Are breweries producing too many beers?

We're talking about this very thing in my Hype Beast thread, I think there's some overlap there if you'd like to chime in.

 

I’m curious why you appear to think that brewing new beers, respecting the brewing process (whatever that means), and cashing in are mutually exclusive priorities.

 

Who are you referring to, maybe mention some names so others can agree/disagree with your assessment on quality, etc.
I actually enjoy my local guys new releases, they are always done correctly, solid beers, and enjoyable to try. They also do their core beers all the time so we have core items and also new stuff to try. I feel if a brewery is making great beer that's all that matters.
Hopefully you post on the brewery/breweries, I would be curious who is making such bad product? Did they use to make good beer? If yes, what do you think changed? Seems like if they are making such crap their sales would nose dive.
Cheers

 

It IS all about "cashing in" and responding to what the customer wants -- a new beer daily, please. And it's all done in the name of marketing. Oh, brewer's have some personal and professional pride and hope each beer is a home run, but they'll usually settle for 'drinkable to good' before they dump a batch.

 

One of the biggest things that gets me is when these breweries make all these IPAs and advertise their different slight combinations of flashy-names hops as if each new type is genuinely different.

In any case, the malt bill has always been what interests me about a beer, but I also think Americans have never respected grain, viewing it only as a base to make an alcoholic drink that may or may not be drenched in hops. Industrial AALs and IPAs ironically have commonality in that.

 

Tired Hands is guilty of this, and it's a shame because their beers are phenomenal at their best. If they focused on core brands and dialing in recipes, I think they'd be even more well-regarded. Alien Church, Extra Knuckle, Eviscerated Pathway of Beauty...all phenomenal beers. But then you have the (almost) weekly milkshake IPAs with 5+ added ingredients. I generally avoid them but have heard that many are messy. Yet people buy them...

If TH were a bit more purposeful and selective in their releases, I really think people would talk about Jean like he's Shaun Hill. Their more straightforward beers are almost always fantastic. The White Sage DIPA I had recently? Not as much.

 

That really does suck and I respect that your not wanting to mention. Only reason I asked was in case others had same experience with this place. Seems like a bad business move on their end, pretty soon their loyal fans will move on. I would not go back if the beer was crap, they need to see the issues before it goes out so customers are not paying for sub-par product. I guess all you can do is walk from them and move over to a place with solid stuff.
On a side note, I would talk to them? Maybe you can express what your seeing and it may register with them or least they are aware. Feedback helps so maybe if enough folks tell them it will change? Just an idea.

 

I agree with your point about breweries going overboard with their varieties of beer, but the craft beer consumer need for stouts to be viscous and for added flavorings to be dominant are different negative issues.

 

I don't have too much problem with brewers putting out new brews each week. Would be better if the frequent turnover of small batches were a wider variety of beer styles however (and at good quality). Seems the longer lasting brewers are less homogenized than the newbies which are more common to showcase only kettle sour/variety of IPAs/stout....repeat next week with some tweaks.

 

Short answer - yes. Looking at you Southern Tier

 

If the problem is that these breweries are putting out bad beers the answer is simple.

 

I don't think so, but I like change. However, some people I talk to would prefer a brewery have a core lineup and maybe have a couple new offerings from time to time. That way, the breweries can focus on these core beers.

 

Too late .

 

Learn to ignore the hype. Hmmm, maybe that's a good name for a beer?