False Advertising on labels/can

The phrase "triple hops brewed"

 

To me one of the most common "false advertisements" is when a label/can says it's one style, but it's another. And don't give me the whole, it's "their interpretation". For example, label reads "Hefeweizen", but in reality it's an American Pale Wheat Ale. Another one is "Tripel", but it's actually a Double IPA or a Belgian Strong Pale Ale. "Stout" or "Imperial Stout", but it's a Black Ale/IPA. So many examples are out there.

 

I'm missing the reference. Which beer is this?

 

Please document some (at least 3) examples of where such "mislabeling" exists. Be sure to include the proof of "mislabeling." ( I.e., how it is known "mislabeling" exists.) Thanks.

 

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/67040/
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/23154/
https://untappd.com/b/old-mill-brewpub-pineapple-kolsch/652240

Proof: they do not adhere to the tenets of the Koelsch Konvention, in which it is documented that the term "Koelsch" is an appellation d'origine contrôlée:

"Die Bezeichnung Kölsch ist seit alters her eine qualifizierte geographische Herkunftsbezeichnung für nach dem Reinheitsgebot hergestelltes helles, hochvergorenes, hopfenbetontes, blankes obergäriges Vollbier, die von den beteiligten Wirtschafts- und Verkehrskreisen, von Verwaltungsbehörden und Gerichten sowie in zwischenstaatlichen Abkommen über den Schutz von Herkunftsbezeichnungen anerkannt und bestätigt worden ist. Mit dem Ziel, die Bezeichnung "Kölsch" als qualifizierte geographische Herkunftsbezeichnung zu schützen, ein den Grundsätzen lauteren Wettbewerbs entsprechendes Verhalten zu fördern und unlauterem Wettbewerb im Zusammenhang mit der Benutzung der Bezeichnung "Kölsch" entgegenzuwirken, insbesondere die Gefahr von Irreführungen, Verwechslungen und Verwässerungen sowie Mißbräuche der Herkunftsbezeichnung zu unterbinden, hat die Mitgliederversammlung des Kölner Brauerei-Verbands einstimmig die nachstehenden Wettbewerbsregeln des Kölner Brauerei-Verbandes e.V. beschlossen. Nach Anerkennung der Wettbewerbsregeln durch das Bundeskartellamt sind diese Wettbewerbsregeln für alle Mitglieder des Kölner Brauerei-Verbands verbindlich."

http://koelner-brauerei-verband.de/koelsch-konvention.html

Now, you may argue, as some have, that these "laws" do not apply outside of Germany, but it would be difficult to prove that a brewer producing a Koelsch is unaware that the term is protected.

(Actually, please feel free to use these examples as "proof" that the brewers know next to nothing about the style, its origins, or its conventions, and are therefore not guilty of mislabeling. Would make more sense than any argument that they actually know what they're doing....)

 

Thanks for the contribution.

The case of Kolsch is one I was already aware of but the reminder is helpful. It seems a pretty straightforward example of brewers following a recipe and saying they've made that style of beer but there may be legal or ethical reasons they could be wrong.

At the moment of more interest are examples of cases such as the one where someone mistakenly thinks they brewed a stout that is really a black ale/IPA or mistakenly brews a Tripel that is really a DIPA.

 

Since someone linked the BA page for Straw-Ber-Rita, I inadvertently discovered the greatest review I've ever read by @pintobean :

"4.98/5 I drank a bunch of these and puked all over my wife's curtains, it was awesome. I could see drinking these all day while riding the CTA and passing out with my pants down and pissing myself. 25 oz cans and 8% ABV? This is the best thing since 4 lokos! Serving type: can"

 

Congratulations on being the first person in the history of the world to mistake LionsHead for a craft pilsner.

By the way, it says pilsener on a Miller Lite can, so you've fallen for the oldest beer advertising trick in the book.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one that found that review hilarious. I wonder why he went with 4.98 instead of 5/5 however...