Do you give feedback to local breweries

[Sauls]

Now that my habit/condition has evolved into rating others brews it struck me today, do you give local breweries feedback? Yelp seems to be popular, but let’s face it all it takes is 3 or 4 family friends to negate your feedback. Visit 3 today in eastern Ct. 1 was splendid, you could tell they treat their water with salts, Other 2 completely sucked. 1 for sure had an infection across all 3 types, and last one was just bland, poor head retention and sulfur smell from stressed yeast.

In the quest to beat big beer I want every small shop to be ok, but often fall back to just walking out and never going back.

Maybe I just need a break from beer. Thoughts from the crowd?

 

[Sammy86]

Since I live in Western CT I'm wondering which breweries you visited?

I'm always honest with breweries especially new ones. I always try to bring it up organically though, mention that I've been brewing for a certain amount of years, and use the sandwich method start with something they did really well, mention what I didn't like and then end with something good.

Remember, these guys are trying to run a business and make money. They should be able to take the constructive criticism...if not they are not going to be in business very long.

 

[Steveruch]

I try to give breweries that make good beer positive feedback, local or not.

 

[Sauls]

Don’t want to bash them, but I’ll say #1 was fox farm. Great beer! The other 2 were close by. I get it, some people have different taste, but I def would have dumped what came from the other 2.

 

[Sammy86]

Don’t want to bash them, but I’ll say #1 was fox farm. Great beer! The other 2 were close by. I get it, some people have different taste, but I def would have dumped what came from the other 2.

I believe I have an idea of at least one because one of the ones near by definitely didn't have anything good when I went to visit.

However, I still feel honesty is the best policy.

 

[Sauls]

I believe I have an idea of at least one because one of the ones near by definitely didn't have anything good when I went to visit.

However, I still feel honesty is the best policy.

True! Well unless it’s with a spouse. Learned my lesson!

 

[madscientist451]

I'm a picky beer drinker and probably more critical than most drinkers. So I keep my opinions to myself unless asked. There's a very small, local brewery near me that has what I consider bland, below average beer, but somehow they sell enough to stay open, so good for them, I don't want to hurt anyone's dream business, so I'll follow what my momma used to tell me: Don't have anything nice to say? Then be nice and keep your mouth shut. If the owner specifically asked me for my opinion though, I'd tell him.

 

[day_trippr]

Generally, I will provide praise for a truly good beer, but hold "un-good" beer discussions to myself, as I "went there" to enjoy myself and company, and criticism carries risk of unpleasantness.

But there are triggers: serve me a beer in a glass that reeks of bleach and it's coming back like a bullet. And if I'm drinking a clearly oxidized ipa, that's going to prompt some discussion and likely exchange.

Otoh, for something like the farkin' gawdawful "cucumber/basil saison" that was part of a four beer flight in an establishment that had exactly four beers on tap I experienced recently, that one's on me. I could've passed on the dubious flight and stuck to the one beer that wasn't clearly advertised as most likely horrible.

[btw, all four beers were dumpers. Never going back, but didn't say a word, because it's a lost cause.]

Cheers!

 

[Coastalbrew]

I have given negative feedback to breweries in the past when I and have experienced obvious technical flaws like infection, and it was always well received and appreciated by the staff. If a business isn't open to hearing how they can improve their products and customer experience, they won't last long. That said, I agree with @Sammy86 , when giving feedback it is important to remember that you are presenting an opinion, and taste and flavor sensitivity are very subjective. Offering both positive and negative data points goes a long way.

For myself, I generally prefer beer flavored beer, but I'll occasionally go out on a limb and try something experimental. However, if I get that experimental beer and don't care for it, that's on me. It might be a great example of whatever it is supposed to be, but it's just not my thing. In that scenario, I would withhold my feedback other than to just say it's not my thing.

 

[jrgtr42]

If it's a case that I just don't care for the beer, I may not say anything.
If it's a case that there's something wrong - like the infection you mentioned, I would personally say something.
Try to frame it in a way that it could easily be you yourself there's something wrong with, not the beer, but they should be able to respond if they truly did intend it to be like that.
I had a similar situation over the summer - was travelling and stopped at a couple. One of them was a tiny little place, and I just didn't care for their beers - I don't know what it was exactly they were going for, but they didn't get there. Not major technical flaws, as far as I could tell, but just not well executed.
I paid off my tab and left.

 

[Sauls]

Thanks for all the comments. I do feel bad their beer sucks since as they did go out on a limb and probably are trying to just survive. But don’t try and pass of a lousy beer thinking us consumers won’t notice. If anything I blame the initial taste tester that decided to go ahead and still sell it.

Off my soap box for the evening.

Until next thought!

 

[Zuljin]

I follow all the locals across social media. I give positive feedback when they post beers I like.

 

[Rodent]

unless asked directly, I only share my thoughts with those I've established a relationship with