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Poll

Could you take a brewer/brewpub seriously who served Bud/Miller/Coors on the tap next to his house-made brews?

Yeah, it makes sense to me
No, why would you do that?
No pants?

Author Topic: Brewpubs that serve BMC  (Read 11001 times)

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #30 on: September 15, 2010, 04:09:46 pm »
One thing to keep in mind is that the craft brewing sales share in 2009 was 4.3% by volume and 6.9% by dollars. In other words keeping BMC on tap won't hurt the bottom line.  ;)
It sure as hell will when you're only making 50 cents a pint on the BMC but are making $2 per pint on the house brews.  Unless you'll sell 4x as many BMC, which is certainly possible in some places.  Those would be the kinds of places where you might want to rethink opening a brewpub and just open a bar instead.
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #31 on: September 15, 2010, 04:13:01 pm »
One thing to keep in mind is that the craft brewing sales share in 2009 was 4.3% by volume and 6.9% by dollars. In other words keeping BMC on tap won't hurt the bottom line.  ;)
It sure as hell will when you're only making 50 cents a pint on the BMC but are making $2 per pint on the house brews.  Unless you'll sell 4x as many BMC, which is certainly possible in some places.  Those would be the kinds of places where you might want to rethink opening a brewpub and just open a bar instead.

This is true.  The BMC's are out to get every last tenth of a percent of the craft beer industry sales.
« Last Edit: September 15, 2010, 07:11:46 pm by bluesman »
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #32 on: September 15, 2010, 04:13:56 pm »
There are plenty of stories about small towns breweries who introduced craft beer to the BMC drinking masses and turned them onto good beer. If they had opened and sold BMC along with their beers they would have hardly sold a drop of their own beer. The trick is to lure them into drinking something that is not what they are used to. That's what I mean by promoting craft beer. Really - IMO - it has everything to do with the bottom line.

Offline tubercle

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #33 on: September 15, 2010, 04:16:08 pm »
There are plenty of stories about small towns breweries who introduced craft beer to the BMC drinking masses and turned them onto good beer. If they had opened and sold BMC along with their beers they would have hardly sold a drop of their own beer. The trick is to lure them into drinking something that is not what they are used to. That's what I mean by promoting craft beer. Really - IMO - it has everything to do with the bottom line.

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Offline Mikey

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #34 on: September 15, 2010, 04:30:18 pm »
Quote
The trick is to lure them...

I wonder how many times I've experienced that in my lifetime. However, it did work well for PT Barnum.

Offline capozzoli

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #35 on: September 15, 2010, 05:34:26 pm »
Also the general population wants these beers, they want cheap beers. Selling them in volume is how you make money.
Yeah, but if I wanted a dive bar I'd buy a dive bar.

Maybe your place wont need that kind of thing. but most larger operations will need the income from selling these beers. If the brew pub that has BMC on tap has a good house brew why would I not take them seriously?
Well, in the original post the house beers were all crap . . .

If the house beers were all crap, I would politely tell the bartender that I was not enjoying my beer. If I was really thirsty I would then ask to have it replaced by an ice cold mug of Miller (a real insult) and then I would leave never to return.  I wouldn't take the place seriously but because their beer was bad not because of the other beers on tap.

 
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #36 on: September 15, 2010, 05:41:47 pm »
Agree on a certain level. Its not like I would not patronage a place just because they serve Bud. I'm just saying I don;t think it serves their best interest. but, if the house beer is crap .... well. Sure, makes sense to serve Bud.

Offline bluesman

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #37 on: September 15, 2010, 06:38:31 pm »
I looked into the local Brewpub here in Delaware.

2005 Great American Beer Festival Winner
Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer
IRON HILL RESTAURANT & BREWERY #3, Wilmington, DE
MARK EDELSON

I called them to find out if they served BMC beer...and boy did I feel embarrassed asking that question... :-[
and there answer was..."NO we don't serve anything other than the beer we brew on site".

There's a strategy behind this logic besides the obvious.  They want to win you over and convert you into being an advocate of their beer.  This is a strategy employed by many different producers in an effort to brand their products.  Iron Hill Brewery appears to be the most successful as they have multiple locations (eight to be exact) and have built a strong membership of mug club members and repeat guests. Not to mention they brew really good beer.
« Last Edit: September 16, 2010, 04:19:35 am by bluesman »
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Offline The Professor

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #38 on: September 15, 2010, 06:49:59 pm »
Have to agree - I just don't think a Brew Pub should serve BMC. Now, a fancy beer bar is a different story. But a Brew Pub - no way. I can certainly see having guest taps for other craft brews. But never BMC.

Absolutely right.   
In my travels I've been in a number of brewpubs and restaurant breweries that did this,  and seeing a Bud or Coors tap at a brewpub is to me a 'red flag' ...if they feel the need to do that to stay in business, then their own beer is probably pretty bad (and that was indeed usually the case).

Any brewer worth his salt should be able to produce a clean, crisp, and lighter style lager or ale as part of their offerings.
That is, after all, what most beer drinkers want...and there's nothing wrong with that.  They should simply offer a house made beer that would aim to satisfy the crowd that feels the usual "craft" style brew has "too much flavor"  (I once heard someone in a bar describe "craft" beer in exactly that manner   :o). 

If a brewpub wih BMC taps is  selling more Bud and Coors than their house-made beer, they would probably do better just to sell off the brewing equipment anyway.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #39 on: September 15, 2010, 07:02:08 pm »
When the NHC was in Denver a few years ago, I got a laugh at the Falling Rock Taphouse.  The Rockies were playing the Yankees, so there were more than a few fans from NYC.  The bartenders would point out the large list of craft beer for $5 a pint.  The fans would ask for a Bud.  The bartender would pull a bottle out of a cooler and say "$8 please".  They would pay without hesitation.

I don't know if that would work at most Brewpubs.
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Offline MrNate

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #40 on: September 15, 2010, 07:18:38 pm »
I always said that if I ever open a brewpub, I'll serve BMC in bottles. You ask for it and you really, really need your fix, man, I got ya covered. But I'm not advertising.

Of course I say that now. Red ink has a way of swaying opinions.
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Offline Thirsty_Monk

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #41 on: September 15, 2010, 07:42:00 pm »
If you are a brew pub you need good food to keep the lights on.

Keith...we can definitely agree on this.  Good food is essential IMO.

Average brewpub brings about 11% revenue from beer.
So brewing your own beer will set you apart in the market but food will make you money.

Just to put it into perspective.
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Offline capozzoli

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #42 on: September 15, 2010, 07:55:07 pm »
IF you have the right chef.  ;D

My experience with the restaurant business is not good. I had great location, write ups in the paper and all. Still very hard to make money. Lots of overhead.  But I know others that do really well with food that isnt half as good.  

So you guys wouldnt give a brewpub a chance if they had BMC on tap?

FTR If I had a brew pub it would have only my beer on tap. I would sell liquor and wine to if a had that license, and the food would be awesome.

Im not gonna  do it though. When those places go down, they go down hard.
« Last Edit: September 15, 2010, 07:56:40 pm by capozzoli »
Beer, its whats for dinner.

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Offline MrNate

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #43 on: September 15, 2010, 08:13:40 pm »
I'd do it if I hit the powerball. Set myself a little budget, have a huge party when it opened, and a bigger one when the money ran out.
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Offline nicneufeld

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Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC
« Reply #44 on: September 15, 2010, 08:24:00 pm »
The maxim that has stuck with me, is:

How do you make a small fortune in brewing?

Start with a large fortune.   ;D