI. He goes to the CBC every year as one of the people at the booth in the trade show. He said it was huge this year in DC, and that they had high traffic at the booth, with many potential buyers looking to start a brewey. The thing that had him shaking his head was that half had never brewed beer and had no knowledge of the process.

This only leads me to believe that there will be some breweries in it to make money as their first priority, which is good and bad. I think this is a business where quality comes first then the money will follow. Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe in quality over quantity.

Ron Price

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #46 on: April 02, 2013, 10:49:15 am »
I will never work for another personwho only knows a little about brewing.
Hopefully I fixed that for you :)

With the explosion of nanos here it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out in a few years.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline jeffy

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4222
  • Tampa, Fl
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #47 on: April 02, 2013, 11:09:18 am »
There are times when our crew taste the different ales and feel that there might be a problem with some of our brew and then a few customers come in and fall in love with it.

"We thought about building something with better fuel economy, but customers keep buying the cars anyway." - GM ca. 1975

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.
    H. L. Mencken
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

MEETINGS - None of us is as dumb as all of us.

Despair, Inc.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #48 on: April 02, 2013, 11:10:58 am »
The industry will have more situations like this very soon. A friend works part time for a supplier located in Ypsilanti MI. He goes to the CBC every year as one of the people at the booth in the trade show. He said it was huge this year in DC, and that they had high traffic at the booth, with many potential buyers looking to start a brewey. The thing that had him shaking his head was that half had never brewed beer and had no knowledge of the process.

Sounds like the 80s and early 90s.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10676
  • Milford, MI
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #49 on: April 02, 2013, 12:09:51 pm »
Yes it does!
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline alcaponejunior

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
  • Latest creation: Big Smash Saturday
    • alcaponejunior.wordpress.com
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #50 on: April 02, 2013, 01:44:45 pm »

I'll offer a slightly different opinion.  If they're really good guys, charitable, nice, community oriented, then it would be cool to see them succeed. 

Which they won't if someone doesn't decide to be dead honest with them about their beer.  If there's something as simple as stuff that most of us already know (yeast pitching rates, cleanliness, fermentation temperatures) then they are doomed to fail if someone doesn't set them straight, now.  A failure of a brewery might let someone else get cheep equipment down the line but I don't think it really helps the craft beer cause very much.

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #51 on: April 02, 2013, 02:36:33 pm »
I agree - and the opinions will be out there whether they pay attention or not. Any viable business these days needs to deal with that.  But they were sent a nicely written critique and the brushed it off. Actually, they sort of said that they may have detected some of the same things but their customers liked the beer. Not sure what you can do beyond that.
 
I also think there can be danger in listening to feedback. A few loud, supportive voices could convince you that "everybody" likes your beer when most customers are just quiet and vote with their money.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline tonyp

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 656
  • If it ain't broke you aren't trying hard enough...
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #52 on: April 02, 2013, 03:05:46 pm »
This only leads me to believe that there will be some breweries in it to make money as their first priority, which is good and bad. I think this is a business where quality comes first then the money will follow. Maybe I'm wrong, but I believe in quality over quantity.

I've always loved this quote, I try to remember it whenever I have a business decision to make and will be using it as our motto if I ever open a brewery:

“Virtue does not come from wealth, but...wealth, and every other good thing which men have...comes from virtue.”
-Socrates

Live from the Jersey Shore!

Phrases for Creatives, #22:
"I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4874
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #53 on: April 02, 2013, 08:00:23 pm »

I've always loved this quote, I try to remember it whenever I have a business decision to make and will be using it as our motto if I ever open a brewery:

“Virtue does not come from wealth, but...wealth, and every other good thing which men have...comes from virtue.”
-Socrates



Good quote - do you believe it?  I want to!
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline mpietropaoli

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 258
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #54 on: April 03, 2013, 05:50:47 pm »
Quote
unconditioned well water

That could be a huge problem right there. Have they had an analysis done on it? Do they filter it? Put gypsum in the mash at least?

Ummm....I'm guessing.  No.  No they don't to any of the above.  Until they can find out what "US-05" means, I am not entirely sure they know they need water for brewing. 
Bubblin': helles
Flowin': IIPA, Doppelbock, Flanders
Sittin': More Flanders, Braison,
Thinkin': wit, more helles

Offline Thirsty_Monk

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2514
  • Eau Claire WI
    • Lazy Monk Brewing
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #55 on: April 03, 2013, 07:46:57 pm »
I will never work for another personwho only knows a little about brewing.
Hopefully I fixed that for you :)
Let me translate this to the brewing industry.
"I will only voulenteer for myself 40+ hours a week."
Na Zdravie

Lazy Monk Brewing
http://www.lazymonkbrewing.com

Offline ptownbrewer

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #56 on: April 03, 2013, 09:54:43 pm »
I myself would appreciate all the input I could receive on how to make a beer better. I have been homebrewing for two years now, and have recently switched to all grain brewing. I believe I am producing some decent beers now, not quite great but getting there. My plan is someday (probably 10 years from now) is to open a brewery with a tasting room. Before I do I am planning to go to Oregon State University and study fermentation science. After that I hope to work for a brewery and gain as much knowledge as possible about the brewing industry. If I was making beer and asked for someones opinion from the brewing community, I would want to listen to all input possible. Too bad this brewery won't listen, but someone should always give constructive criticism if asked their opinion.

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #57 on: April 03, 2013, 10:10:14 pm »
You will find a lot of good info and guidance here.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

cornershot

  • Guest
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #58 on: April 04, 2013, 06:48:31 am »
I'd like to offer a metaphor, if I may.
So you're out frolfing and you run into that girl from biology class whom you find so attractive. You say,"hey! You're in my biology class. I didn't know you frolfed!" Next thing you know you hit it off. She laughs at your bad jokes and touches your arm. You find out that you have a lot in common. She smiles and tosses her hair. It's as if you're the only 2 people on the frolf course. Then her friend clears her throat. Uh oh! Time to play frolf. Time to get her digits. Suddenly you begin to sweat. You're nervous.  Uncomfortable. You think, "I don't want her to think I'm that guy who picks up women on a frolf course! " So you let her go with,"nice to meet you" and you go home and write a letter professing your love for her and slip it in her locker.  What happens next? Happily ever after? Or really uncomfortable biology class and she ends up marrying some controlling, abusive jerk who doesn't even frolf?
As a future bjcp judge you can make the beer world a better and more delicious place. But you must dough-in while the water is hot.

Offline dak0415

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 558
  • Winston-Salem, NC
Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed
« Reply #59 on: April 04, 2013, 07:18:06 am »
LMAO!
Dave Koenig
Anything worth doing - is worth overdoing!