Discovery Cancels Brewmasters

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fastricky said:
But the show has been too Dogfish-centric. It just seems to be one long infomercial for DFH. That needs to change.
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I keep seeing this over and over. It's a reality show about a specific company. Isn't every reality show that's about a specific company just sort of a long infomercial?? Think about it. . .

-American Choppers is about one bike shop (well, now it's about two I guess)
-Ace of Cakes is about one bakery
-Miami Ink is about one tattoo parlor


I know there are more examples, and I'm pretty sure there are "copycat" shows just like these involving different bike shops, bakeries, etc. I don't really watch them, so I'm not sure.

Reality type shows like this work because they develop "characters" that people become attached to and want to see more of. Sam's a great example - he's a charismatic guy.
 
davesrose said:
I was thinking that might be canceling it since they already changed its timeslot 3 times. Upon further review, I found an article stating that the folks at Dogfish are taking a break...and that the intent was just to have 6 episodes for season 1: that looks like there may still be a possibility for episode 6 to be made in a few months:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/all-we-can-eat/beer/beer-tracking-dogfish.html
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I think the most important information contained in this thread is missing from any of the replies:

The Brickskeller in DC closed! That place was amazing - literally hundreds of beers to choose from. I lived there in my early twenties and stumbled out of that place many more times than I remember.

Who cares about the sort of crappy brewmasters show. I think it was an infomercial for DFH. Like some others said, the dfh stuff is now impossible to get at local beer stores. Any time you get that kind of advertising for that kind of product - wow - you just can buy that kind of thing.
 
Wow, Brickskeller closed? I just visited there for the first time in early December 2010. Great place. Really knowledgeable barkeep and great lineup of beer. I don't think there is a close 2nd in DC.
 
the_bird said:
Are you guys going to kick me out of the club if I make a confession? I didn't really get into Brewmasters. Watched most of the first episode, got bored. Don't really like DFH or Sam Calagione. Don't even really know what turned me off from the show... just didn't click for me.
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Agree with this completely. I was excited when they announced the show, assuming that it would actually be about craft beer. Then I watched the first episode & realized it was an infomercial with Sam Calagione as the ShamWow guy (and about as likeable). Can't say that I'll miss it.
 
Chad said:
Agree with this completely. I was excited when they announced the show, assuming that it would actually be about craft beer. Then I watched the first episode & realized it was an infomercial with Sam Calagione as the ShamWow guy (and about as likeable). Can't say that I'll miss it.
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Yeah it was a real let down!
 
Chad said:
Agree with this completely. I was excited when they announced the show, assuming that it would actually be about craft beer. Then I watched the first episode & realized it was an infomercial with Sam Calagione as the ShamWow guy (and about as likeable). Can't say that I'll miss it.
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Here's the thing.

Sub in Jim Koch/Sam Adams, I guarantee you the show is 100x better.

There's something about Sam that rubs me the wrong way. He's like an annoying fratboy. Koch's more like your kooky uncle that you can't wait to see every year at Christmas. I'm sure Sam is a nice guy and certainly has a passion about his work, but there's just something about him that isn't particularly likable, I don't think.
 
Well, since everyone is weighing in on their opinions...

1. I love Sam and DFH beer. His creativity and willingness to try new things benefits us all. I'll admit some of his experiments (especially some of the brewpub exclusive pilot batches) weren't home runs. But craft beer needs people like Sam who don't just do the same old tired crap (Oatmeal Stout, Belgian Saison, moderately hoppy IPA). I got engaged in Rehoboth Beach, DE this winiter, and we immediately drove over to the DFH brewpub to celebrate.

2. The Brewmasters show was boring. As psychotic as the two of us are about DFH, we struggled to get through the Bitches' Brew episode. I felt like I was watching an episode of American Chopper (BUILD THE BIKES!!! GRRRR!!!!!), which is full of "dramatic tension" over deadlines, and producer-orchestrated fights.

3. Discovery Channel's lineup is seriously like some bizarre fusion of blue collar workers and girly reality shows like The Hills. They have shows about loggers, pawn brokers, motorcycle welders, dirty jobs... and then they have a guy who is looking for the perfect gesho root or saffron threads for his expensive beer named after a jazz musician. It's just not a good fit.

4. I refuse to accept the failure of this show as a referendum on the quality of DFH beer or Sam's creative vision.

5. Sam Adams/Boston beer has some good beer, but they have DFH beat on crappy products by a mile. That cherry wheat is GOD AWFUL.
 
Good news, even though the show has or hasn't already been canceled, there's new a spin off.

[ame]http://vimeo.com/20604077[/ame]
 
davesrose said:
Well I think part of the problem is it's such a nich market. The show seemed most appropriate for those that already have an interest in craft beer (a growing 5 percent of the beer market). Sam Calagione has a good TV personality, even though they seem to spend a lot of time switching between various employees while he's on his trip to explore methods/ingredients. While I'm happy it might have gotten a few more people interested in what kind of styles of beer are possible, I also felt a little let down that there wasn't more science in it. I realize why they didn't make it that way, though, since brewing is an even smaller segment.

