Writing that request letter to your favorite brewery...
 

Evening folks! I figured I could use some advice from people with experience in writing to a brewery as a homebrewer and requesting info about a favorite beers recipe so they can clone it. You see - I love a certain brew that has been discontinued, I love it so much I want to be able to make it whenever I get all whimsical and want some - we've all been in this position at some point I'm sure.
I've seen threads and replies on the forum referencing the author's effort, and at times fruits, in contacting a brewery for a recipe or some insight. I'm wondering if anyone out there could help me get started - I don't want to sound like a sycophantic lunatic, nor do I want to sound like I am trying to steal the recipe.
Also, it's a bonus in my favor that this brewery is a microbrewery right?
Thanks :rockin:

I go home to Wyoming every year for vacation and throughout the drive (1600 miles one way) I like to stop at microbrews to stretch my legs. Well my journeys had me passing through Laramie, Wyoming so I hit up Altitude Brewery and Chophouse.

They had a great number of excellent beers, one of which I loved more than any micro I have had to date. I purchased a growler to take back to Ohio to have my brewing friends taste.
I finally decided that I would take a shot and contact Altitude for a recipe.

I simply used their “contact us” link on their website and explained that I loved the beer and purchased 3 growlers to take back to Ohio to share with others and spread the word about their brewery.
I then told them I was a home brewer and would love some insight on the recipe so I could enjoy it at home. Threw in that I would gladly buy it from them but I live 24 hour drive away.

Here is the reply I got, which was good enough for me to make a dang good clone.

I've only sent one, to a very small brewery who shall remain nameless, in upstate NY. They've got an amazing scotch ale that cant be found outside of the area. I sent them a nicely worded email, couple of paragraphs, explaining who I was, etc etc etc...

Got a reply back about a week later with:
"We dont share our recipes."

Seriously, thats the entire text of the email. I'm all for keeping your info close if you so chose, but there's a fine line between blunt and rude. Not sure how I feel about it.

awesome - thanks for the encouragement. glad it went well for you!! I can only hope the same goes for me, I sent an email via the contact us links et al. fingers crossed

i'm sorry to hear that sir - that is a fine line i agree and it would appear they simply shrugged you off. brutal. it wouldn't happen to lake placid and the ubu ale you're referring to would it? i ask because i was taking photos of TAPNY booths and breweries etc this past year and when I got a picture of Lake Placid's table and offerings i was deflecting nasty glances from behind tap handles and ubu is delicious.

You should feel respected enough that they even responded at all.

really? is it that cutthroat of a brewing world?

All I am saying is that it would have been "easier" for the responder to just delete the email as spam or junk. Despite the brevity of the response, at least there was a response.

true - i'm definitely guilty of the sin of judging mail as SPAM before I even consider what it could actually be.

i guess i would just like to think that this whole brewing thing is a bit of an ancient club and everyone is more or less friendly to everyone else who heeds the call of the yeasties...

but all in all a response, albeit dismissive, isn't something to shake a stick at afterall.

Meh.

There are some who recognize that a recipe alone does not produce a signature beer. That water, brewery, technique, and the recipe must all culminate to make a successful product.

And then there are some that take the position that a recipe is the basis to their success, or failure, and a sucessful recipe should be guarded to ensure a continued niche in a competitive field.

We all know what trials we face to "perfect" our product. many of us are lucky to be in a situation where that product can generate an income. And we all know what difficulties we face to reproduce a product when we are limited by the ingredients we can obtain.

As a brewer, I respect both approaches equally. And, a simple response is more respectable than no response.