Bad beer labels that deter you from buying?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by fleurdelou, Mar 30, 2014.

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  1. jklecko2

    jklecko2 Initiate (0) Oct 30, 2012 California

    This.

    I bought Alpha's Bruer off the shelf last time I was in STL. Very plain artwork, nothing remotely flashy. I can dig that
     
  2. LambicPentameter

    LambicPentameter Initiate (0) Aug 29, 2012 Nebraska

    It has nothing to do with "refined" or "sophisticated", so no, your logic is incredibly flawed. Having standards is not the same as having high standards. I don't expect the beer labels I buy to look like fine art--mostly, I just want them to look like the brewer/company put a minimum level of thought into them. That they care.

    I would argue that everyone has a standard on some level. Otherwise all beer labels would look like this:

    [​IMG]

    Are you telling me that you wouldn't have even a slight hesitation about buying that beer?

    Granted that's an extreme, but it's meant to illustrate that everyone has some level of discernment. It's just a matter of where it is.
     
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  3. fleurdelou

    fleurdelou Initiate (0) Nov 11, 2013 Kentucky

    I am glad that you pointed out these style variants. I never noticed!
     
  4. JuliusPepperwood

    JuliusPepperwood Initiate (0) Jul 21, 2013 North Carolina

    I've seen a few good reviews from this brewery but their name and logo turns me off from ever trying their beers.

    [​IMG]
     
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  5. bball208

    bball208 Initiate (0) Nov 9, 2013 New Jersey

    we all like to point out the negatives in things, so in the spirit of beer, I'll say that Founders makes my favorite labels, especially their backstage series graphics. ON POINT!!
     
  6. bball208

    bball208 Initiate (0) Nov 9, 2013 New Jersey

    if you don't know anything about beers or breweries, then of course the labels will sway you in one direction from the other. Everyone likes good looking things. We are a material society, and breweries should play towards that, but some don't because they either don't have the funds or just don't give a crap. In the end, the beer will speak for itself, which is why Russian River makes a killing off their ugly looking bottles, but oh so beautiful beer. Should breweries care more about their labels? Probably. Will you get over it? Probably.
     
  7. bball208

    bball208 Initiate (0) Nov 9, 2013 New Jersey

    disagree. their backstage series graphics are great!
     
  8. Modernrickk

    Modernrickk Pooh-Bah (1,853) Oct 3, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah

    I would like to read examples of mediocre beer made better by really cool looking labels -


    *edit : I really like the mickeys bee - but wow that's probably the worst beer I've ever had
     
  9. fleurdelou

    fleurdelou Initiate (0) Nov 11, 2013 Kentucky

    Made better? No. Made marketable and consumed? Yes.
     
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  10. HRamz3

    HRamz3 Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2010 Pitcairn

    Bad label art? DP that sucker, straight away.
     
  11. fleurdelou

    fleurdelou Initiate (0) Nov 11, 2013 Kentucky

    No one is saying that bad label art effects the quality of the beer. It does, however, effect the perception of the quality of the beer.
     
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  12. jeevo

    jeevo Pundit (976) Nov 1, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    Bad label art might not deter people like us from buying beers because for the most part we know and are familiar with these breweries (The Bruery, Russian River, etc.), but you would have to be an idiot to not think that labels and cover art aren't one of the main factors for craft beer popularity among mainstream beer drinkers.
     
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  13. klinger

    klinger Devotee (327) Oct 9, 2012 Ohio

    Good design connotes quality. And vice versa.
     
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  14. HoppyDazed

    HoppyDazed Initiate (0) Feb 5, 2014 California

    If the beer pictured above sounded good, then no, I would have no hesitation buying it. Now if a brewery slapped a piece of shit (literally) on the label, then no I wouldn't buy that beer mainly because I would think they're idiots and I wouldn't want to support them. It sounded like to me, the OP and some of the following comments said they wouldn't even research or try a beer that had a label that didnt meet some standard of acceptance. To me thats ridiculous, to you and others its perfectly acceptable and that's fine. Different strokes for different folks, no one is right or wrong on this, thats the beauty of what makes us different. We just disagree.
     
  15. kylelenk

    kylelenk Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2012 Michigan

    I enjoy some , hate some others. It's just that there is no uniformity to their lineup labels.

    BEST:
    All the breakfast stout varieties.
    All Day IPA
    Curmudgeon

    AWFUL:
    Dirty Bastard (teh fuh?)
    Centennial
     
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  16. LambicPentameter

    LambicPentameter Initiate (0) Aug 29, 2012 Nebraska

    But on some level, labeling matters to you, per the first bolded part of your comment. The OP mentioned that cheap, sloppy, etc. graphics/labels are a deterrent. For you, putting pictures of fecal matter on the label is a deterrent. The only difference is the threshold that officially sways you from getting a beer--which is, of course, fine. As you said, different strokes and such.

    We agree that there is no right or wrong (although this quote "To me that's ridiculous" seems to suggest that maybe you do think there is a right/wrong, but no matter). I'm merely pointing out that everyone uses labels as a clue to some degree or another. The only question is to what degree..
     
  17. Treezilla

    Treezilla Initiate (0) Aug 12, 2013 Colorado

  18. Glennlawless

    Glennlawless Initiate (0) Aug 31, 2013 New Jersey

    as a cook i feel the big cartoony, and colorful labels grasp my attention a LOT more then the uncolorfull and bland labels- just like in food, a super colorful dish is going to get my attention a lot quicker then the look of a bland one...... I know when it comes to taste it doesn't matter AT ALL tho...Only way you see which is better is by drinking it obviously...if I'm having a hard choice making a decision though I'm going to go with the more colorful and appealing box/label. Just how I am, haha.
     
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  19. neckwrestler

    neckwrestler Initiate (0) Jul 24, 2012 Arkansas

    Another rather terrible example is Rock Art Brewery http://imgur.com/NR2K60f

    I guess I just have a hard time believing that if a consumer knew nothing beforehand about this beer/brewery (or some of the others mentioned in this thread so far) that they would still choose it over, for instance, Left Hand's Twin Sister http://imgur.com/oq5j2RW or Odell's Myrcenary http://imgur.com/eO5j5rd
     
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  20. Glennlawless

    Glennlawless Initiate (0) Aug 31, 2013 New Jersey

    boxes like nugget nectar and Ithacas flower power really got me, haha. awesome artwork
     
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