Contacted by brewmaster?

I once wrote a review of an infected HF beer. The brewer contacted me to find out details of my experience. I thought it was very nice of him to do so, and it showed he really cared about his product and customers.

Jeff

 

If brewing is the production of a consumer product, a brewer responding to a bad review is good policy.

If brewing is an art, a brewer responding to a bad review is bad policy.

 

I looked up your reviews, and I can see why - you gave it a score almost a full point lower than any other rater, of 125 or so currently rating. I actually think it's great that the brewer (or someone at the brewery, who then called it to the attention of the brewer) keeps tabs on what's going on, and when there is something out of the ordinary, wants to find out why.
I personally have not been contacted - I don't review, and I'm not a ticker, But I hope the situation was cleared up to both of your satisfactions.

 

What if that review is far different than any other one? There is a line that brewers have to straddle, in that brewing is indeed an art - mixed with science, and a bit of luck (or even more science making the dice come up your way far more often than not)
The other half is that brewing is indeed the production of a consumer product. As a business, a brewery wants to sell their beer, and as everyone who has studied marketing knows, it's far easier to keep a current customer than to gain a new one. I know that a lot of us here are looking for the latest and greatest new beer out there, but out of all the new ones, do you go for the tried and true? or always something new? And for each new one you do get, how many other new ones stay on the shelf? For a given brewer, it's something of a victory to have a new beer in someone's cart. If I had posted a bad review of a place, or beer or whatever, I wouldn't mind at all for the owner or chef, or brewer or whatever contacting me to find out exactly why I didn't like their product. It proves that they are worried about what they are serving, and how to make it better.
If I was reviewing, if I had something that seemed at odds with what other reviewers were experiencing, I would try it again before posting, and if the second was the same, post away.
I don't know what the OP talked about, and if there was any problem in the beer - a lonely bottle sticking around too long, sat in the hot sun, or maybe even TOO fresh (yeah, that can occasionally happen) but for the brewer to try to find out why this happened.

 

Did he offer to send you a new palate?

 

On Untappd, some brewers will definitively respond to check ins.

 

Thats cool that he took the time dissect what you were tasting and why.

 

I was contacted by a brewmaster once regarding a critical review I wrote and published here on BA. I admired his concern, but his approach was quite rude and insulting toward both me and the establishment that served me his beer. He even implied that I should edit or remove my review. I found his on-line etiquette to be outrageously poor. I wish that I had a positive experience to pass on to everyone.

 

Heh. I knew I'd get called out on one of my reviews, but that one I stand behind. I'm still working up the nerve to review Budweiser Light Clamato Chelada. I can't see it being any worse.

 

I bought a case of Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale and it was infected. Dumped 97% of them out. I also e-mailed them WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE! Not even a "sorry" or anything.

 

Sorry Rudzud, but you are truly missing out.

Here is that brewmaster speaking out.

You try us once a few months after we open and we were really struggling to get it right. We actually gained a ton of regulars from those early days which says that we did it right at least sometimes, if not most of the time. You experience sucked and for that I apologized and explained we would do better next time. every business needs and learn and improvement and for sure, we have learned and improved. We are Killing it these days! Well 2 years later, we are serving and drinking amazing beers.. usually 12 on tap, serving farm fresh food, and absolutely crushing it in our little downtown spot… your loss friend. Wish you would give us a second chance just on principle and because you understand how business works. and so I could put a face to the name, so I can say hello if I see you around. oh well.

 

-47% deviation. 2.4 (of 5) rating on a beer that has a score of 93 with hundreds of reviews.

 

Heh, I had a feeling you would be chiming in (though I made a point to leave the two places I was talking about out). I shouldn't say I would never try it (High Horse) again, as never is quite the harsh word. That said, as we'd talked about basically after it happened, it was easily the worst food/beer experience the four of us have ever had regardless of the country. Yes, that was years ago and I imagine now you guys have honed in your recipes (I also assume you're brewing on site now?). Looks like you brew a solid hoppy offering as those are your higher rated beers, as opposed to the ones I sampled back then. I'm in Amherst on a yearly basis or so, though my travels generally take me to ABC hoping for a unique cask offering. I do have to hit up Antonio's, which is right across from you guys, so, I dont know.

Also, I believe I've bumped in to you in the past (via Blatant). Those beers I do thoroughly enjoy (bring back BLATANTone?).

