How long do you give a new brewery to get their act together before you write them off?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Hanzo, Feb 21, 2013.

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  1. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    A new brewery opened recently near me, and while I like a couple of their beers well enough you can tell they are very green and only brewing run of the mill "safe" beers, but because of this they are getting overlooked locally because of all the great beers we have access to.

    So the question is, how long (if at all) do you support a new brewery before you realize they aren't going to think outside the box and they are just going to keep cranking out mediocre beer?
     
  2. beerinmaine

    beerinmaine Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2009 Maine

    No reason that a "write off" needs to be permanent. If you don't like what they're making now, drink other things for a while (as you noted, there plenty of other options), then come back and try one of their new products in 6 months or a year.

    Either they will hit a target audience with whatever they're making, or adjust their products to find a target audience, or *poof*, building for lease.
     
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  3. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    I guess what I meant was, in order for the place to grow it still needs to be supported, meaning people will have to buy the current beer they are producing in pretty large quantities to allow them to stretch their legs in the future. I'm not suggesting people buy beer they don't like, but if it was just meh would you still buy it almost as if you were investing in the future of that brewery....

    I don't know if that makes any sense.
     
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  4. FlakyBiscuit

    FlakyBiscuit Initiate (0) Sep 11, 2012 Pennsylvania

    Abita sure has hung around a long time:slight_frown:
     
  5. JoEBoBpr

    JoEBoBpr Initiate (0) Feb 26, 2004 Missouri

    Here in St. Louis we've had about 4 or so breweries open up within the last 1 year. They are all very active within the local craft beer community and reach out to other establishments (i.e. restaruatns) and to each other. For this reason they seem to be doing really well and people support them.

    With that said all of them brew pretty good to great beers but there is always some duds when making beers. Its just the bussiness. Some things shine and others flop. So I woudlnt necesariily write a brewery off because they arent taking risks.

    One of the breweries that opened here is specifically intersted in brewing classical low ABV styles (inside of the box). If they stick to this they might not blow the doors of the craft beer world but they keep the locals happy with tasty beer that is drinkable.

    Just some thoughts.

    Cheers!
     
  6. frazbri

    frazbri Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2003 Ohio

    Tough question. If the beer is well made, but not exciting, I might have a glass with dinner. If the beer is flawed, I'm going to ask for samples at the bar before purchasing again.
     
  7. fishtremble

    fishtremble Initiate (0) Jan 18, 2010 Michigan

    Great question Hanzo I guess I'm the elephant that never forgets. Typically if I find a brewery that does not put out anything at least average they more likely than not will never get a revisit from me. I think someone would have to show up at my house and pretty much prove to me that the said brewery has turned it around for me to ever dare support them again with my money when I have so many choices around me these days. Of course this site also helps for me to gauge if a brewery has started turning it around so if I started to hear talk about beer x being great by a brewery that I didn't use to care for I might be prone to take another shot at it.
     
  8. HappyHourHero

    HappyHourHero Initiate (0) Jul 8, 2003 Indiana

    I enjoy unique and one-off beers and I would support experimentation. If they are screwing up standard beers I would go back a few times over the first year to see if they are making progress. I would stop wasting my money on beer I don't like at some point, and if they're still around in a couple years and I start hearing good things I'd go back.
     
  9. Longstaff

    Longstaff Initiate (0) May 23, 2002 Massachusetts

    One man's "safe" beer is another mans "well crafted, balanced, drinkable, drink a case a week" beer and become loyal repeat customers.

    I don't care if a brewery thinks outside the box. I would much rather them give me the best inside the box beer ever made at an affordable price.

    Way too much mediocrity results from the plethora of breweries thinking outside the box. Also many breweries' best sellers are beers people here would consider safe/boring/mediocre.
     
  10. LCB_Hostage

    LCB_Hostage Zealot (635) Jan 30, 2013 Pennsylvania

    I'd suggest trying to get in and meet the brewmaster and any other principals in the business and feel them out about what their ambitions are. If it sounds like they're making safe beers to build some capitol but they really can't wait to start getting more experimental, then I'd be inclined to give them some business. I might even talk them up to some semi-craft drinkers (people who want to drink a little better than AMC, but aren't really into true craft beers) since it sounds like this is about the right market for them right now. If, on the other hand, they start talking about how they're all about getting "big" and you don't hear anything about trying to get "better," then I'd put my money elsewhere.
     
  11. Providence

    Providence Pooh-Bah (2,628) Feb 24, 2010 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I hate to the guy that says, "end thread", but end thread.
     
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  12. kmello69

    kmello69 Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2011 Texas

    I dont think a brewery should go to market with their product unless its at least "pleasant" (couldnt quite figure out which work I wanted to use there....). If they're rushed a mediocre product to market, then they're just out for my $, which they won't be seeing any more of (I'm looking at you, South Austin Brewing).

