Rebranding a Beer

Sorry....they make a Fat Tire Belgian White. That was what I was thinking about. Did not realize Fat Tire had actually changed names. Same beer?

I see the triple also has a new "fancy" wine like label

Enjoy

 

Their marketing blurbs even reference it now, too:

About New Belgium Brewing
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Belgian Style Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews fourteen year-round beers; Citradelic Tangerine IPA, Citradelic Lime Ale, Voodoo Ranger IPA, Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, Voodoo Ranger 8 Hop Pale Ale, Dayblazer Easygoing Ale, Tartastic Lemon Ginger Ale, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Bohemian Pilsner, Abbey Belgian Ale, Trippel and a gluten-reduced line, Glutiny Pale Ale and Glutiny Golden Ale. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.

Same beer. I have had the one with the "new" labels and it tastes the same.

 

"Classified as an Ameri-Belgo style ale by the revered Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup competitions..?"

Okay...

 

Avery changed its "Hog Heaven" from an American Barleywine to an Imperial Red IPA. Same beer, just a different style on the beer label.

 

You had the one called Belgian white Fat Tire and it tasted the same? It has a different bike on the label.

Enjoy

 

In reality, it is the same beer...and your response is exactly why they rebranded it!

 

Fat Tire is just like a number of good amber ales/lagers: They were the vanguard into "local" tastes with early brewers. I remember a pioneer brewer here at Red Oak saying that if he could make an amber beer taste like sweet tea, he will have hit bingo. The beer is still delicious and popular.

 

I hate when beers change labels. 95% of the time I know if I've had a certain beer by sight of the can/bottle, and rebranding screws it up.

 

Funny thing rebranding. On one hand it can be a good thing, because it helps to differentiate your product from the products of others. On the other hand it can be a bad thing because if you're just putting a new coat of paint on an old & busted car, it's still old & busted, it just looks nicer, which can alienate your customer base.

In other words, with some of these rebrands, they should discontinue the brand and make something more suitable to today's consumer.

 

Cavalry didn't "Re-Brand" Mike sold the entire set-up to the Guys From Black Hog. They essentially just bought the space, permit and brewing equipment and started their own brand. I could be wrong but I think they bought the recipes too and retired them.

 

I also think the beer is much better.

 

Yes, I found out later that Black Hog was entirely new, much to my embarrassment. However, in my defense they probably could have done more to distance themselves from Calvary.
I hope to get up to Black Hog soon. I have had their beers at bars and would like to check out the source.

 

If I like it I really don't care what they call it.

 

But you understand how something like that can be confusing, right?

 

I'm blessed with clarity of thought.

 

No, sorry. I was just answering any confusion regarding the original Fat Tire; not the Belgian white.

 

Real Ale also changed their Full Moon Rye Pale Ale to Rye IPA during the same repackaging a few years ago. They tweaked the recipe of Full Moon Rye and some of their other beers but I don't remember which others so I can't say if they tweaked the 4-Squared recipe too.

The recipe change for Full Moon was memorable because I don't remember liking the original. Either my palate changed or the recipe changed. Either way the repackaging encouraged me to try Full Moon again and it is now in regular rotation of purchases.