 

we don't brew on site. and actually never will. Our space is a terrible location for brewing beer. We love the space for what we are doing, just not brewing. We are building our brewery off-site. We do cask by gravity every Friday.

On a side note, BLATANTone will never exist again as it was an anniversary beer as a 1-off. that being said, I have that profile in my arsenal now, so I may pull it from the notebook someday… I did love that beer!

 

This is Realness. Since Hops are in the Cannabaceae family, some hop flowers can have the same aroma as Marijuana. A friend once asked me, why did my "herb" smell like Cat Spray. Maybe some people liken the aroma to what they know. FWIW, I enjoy Dankness in my IPAs. Yet I have never had the pleasure of drinking Cat Spray.

 

Yes, contacted twice by brewers via bm, twice by owners by bm and subsequently via email too. All were cordial, except for the one who complained about my reporting that his supposedly Brooklyn beer was actually made in Pa. Will leave it to you to figure out ***coughsixpointshanewelchcough* who that was, but even he wasn't nasty at all.

Also, almost shit my pants when my favorite brewer who I approached at an event already knew who I was, and thanked me for my positive reviews.

 

If I check in and also post to my Twitter I will get some feedback, re-tweets, etc.

I got a personal message from Greg Koch on here after I expressed my opinion that Stone has become gimmicky. It was like the scene in The Hangover 2: I just wanted to say Helllooooooo.

 

Be flattered. If someone doesn't like one of our beers i am totally ok with that, we make beers enough out of the norm that i expect it. But if someone says something that concerns me regarding our process or the bar's process, i check their other reviews, if their body of comments, is sensible and not obviously misguided (in my subjective opinion) i reach out to them for discussion and possible help.
That being said getting cat's pee in a citra/galaxy/el dorado dry hopped beer is just a palate sensitivity. It's kind of their thing individually and most certainly in chorus, so i probably would not have reached out to you on that. This community is good for filling people in on things like that.

 

Hate to thread jack but this brought me think, how many great brewers I have met in my time and discussed brewing and beer at length. For me the answer is three. Ray Mcneill (McNeills), Greg Zaccardi (High Point) and Jay Mission (various). All enjoyed discussing the subject and willing to pass on any information you need.

 

Dave, in case you are interested in knowing this, some Sixpoint beers are now being brewed at City Brewing in Memphis, TN. There is no way to determine where a Sixpoint packaged beer is brewed since they solely list Brooklyn, NY on their packaging.

Cheers!

Jack

 

Uh oh better check your inbox, Jack, you might be in trouble now. That's Memphis Tennessee Street, I believe, in Brooklyn Heights, haha.

And since we are both in trouble with Herr Welch now, worth pointing out to anyone who doesn't know, if it's a Sixpoint beer in a can, it ain't from Brooklyn, or New York State. It's from Pa. or Tenn.

 

Now I'm curious.

 

If i told you, you would not be upset. It is not one of the better breweries in down state Indiana.

 

Dave, in all fairness to Shane Welch has always been cordial in his numerous interactions with me. On the matter of providing full disclosure on where beers are produced, the best I can characterize the situation is we have a ‘difference of opinion’?

As a beer customer, I have a very strong desire to know exactly where the beers I purchase are produced. Shane as the owner of Sixpoint Brewing has a desire to solely list the location of Brooklyn, NY on his packaged beers. As the owner of the business, I suppose it is Shane’s prerogative to label the beers the way he wants (in compliance with TTB regulations). I have been very clear in my communications with Shane that I will refuse to purchase Sixpoint beers that solely list Brooklyn, NY. I will continue to purchase Sixpoint beers on draft that are genuinely produced at the Brooklyn brewery (beers that are not available in cans).

Cheers!

Jack

 

I did, but it was a local brewery (Fullsteam). I was then contacted by @peeteeto. He was very cordial and saw my thoughts as intelligent.

It helped that my review wasnt derogatory and was very thought out.

 

Considering how well Sixpoint moved in the top 50 breweries, I'm sure they can smile all the way to the bank at it all.

 

There is an old saying that “you can’t argue with success”. If success is measured by beer volume (and that sounds like a reasonable metric to me) then Shane Welch and the Sixpoint team are very successful.

Cheers to the success of Sixpoint!

 

I didn't have a brewmaster contact me, but I e-mailed Bell's once about some old two hearted I grabbed mistakenly. I love two hearted and I wanted to let them know some older stuff was on the shelf. They sent me two pint glasses, and a bunch of stickers and coasters. Solid shit man, it cemented my love of Bells even more.