    There's a local brewery here in Austin, called Hops & Grain, that cans only 2 beers, and uses that money to fund them brewing other really experimental stuff only available in their taproom. But those 2 beers are both EXCELLENT, so they make money on them, thus allowing them to experiment and grow. Thats how it should be done.
     
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  13. darknova306

    darknova306 Initiate (0) Jan 13, 2005 New York

    I've seen a lot small breweries open up in my state that brew a very uninteresting lineup of very uninteresting versions of safe beers. I'll always try a new brewery when I find one, but I'm not going to pay money for beer I don't like.

    There are a lot of mediocre craft breweries out there. If you don't like the beer, don't pay for it. Don't force yourself to support a local business just because it's local if you don't like the product. And don't feel guilty for not spending money on a product that doesn't provide you value. Vote with your dollar, essentially. If a brewery starts losing money with their 'safe' lineup, they'll either go out of business or step their game up. Either way, the consumer wins.
     
  14. Oxymoron

    Oxymoron Pooh-Bah (1,981) Aug 14, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    6 months. It takes awhile to figure out your equipment.
     
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  15. BeerMeInStl

    BeerMeInStl Initiate (0) Jan 26, 2013 Missouri

    I'm in St Louis and I have yet to find a locally brewed beer that I thought was anything special. There's some decent stuff but I haven't found anything yet that I would specifically go looking for. I have not tried the Schlafly TIPA or AIPA though. I usually avoid Schlafly because everything that I've bought by them in the past has been nothing more than average at best.

    Hopefully the new breweries can continue to improve and I'll have a local brewery that I can really get behind.
     
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  16. JoEBoBpr

    JoEBoBpr Initiate (0) Feb 26, 2004 Missouri

    Fair enough. I mean, taste is subjective. I hope you find what you are looking for.
     
  17. mrelizabeth

    mrelizabeth Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2012 California
    Deactivated

    In San Diego: I usually say one year. That should give a brewery enough time to adjust to using new equipment and tweak their batches appropriately.

    There seem to be two schools of thought when opening a brewery.

    1. Know your beer shit before you open. Brew very good beers with solid recipes and the knowledge to replicate on a larger scale. The adjustment time for these breweries is much faster (usually two or three batches) and consistent beer is usually flowing within a few months. Keep in mind that a solid beer plan doesn't always have a solid business plan behind it.

    2. Know your business shit before you open. Some guys just want to run a tasting room. They want to make beer, sure, and they've home-brewed for a bit. The best case scenario is a gastropub with a 10 gallon system in back. If the food is right, you don't even have to sell your own beer unless you like it.

    Right now, we have a handful of breweries that are great on both fronts. Societe jumps to mind. Automatic, paired with Blind Lady Alehouse and Tiger!Tiger! Monkey Paw has done a great job, and champions the homebrewer. Offbeat is good example of a brewery that has some personality and business saavvy, and after a year is just starting to catch up on the beer front. They brew solid stuff, but I think that many people come in for the food trucks and parties.

    Hess makes great beer, but they've re-branded (Mike Hess Brewing Company?) and they really lack when it comes to distribution/marketing. I've seen them on tap at two locations in the past two years. That will change with the new brewery opening up, but I do worry that San Diego might not be willing to wait for them to adjust to their new equipment. Also, they use Latin to name EVERY beer they make. It was cute at first, but now I can't remember which was which, and I have no clue what I'm ordering by name alone. Where Offbeat is very accessible and friendly and has no problem selling mediocre beer, Hess is off-putting and inaccessible, and I think they will have problems selling good-to-very-good beer.

    Keep an eye on Modern Times. They will be opening soon, but they are in no rush. They've done their homework on the business front (schooled by Stone) and beer front (hiring THREE reputable local brewers). They are as friendly as can be (open source brewing, anybody?) and have a very central location (Point Loma near the 5).
     
  18. beerinmaine

    beerinmaine Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2009 Maine

    My experience with this - a somewhat local place whose initial beers were 'meh' and I stayed away for a while. Then went to a holiday party at their place, found it was packed with tons of folks from a different crowd (in this case, hipsters) who loved the products. So there was no need for me to support them by buying a product I didn't like, because someone else liked it and they had plenty of support.
     
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  19. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,209) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    I believe in giving a "home town discount." The beer doesn't have to be the best you've ever had for its style, but if you like it and it's in the ballpark, stick with them. If it tastes like they're not even playing the same sport, let them go.
     
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  20. leezy

    leezy Initiate (0) Sep 13, 2009 Minnesota

    Living and working in Minneapolis, I have access to many established and many new/up and coming breweries. Typically I find myself intrigued with a breweries line of beers and I specifically seek them out, so far I have not been disappointed so far
     
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