Infected von Trapp beers?

We had a production issue earlier this year and recalled the affected batches. This was a difficult time due to the pandemic and COVID protocols, and it appears that not every case was collected from the trade. We are sticklers for the quality of our beer and are mortified that anyone might have tasted anything that was not up to our standards. We welcome your feedback; email us with any questions at [email protected]. Anyone who had a bad can of our beer, please let us know! Respectfully, von Trapp Brewing.

 

Ultimately, it is partly on them. Stores should be more fastidious than they are, but it's the producer who's got the most on the line, because a customer who gets bad beer will just buy a different brand next time. When you make a product and sell it through retail channels you need to follow through to make sure your retail partners are delivering the product to your customers in good condition. If they're not you need to find different retail partners.

A retailer near me has some Von Trapp pilsner with a best by date of early 2019 sitting on its warm shelves. As an educated consumer I know not to buy that and not to hold it against VT, but another customer might grab it, dislike it, and not return to VT in the future. Brewers should be actively working to make sure this doesn't happen.

Not coincidentally, I avoid that retailer unless I'm in a hurry, and I check dates fastidiously when shopping there.

 

What was the date on the hat?

 

Sometimes I forget my reading glasses and have to ask a clerk or fellow customer to read it. If none are available I have to cross my fingers.

 

Because of the 3 tier system, it is not solely the responsibility of the supplier; their distributor is really the one dropping the ball here. The onerous franchise law that applies to breweries and distributors is often justified by distributors for providing services in the market such as the one that's not being performed here. Von Trapp can make it right by sending swag/gift card to someone in MA, but they legally can't replace the beer via shipping, so closing the loop so to speak on the issue does involve the distributor stepping up and taking back old/recalled product. The unfortunate reality is distributors remove the incentive for a sales representative to do the right thing in this situation by either limiting how much OOC product can be picked up, or even worse, financially penalizing the sales representative for picking up too much OOC product.

 

Not sure whether anyone has mentioned this yet: there is a best by date stamped on the outside of the variety pack box.

 

Personal anecdote: Bought some Helles a few weeks ago & tasted good as ever. Just would like to see the mix-12's available more often, it's usually a must-buy whenever I see it.

 

I did the same with the Helles. Is it weird this thread made me want to pick some up?

 

Any kind of batch call out or dates that you can provide so we can avoid purchasing questionable product?

 

I’d say I regret clicking on this thread, but looking on the bright side: I now have “fecal” and “yoghurt” to add to my arsenal of beer descriptors.

 

You've hit the lottery when you get a beer that tastes like fecal yogurt.

 

Von Trapp would not allow infected beer to go out. Sour beer is more likely due to temperature extreme changes. Also their cans are dated clearly and they have a chemist on staff I assume full time. An infected beer could make you sick, a sour beer tastes bad.

 

Sour beer is caused by microbes other then brewers yeast. Human pathogens cannot survive in beer (even at extremely low ABV).

 

So how do you explain this post (#41 above)?

 

I recently had Natur Helles and it's such an excellent and crispy lager

 

Anyone have insight on the 2 months past "best by" Berliner Weisse I've been seeing on multiple shelves lately? I've never had it and would hate my first time to be the worst time.

 

I had Berliner Weisse sitting around for a few months at room temperature, and it still was fine after spending half a day in the fridge. I'd say it ages better than their Pilsner and Helles that got really bad during the same time.

 

They said "affected" not infected- Bad beer could be for numerous reasons. If it was truly infected they would not say anything for liability reasons.

 

Breweries, including the world's largest (which employs many attorneys and law firms), admit and recall "infected" bad batches all the time.

Large Batch Of Stella Artois Infected, Recalled

Goose Island Beer is recalling two more of its 2015 Bourbon County Brand Stout beers after confirming they were infected with a type of bacteria in the lactobacillus family...

Guinness is recalling cans of its non-alcoholic stout because..."microbiological contamination" might mean some products were unsafe.

Left Hand Brewing Company has issued a recall notice for 20,000 cases of its Milk Stout Nitro following the discovery of a foreign yeast strain in the batch.

Epic Brewing Co. is recalling specific bottles of Big Bad Baptista ... "This bacterial infection results in flavor issues with the beer, but is not harmful.”

Ontario’s Side Launch Brewing Company... had to recall cans of its Wheat following the discovery of an infection.

Clown Shoes Offers Refunds for Infected Beer