Beer labels: do they affect what you buy?

I'm totally with you on that one. I couldn't buy a beer with an evil label... it would just seem wrong and being positive and surrounding yourself with the same does matter. Thanks!

 

Well, there you have it. It's all about personal choice. I absolutely love the Lost Coast art work... Really makes me smile. Granted, I don't know a lot about beer but three of the four I've tried have been pretty tasty in my opinion.

 

I always skip over any green flash beer. Someday Ill try it.

 

You're missing out on some good beer then. West Coast IPA is terribly solid (I like it better than Palate Wrecker)
Hop Head Red is great, and so is the Double Stout. Le Freak is also a good beer. They're a great brewery, one of many in San Diego, but yeah their labels are quite bland

 

I suppose it doesn't affect what I buy, considering that I still buy FFF despite the godawful labels.

Although, some labels just hammer the issue home. Tramp Stamp, for example.

 

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Fascist Pig has the best label

 

I think how a beer looks definitely affects our purchases. We all like to think, "Not me!", and to some extent that is probably true. But in the situation here you don't know about a couple different beers and you need to choose one, marketing will influence your decision.

An interesting example of this is cans vs. bottles. Blind taste test after blind taste test have shown that canning does not impart a flavor to a beer and over the long run are a superior storage container. And yet, many of us (including me I say a bit sheepishly) still prefer bottles. Why? Because they look better (at least that is why in my case).

 

This is what I buy.

 

A good label or name will attract my attention when I am searching for something novel. But it cannot possibly lure me back for a second helping of a bad beer.

 

Yes, actually. I stayed away from Unibroue for the longest time because I didn't care for their labels. Well, it was more that they were forgettable/uninteresting.

Still not a fan of them, but like the beer they represent.

 

Labels don't affect my beer purchases. I definitely pay attention to presentation, and prefer certain designs over others, but If I spot something unknown, I'll look it up. Some things I like to see on a label are a bottling/"enjoy-by" date (or code), and some info about the beer; I could care less if the label has a dragon, zombie, fish, or dog on it..

 

I like green flash, but I totally agree, they are overshadowed cause of boring labels.

 

Bell's artwork is kind of lacking in my opinion compared to their Michigan competition, Founders. Two Hearted is the prime example, because most people think its a cheap red neck beer if they don't know beer. One of my favorite beers.

 

I bought Little Sumin Sumin a few years back when it first came out mostly because I have never been disappointed by Lagunitas. It has become one of my go-to favorite beers and one of my favorite labels. That retro sexy chic gets me every time. Even my wife thinks she's cool. I wonder if the artist gave her a name?

 

It has a huge influence over people who are not BA's, and also BA's who have not yet figured out that that this site offers information about dozens of factors that are all way more impotant than the attractiveness of the label.

 

Says the guy with the Dennis Hopper avatar.

 

There are "dozens of factors that are all way more important," but with all due respect, nobody is immune to its influence. You could argue that the info on this site influences/biases people before they take that first sip... much the same way that packaging can.

Album art doesn't matter nearly as much as the quality of the vocalist, but it still shapes our opinion of the music to a certain degree (even to the most educated listeners).

And before anyone brings it up as the counter-arguement, Westvleteren's packaging IS part of their image.

 

Anybody who ever enjoyed Weyerbacher brews prior to their recent overhaul in the marketing department knows how terrible their labels are. Might I remind anybody in the area of Hops Infusion. Just terrible...

That being said, I LOVE their beers.

 

I agree, that first post is crazy. So when I walk into a beer store I have to know every single beer in there?.. no. Generally, I know most of the beers I run into, if I don't, I figure a creative lable might mean a creative beer.

 

Anyone that thinks labeling doesn't impact sales has not experienced Rogue Voodoo Maple Bacon Ale. The best thing about that beer is the cool pink bottle.

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