Blue Moon hits back

[Bytowner]

I hadn't heard about this Brewers' Association "blacklist". Sounds pretty stupid.

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/- ... -76908679/

[midlife crisis]

I don't know. I can see their point. Blue Moon / Rickards White is not terrible, and in a certain sort of bar I have drank it as a "best of a bad lot" type thing. Often comes in handy at golf courses, for example. So I don't boycott it or anything. But on the other hand, there is something sneaky and disingenuous about not putting the true name of the manufacturer on the label. I can see why that would infuriate craft brewers. It bugs me and I'm just a consumer.

[markaberrant]

Exactly, put the correct name on it, and then no one can criticize you.

[S. St. Jeb]

Exactly, put the correct name on it, and then no one can criticize you.

Should Creemore have Molson on their packaging?

[Bull_Schott]

Exactly, put the correct name on it, and then no one can criticize you.

Should Creemore have Molson on their packaging?

Yes

[TheSevenDuffs]

Exactly, put the correct name on it, and then no one can criticize you.

Should Creemore have Molson on their packaging?

Should Goose Island have AB on their labels?

[Inkling]

Unibroue bottles do not say 'Sapporo' on them either.

[markaberrant]

One of the big selling points of "craft beer" is knowing where it came from and who made it. In a word - Authenticity.

We can debate whether or not this is important, but it is obviously important to some.

I myself have often said "good beer is good beer."

[Kel Varnsen]

We can debate whether or not this is important, but it is obviously important to some.

I myself have often said "good beer is good beer."

I feel the same way. Too much emphasis is put on who makes the product and not how good the product actually is. Labels like this are actually useless to me.

I read a story yesterday about how Duvel is planning on buying up a couple of US breweries. They already own Ommegang. And Ommegang makes great beer. Yet by the definition of the US brewers association they aren't a craft brewery. It will be interesting to see who Duvel buys.

[Tapsucker]

I'm not aware of what investors or banks own the debt of say, Black Oak, or any other craft brewer. So perhaps some are bankrolled by big brewers, or even Ikea, for all I know. this does not bother me much if the product is good.

The issues I worry about is when distribution or product/market engineering limit choice for consumers or limit opportunity for competitors.

The brand crap is well, a game the stupid will be sucked into. The whole 'Authenticity' nonsense is just another ruse to gain attachment from those that need to have a brand to hang their self esteem on. This is kind of like all the hipsters bitching about Pabst 'going mainstream'.

Brands are an answer to consumers not knowing what to trust and yes, many brands abuse customers by misleading them and trading on brand value. A bigger issue though, is simply how people need their brands to project themselves into society.

Well, too bad for them. Perhaps they could develop some other contribution to get attention rather than just a dumb ball cap with a logo or the right beer label in front of them. Remember how the whole breaking of the backs of the big brewers began? It was not long ago that brand loyalty to "what my dad drank" was an obstacle to new brewers entering the market.

Who the hell cares? Does it taste good or appropriate for the occasion? Is it made from crap? Blue Moon is fine by me. Not my favourite style or go-to, but not terrible because of who owns it.

Yes a whole bunch of people are probably misled. That's marketing, brand fools are the crop that get's harvested. Nobody buys Foxconn phones...or lot's of fools do unwittingly, but some are happy.

If it's called Coors Blue Moon or not, it's still the same thing in the bottle, so why not choose it based on whether it's what you want at the time? And if you don't know, well then try one, that's what we should all do if we like beer. It's an inexpensive experience even if you don't drink the whole bottle. I'm sure many of us have had worse beers in the name of learning.

[Bytowner]

What Tapsucker said. If you care about how "authentic" your "craft" beer is, knock yourself out. Build a PowerPoint deck showing the direct and indirect connections every brewer has to firms that you're too cool for and buy accordingly, don't know why the brewers should have to indulge your silliness.

[Derek]

Have they actually "grabbed 15% of the craft market", or have they simply not lost that share to the craft market? There is a difference. I haven't seen "beer snobs" swooning over it.

I've certainly had a few when the picking were slim, and I have to say some were horribly inconsistent (though it was probably due to how it was handled, rather than how it was brewed).

"They pretty much single-handedly revived the white beer category with that beer in the U.S." Was it really dead after Hoegaarden & Celis White?

To be honest, the fact the I'm starting to see some of these 'crafty' brews take over 'craft' taps is enough to make me boycott them completely, regardless of how good it is. I stopped by an Applebee's in Yakima and the selection seriously sucked compared to 2 years ago (though I did have an Alaskan Amber).

[Bull_Schott]

The biggest issue is that many people who are not as "into" the beer scene as those on this website, are the ones that may not know the difference between Blue Moon or Coors. That doesn't make them stupid, it's precisely what marketing is designed for.

We can say that doesn't matter, buy it based on what's inside the bottle, but the reality is that many/most of beer purchases are made based on the label vs. the contents. If people think "hey that's a cool craft beer, let's try it" they're getting a cool, crafty beer made by MillerCoors. Maybe that's what they wanted, but they probably wanted something independent, potentially local, made on a small scale, made with unique flavours, etc., etc. ... Blue Moon captures those people that aren't craft beer snobs, but are interested in craft beer, that is why "craft beer snobs" are miffed.

Now there are also people who legitimately like Blue Moon, and that isn't what this is about. Personally, I have an issue with a corporation creating a brand and marketing it as an independent company. I know it's the same but more than half of people in North America don't. Whether you care about that is up to you.

[admviolin]

I have personal issues with Ab-InBev and would like to know if what I am buying supports them or not. Otherwise, there are lots of "crafty" beers I have had and enjoyed regardless of "pedigree"

[Belgian]

Blue Moon captures those people that aren't craft beer snobs, but are interested in craft beer, that is why "craft beer snobs" are miffed.

Personally, I have an issue with a corporation creating a brand and marketing it as an independent company.

Just semantics - I think virtually any if not all small independent breweries are probably 'corporations'.

It's hard to force big brewers to not play Pretend Micro on grounds that it offends some vague ethos of not 'forcing' people to like these products.

What I think is big brewers help to legitimize small independent brewers when they play this game - imitation is flattery, and those 'gateway' beers may lead some people towards the better stuff. It's a risk they gamble on.