Brewery Feedback?

[MrC]

Over the past couple of weeks I've had a couple of bad beers from a couple of NZs best craft brewers. On both occasions I decided to be proactive and flick the brewery an email letting them know of my experiences.
- The first brewery responded immediately and more than compensated me for the bad beer.
- The second brewery hasn't responded yet or has chosen not to respond.

I can't help but feel like a whinging beer geek even though I paid $6-8 for a drain pour.

So my questions to all you beer lovers out there are:
- Do you provide feedback to breweries when you get a bad beer (or a particularly great one for that matter)?
- Also, If you had a brewery, would you want to hear about every bad experience from crazy, over-excitable beer geeks & lovers?

[Stu McKinlay]

If only it had turned to mustard... I was recently given some Brown Ale Mustard and it looks quite expensive. Quite a good little money spinner, I'd imagine. Just tastes like whole seed mustard to me. Probably has Speight's Gold Medal "Ale" in it.

[MrC]

"Three strikes and your out", I like the sound of that. However, I would also add "One fob-off and your out".

It's a shame that purchasing craft beer is getting a reputation as being a bit of a lottery when puchased through non-specialist outlets. $6-8 for a ticket in a lottery where the prize is one great beer, would you buy a ticket? Admittedly the odds of winning are fairly high, but it does makes you think...

[nzbrewer]

Should the craft brewing industry have a quality mark on the bottle, that guarantees quality?

An independent panel would be responsible for certifying these beers so the customers had some recourse of a refund if the quality was poor and the brewer would lose the right to add the mark until they had proved they had fixed the problem and the quality was back.

Maybe even the customer complaint line goes back to the independent panel so you do get a response.

[MrC]

I think something like that would like be admitting that there's a problem accross the board when there isn't. Making out that there is an industry problem would be detrimental to all. I've had a few bad ones lately but I've never had a bad Epic or Tuatara.

Also, how valid is it blame the retailers?
Can poor handling really make a beer astringent and gushing with nasty looking film on the inside of the neck?
Can it cause a beer to be completely flat?

These are the issues I've been having.

[David Wood]

Would you be referring to Peak beers? I've had two like that. Thought it was odd.

[MrC]

I'm trying really hard not to name and shame anyone, biting my tongue every time I type.

I'm just interested in how consumers and beer enthusiasts respond to bad craft beer and poor sales service. It seems most people just tolerate it, at least initially. Is that a good thing? I don't think so.

People seem to have brand loyalty within the craft beer range the same way that people have brand loyalty to the mass produced stuff, regardless of quality.

[JoKing]

Craft Beer brand loyalty is true - but I think only when their service backs it up. I wont name either - but I've told 3 brewers my thoughts on a number of their beers now (all constructive feedback on faults) which were accepted, and maybe even actioned upon. I am still loyal to all of their products, but wouldn't be if they told me that I didn't know what I was talking about.

Why would I assume that the faults maybe actioned? When the brewer asks "what would you do different?" and "how do you think we could do better?", it makes you feel like they are listening. For that reason alone, I will go back to their beer. Furthermore, it's really really good to go back after a few months, and actually taste the improvement, regardless of if they took on board your comments or not.

And please note - I didn't just walk up to these people and say "This is what is wrong with your beer"... that would be like a stranger walking up to you and kicking you in the balls!

[Stu McKinlay]

Yeh, I had many issues with Renaissance for a couple of years. Emailed them. Discussed the beer with Brian on the old forum here. Had a chat to Brian, in person, about it at brewNZ a couple of years ago. He was very keen to improve.

Now three of their beers (Elemental, Stoncutter, and lesserly the Perfection) are amongst my most regularly purchased beers. I'd almost go as far as saying Elemental was my favourite year-round beer in the country.. but there are a few others that could probably claim that.

I try the APA once in a while and have tried the Blonde a couple of times. I'm not much of a fan of either. But I've not been disturbed enough to call the brewery!

I'm pretty loyal to these guys because they make great beer and they want to make even greater beer.


I guess the common consensus seems to be to ensure you let the brewery know. And follow up on it.

Batch number and the place you purchased the beer (and in what format) are both important.

Don't be afraid of being seen as a meddling homebrewer. brewers and beer lovers should be these guys best form of "field analysis". The ones who listen to the feedback and use it will be the ones who succeed in the longer term.


Whether or not you drink that breweries beer again is up to you... but I'd encourage you to check back now and again. I would have missed a lot of good beer from Renaissance if I'd not done that.

[MrC]

I disagree. Why shouldn't I be able to tell a brewery that I paid top doller for their product and that the beer was still, not even a tingle. Surely that's better for the brewery than saying nothing and just not buying their product any more.

[Stu McKinlay]

who are you disagreeing with?

[MrC]

I was disagreeing with Joking's comment about not just saying "This is what is wrong with your beer".

[James P]

Consumers Guarantee Act?

The Act applies to all goods normally bought for personal or household use - eg, clothes, food, appliances, furniture.

Is beer not the food provided by the Gods? I'm sure a complaint to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs would prick up some peoples ears.