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I know this has probably been beat to death but I have a new question on the subject...

1. How do you feel about contract brewing
2. What's your feeling if something goes wrong with batches of beer?
 
I know this has probably been beat to death but I have a new question on the subject...

1. How do you feel about contract brewing
2. What's your feeling if something goes wrong with batches of beer?


1. In most cases it makes sense. You don't have the capacity, someone does, they make the product how you want it done so it's a win win. This can help another local brewery or someone you think can help make your product at a high level.

2. I think it's still on the original brewer. You paid someone to do work for you and then sold it under your company. You need QC for that product weather it's at your facility or another place that is making something for you.

Of course blaming others makes you still look bad and also could damage the relationship you have with the contract brewer. Better to root cause the issue and let people know what happened than just act like it wasn't your fault.
 
do you think it's okay for them to call out the contract brewer?
do you shift blame back on them?

They can explain away their problems however they wish, but they are ultimately responsible for the beer they release. That is true whether the brewer is a salaried employee or a third party employee whose work they're utilizing.

Is there some local story motivating these questions?
 
I know this has probably been beat to death but I have a new question on the subject...

1. How do you feel about contract brewing
2. What's your feeling if something goes wrong with batches of beer?

1. Contract brewing, in the context of a certain brewery is needing/wanting to produce more product and physically cant yet another "local" place can and wants to fill that need I am cool with. Gypsy brewing on the other hand I am opposed to.
2. **** happens?

do you think it's okay for them to call out the contract brewer?
do you shift blame back on them?

Own that ****.
 
yes... "local brewer" recalls bad batches of beer... releases statement... calls out name of contract brewer and says they will see what the issue at said brewery is and then point out that their beer from other contract brewers will still be available.

update: just went to go look at the release statement and they have pulled the name of the contract brewery where the issues stemmed from
 
I know this has probably been beat to death but I have a new question on the subject...

1. How do you feel about contract brewing
2. What's your feeling if something goes wrong with batches of beer?

1-Generally speaking, there is an inherent problem with contract brewing. If a brewery makes an amazing product or products and gives thorough details on how to produce this product elsewhere to perfection, that brewery risks compromising their processes, procedures and or product. (Assuming recreating to a T elsewhere is even possible)
Since there are not vigorous copy writes in beer like exist elsewhere, like, say, in music, it is really hard to stop the contract brewer from then using the recipe/process to make their own product, or to stop employees from taking the once proprietary information elsewhere for personal gain. This dilemma doesn't apply to every beer, but it does apply to many modern contract brew scenarios - the product integrity is everything, and is equally or more important than the name/branding/legacy.

This leaves the dilemma; do you:
protect trade secrets by only giving a partial recipe/process and thusly subject oneself to quality concerns,
or
give meticulous instructions and perhaps even oversee what is going on a couple of brews to ensure the appropriate processes and procedures are in place (plus help with scaling and such!!!) at a risk of outing techniques that may be dear to the business?
The part in italics matters a lot because some places may not even allow one to be this hands on, which ensures some level of variability. The first point subjects a brewery to scrutiny over a different product being slung under the same name. The second potentially jeopardizes the market identity of the product if the secrets get out.

2-Own it, always. If you brewed a bad batch, that is on you, dump it. If someone else brews bad beer for you, you should have known what you are getting into regarding the above points and been thorough about the engagement you entered when deciding to have someone else brew beer you put your name on.
 
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"local brewer" ... name of the contract brewery
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So if a brewery doesn't brew any beer themselves are they really a brewery?

Probably not.

A new one came up a while back, a "brewery" that buys sweet wort and throws it in a barrel with mixed cultures. What the hell do you call that, a fermentery?
 
So if a brewery doesn't brew any beer themselves are they really a brewery?

Probably not.

A new one came up a while back, a "brewery" that buys sweet wort and throws it in a barrel with mixed cultures. What the hell do you call that, a fermentery?

Tilquin is a blendery, buying young lambic wort from Lindemanns, Cantillon, etc. and then throwing it into barrels. They're working on making their own lambic at some point. Maybe they've already started?
 
Casey does that as well, don't they? Or at least they used to?

Their site says this:

"We brew our recipes at a neighboring brewery where everything is overseen by us or other award-winning brewers."

Floodland, a new brewery headed by the former brewer at Holy Mountain, brews everything on Seapine's equipment in SoDo, but then he takes everything up to his facility in Fremont and puts it in barrels. Sounds similar to what Casey does.
 
I think they've got their own system at their new place, but Crooked Stave in Denver originally contracted Prost to make all their wort.

It's pretty common.

As mentioned before, Tilquin doesn't have a lick of brewing equipment last time I checked, lol. They're doing pretty well for themselves.
 
Casey does that as well, don't they? Or at least they used to?

Yes, he still does, at Bonfire in Eagle, if I'm not mistaken, and previously at Roaring Fork in Carbondale. A brew house is planned, but no dates.

Crooked Stave originally brewed at Funkwerks, then Epic, then Prost, before getting their own system. Maybe others.

Does Side Project brew at Perennial?
 
Yes, he still does, at Bonfire in Eagle, if I'm not mistaken, and previously at Roaring Fork in Carbondale. A brew house is planned, but no dates.

Crooked Stave originally brewed at Funkwerks, then Epic, then Prost, before getting their own system. Maybe others.

Does Side Project brew at Perennial?
Side Project did for the first few years, but they have their own brewery now. I don't really see the difference if the brewer is just using someone else's equipment, not contracting.
 
2-Own it, always. If you brewed a bad batch, that is on you, dump it. If someone else brews bad beer for you, you should have known what you are getting into regarding the above points and been thorough about the engagement you entered when deciding to have someone else brew beer you put your name on.

**** that; just Trillium it up and tell people their palate is wrong!
 
I see a "bottle logic trading forum" on suggested groups on my FB.

I imagine it's full of civil discussion, mutual respect, fair trades, and generosity.

It can't possibly be a group with people trying to auction of their vanilla adjunct stouts. No way that is happening.

No way
 
I know this has probably been beat to death but I have a new question on the subject...

1. How do you feel about contract brewing
2. What's your feeling if something goes wrong with batches of beer?

do you think it's okay for them to call out the contract brewer?
do you shift blame back on them?

yes... "local brewer" recalls bad batches of beer... releases statement... calls out name of contract brewer and says they will see what the issue at said brewery is and then point out that their beer from other contract brewers will still be available.

update: just went to go look at the release statement and they have pulled the name of the contract brewery where the issues stemmed from

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