What I miss about the Discovery channel are any real science shows. Their highest rated nature series are produced by the BBC, and whenever I channel surf onto them....it's yet another "special" on UFOs or Atlantis :rolleyes:
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Niche market? sure, maybe. but let me tell you, i'm soooo freaking interested in Gold Digging or whatever the hell that show is called. No chance i'll ever become a gold miner, but there sure are a hell of a lot of homebrewers out there. this is evidenced by several variables including the fact that i haven't seen or heard of any homebrew stores going out of business. every time i go into my LHBS, it's packed, and there seems to be a lot of first timers, which speaks for the growth of the industry/hobby. Fine, if Americans want to watch some a-holes argue and complain about how much they hate each other while they build motorcycles, then whatever, bunch of lemmings they are.

It was an educational and interesting show. Millions of American's love beer, in fact, i would think that alcohol is one of America's top interests, even moreso than football, and that's saying something
 
the_bird said:
Here's the thing.

Sub in Jim Koch/Sam Adams, I guarantee you the show is 100x better.

There's something about Sam that rubs me the wrong way. He's like an annoying fratboy. Koch's more like your kooky uncle that you can't wait to see every year at Christmas. I'm sure Sam is a nice guy and certainly has a passion about his work, but there's just something about him that isn't particularly likable, I don't think.
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I can't get behind your opinion. Sam looks happy as hell, he's walking around enjoying himself, he doesn't need to be dressed up in business casual, he's freaking brewing, he's doing what he loves and making millions doing it. Any of us would be the same way if we were him. I like the fact that a normal type of guy (most of us are normal) is having great success brewing and hasn't become a tightwad a-hole b/c of it. He seems like he hasn't changed since he was a homebrewer, and that just seems genuine. I like that he drives around in a 50 yr old pickup. his beer is a different kind of beer, that's why his pursuit of exotic ingredients/recipes makes sense.

people can criticize DFH all they want, but they do make some damn good beers (some are a little weird, but whatever). Palo Santo, Midas Touch, Burton Baton, Raison d' Etre, these are all amazing beers. I can get them any day of the week too, so get mad at your distributors, not DFH.
 
McMalty said:
I can't get behind your opinion. Sam looks happy as hell, he's walking around enjoying himself, he doesn't need to be dressed up in business casual, he's freaking brewing, he's doing what he loves and making millions doing it. Any of us would be the same way if we were him. I like the fact that a normal type of guy (most of us are normal) is having great success brewing and hasn't become a tightwad a-hole b/c of it. He seems like he hasn't changed since he was a homebrewer, and that just seems genuine. I like that he drives around in a 50 yr old pickup. his beer is a different kind of beer, that's why his pursuit of exotic ingredients/recipes makes sense.

people can criticize DFH all they want, but they do make some damn good beers (some are a little weird, but whatever). Palo Santo, Midas Touch, Burton Baton, Raison d' Etre, these are all amazing beers. I can get them any day of the week too, so get mad at your distributors, not DFH.
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I'm with you. I personally like both of the beer and Sam. I think hes done quite a bit of good for the craft brew industry and he is always giving credit to SN, Stone, Sam Adams, etc etc.

One of my favorite quotes of his is there are beer nerds and beer snobs. A beer snob is someone who knows a lot about beer and thinks hes better than everyone who doesnt. A beer nerd is someone who knows a lot about beer and loves to share that with anyone who has an interest. I am a beer nerd. ~Sam Calagione.
 
MenkeMoose said:
I think a better beer concept show would be along the lines of Diners, drive-ins, and dives on the food network. The host would travel the country visiting craft brewers, show you the brewery, give you some bios on the staff, walk you through the process of making their signature beer, and talk with their customers about their beers. With a proper host, on the right channel, it could be successful.
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Oh, you mean something like Three Sheets? I love that show. I don't own a television set but I can operate Hulu.
 
TheSeether said:
Oh, you mean something like Three Sheets? I love that show. I don't own a television set but I can operate Hulu.
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oh and dont' forget Drinking Made Easy on HDNet with the same host as Three Sheets (Zane Lamprey). So to the poster who posted the post that Seether quoted, they have already made that show a couple of times
 
HOLY....you have NO idea what kind of s-storm you just stirred up sir! :)

"Sam confirmed that no new footage was going to taped for Brewmasters, and that he hopes the Eataly episode (which has been filmed but not aired) will still air in June when the brewpub is open for business."
 
