Reasons for Not Patronizing a Brewery

I've had mostly positive experiences at breweries. Even the ones with average at best beer.

One brewery I have avoided in recent years is Trillium. Though I'm guilty of still checking them out once a year. They released a beer called Never and Again a few years back, knew it was unacceptably bad but released it anyway. They sat on it for 2 weeks post canning, then put it out. It proceeded to burn a hole in their loyal customers throats. They lost a few customers, but regardless are thriving today.

 

There are a couple of breweries around here that have had their abuse of employees well documented. I tend to avoid their beers.

 

I laughed so hard the first time I walked into The Alchemist and my wife said this place smells like cat piss

 

That sounds like a great thing to read in a review but you left out the name

 

Sounds familiar only at +$17 4packs.

And it's a Wyoming brewery.

 

I don't like the taste of the beer, that's th bottom line for me. I don't spend anytime researching their politics or other aspects of their organization, if the beer appeals to me I'll drink it

 

Well - beer itself has a huge influence on if I visit or not. I think that's probably similar for a lot of people. Outside of that - I have some things that are annoying enough to keep me from visiting -

1. Lack of imagination. You brew 12 beers, 11 of which are an IPA and #12 is a bitter? Meh - no thanks. When I'm out having a few, I rarely, almost never, have the same style twice in a night. I want variety

2. Bad service. A good bartender can handle more than 1 person at a time or at least, make those waiting feel like they're being taken care of. I see a lot of bartenders simply camp out at one end and force everyone to que up there rather than work up and down the bar.

3. Loud music - it should be in the background, not dominating. If people have to yell over 3 feet of bar to get their order into the server - it's too loud

4. (not a deal breaker but something I've noticed) - cookie cutter tap rooms. Yeah, we've all seen reclaimed barn wood, a pile of board games, Edison lights and vinyl records on the wall. The metal stools too to go with the beer patio with cornhole... Just not a space I find super inviting or even unique anymore.

5. Crowds - often not really the fault of the brewery in a negative way. Crowds usually mean good beer/people etc but I generally don't like people in groups. Nothing to do with CV19, nothing to do with phobias or anything but large groups stress me out. I'll tolerate them if need be but "I'd rather not..."

 

I totally get not liking the ever increasing beer prices. But I imagine it must be fairly difficult for you to find consistently good beer in 2022 when you seem to be clinging to a 2010 pricing model. I would sell my first born child if I could consistently find good 4-packs for only $12. That's like unicorn shit.

 

Not a huge fan of political statements. I don't need a sign on the door saying they support a certain movement or stance or cause that is divisive. I try and leave my politics in the car

 

I'd much prefer a brewery with neighborhood cats to one with kids!

 

I don't name names, unless the situation was critical. They all work hard and we are lucky they are there.

 

At least that's what you think you would do.

 

In many cases they are using these causes as a business model. There are many businesses that do these things and don't tell you everywhere you look.

 

You're going to sit there and tell a complete stranger they don't know what they'd do in a given situation? FOH dweeb. I'm pro-union, pro-labor and that would stay the case no matter my standing.

 

It's a different deal when it dime on the line. It's easy to give away others peoples money. Maybe you are one of the rare non-hypocrites who has a history of putting their money were their mouths are. If so, I salute you.

 

Completely with you on chatting up staff. My wife and I were at a brewery in New Jersey last weekend. We sat at the bar chatting with the bartender and co-owner. I ended up with a sample of a beer that was still in the bite tank that they hadn't released yet and we learned a lot about the town of Burlington, notably that we were sitting about a block from where Ulysses S Grant used to live. The mayor even stopped in for a pint while we were there.

 

Since I don't drink IPAs, stouts and such it's not difficult at all.

 

Shit like this makes beer great.

I had a similar experience at Ballast Point Homebrew Shop in San Diego. It was a 5 minute walk from our Air BnB and walked over as soon as they opened.
Ended up chatting for about 2 hours and having beers with one of their female brewers that worked there.
She put us up on game with Eppig and poured us beer styles i would never have drank.
I had my first Kolsch there

Another reason i won't patronize a brewery , and I'm in California, is if they lean too far to the left.

 

Totally agree with the Single Cut observation!

 

Boy there are some dumb as stump parents out there.