What I read (The "Beer and Whiskey Brothers" post) proves zip. It's mostly about an encounter with Sam C. of DFH in New York. Then a reference to two tweets by Anthony Bourdain, and the "two brothers" immediately embrace Bourdain's allegation. My view of Anthony Bourdain's instant cred isn't nearly as sanguine. Sounds like journalism at its finest, such as we've just experienced through the execrable coverage of the Japanes earthquake / tsunami.

So far, what I've seen is based on two allegations by someone who shares a production company with a cancelled show. I can as easily allege that there's a big conflict of interest there. As for being about Big Beer engineering the demise of Brewmasters, well, it would be what we would all WANT to believe about the show's cancellation, but.....does that make it true? Maybe the Atlantic will turn up something, but I'm not holding my breath.
 
I actually screwed up when I said AB when it may not be AB at all...it could be MillerCoors because they're the ones who actually have ads that play during the show. In any case, I just thought it was an interesting find. I'm not saying a word about it until there is some official statement (which there will probably never will be...even if it's true I'm sure Discovery would never admit to it)
 
Well, well, well...it appears that BMC is causing all of the world's major problems. I propose we figure out a way to fix this ASAP!

In keeping with the theme, I did hear that the hole in the ozone layer has been caused by BMC....
 
It's Anthony Bourdain for chrissake, he's practically a television troll in his own right. I'm a big fan of his, but jeez the stuff he's said and done on tv at times is brutal. I remember when he was on food network set for something supposedly sabotaging Emeril's prep fridge.

I doubt the evil bmc empire crushed the dogfish show, it was only scheduled for 6 episodes, 5 aired and number either aired in scandanvia or it hasn't been finished shooting because of the whole rooftop batalia fiasco, and WILL air in the states in June I think as I dug up in the other thread.

In fact I believe many folks made note on the big brewmaster's thread of the irony of BMC (I think it was miller) commercials that aired on discovery while brewmaster's was on.

So I'm taking this with a grain of salt.
 
Golddiggie said:
I thought those were caused by the tsunamis (knocking out the generators that provided power for the core cooling)...
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On a slightly off topic and semi serious note did anyone participate in this the other night?

BrewersForBrewersPoster1-662x1024.gif


Brooklyn Brewery “Brewers For Brewers”, a benefit for Kiuchi Brewery in Japan.
 
InBev/AB, in league with the British Royal Family and the Masons, have a secret plan to make St. Louis the capital of the new world order. I know this to be true, because the voices in my head tell me so.
 
Pappers_ said:
InBev/AB, in league with the British Royal Family and the Masons, have a secret plan to make St. Louis the capital of the new world order. I know this to be true, because the voices in my head tell me so.
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Did INBev/AB take Colonel Sanders spot?

Well, it's a well known fact, Sonny Jim, that there's a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world, known as The Pentavirate, who run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri-annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.

The Pentavirate is The Queen, The Vatican, The Gettys, The Rothschilds, *and* Colonel Sanders before he went tits up. Oh, I hated the Colonel with is wee *beady* eyes, and that smug look on his face. "Oh, you're gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!"
 
GoldMiner said:
Did INBev/AB take Colonel Sanders spot?

Well, it's a well known fact, Sonny Jim, that there's a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world, known as The Pentavirate, who run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri-annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.

The Pentavirate is The Queen, The Vatican, The Gettys, The Rothschilds, *and* Colonel Sanders before he went tits up. Oh, I hated the Colonel with is wee *beady* eyes, and that smug look on his face. "Oh, you're gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!"
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Actually I heard the 5th one is actually the cat in the above picture. Cat's are actually ancient aliens/gods after all, and he is the supreme leader of them all. And 5 minutes after that humiliating picture was taken, the dude and the photographer both died in separate "accidents."
 
You guys are so blind! Even in THIS VERY THREAD you don't get it!

The 5th one is the one and only August Busch! How the hell do you think he got away with that murder!!!
 
I do not disagree on that fact. However, it had a cult like following around here and was ingrained into the culture of the area's surrounding Pittsburgh. It also cost quite a few people at the brewery local jobs. It doesn't matter who big beer is buying, because in the end, regional breweries and craft breweries are being sucked into one giant corporation. They are losing independence and autonomy, which leads to less choices for beer drinkers. Just leave the little guys alone ab. They are doing just fine without you.:mad:
 
bprush said:
I do not disagree on that fact. However, it had a cult like following around here and was ingrained into the culture of the area's surrounding Pittsburgh. It also cost quite a few people at the brewery local jobs. It doesn't matter who big beer is buying, because in the end, regional breweries and craft breweries are being sucked into one giant corporation. They are losing independence and autonomy, which leads to less choices for beer drinkers. Just leave the little guys alone ab. They are doing just fine without you.:mad:
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Again, that's not true!!!!

Look at the numbers....

http://blog.oregonlive.com/thebeerhere/2011/03/nothing_but_good_news_for_us_c.html
 

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