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Rye River Brewing Co

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    #62
    billythefish99
    Closed Accounts Posts: 92 ✭✭billythefish99


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    ah right well big batch then, not small batch like Niall said.

    Also how on earth did they overtake a brewery open for 10 years in the span of 2 years?
    Because business, thats how.


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    #63
    MichealKenny
    Registered Users Posts: 237 ✭✭MichealKenny


    5 years ago Galway Hooker was the be all and end all of craft beer in Ireland, is that not sufficient business?


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    #64
    oblivious
    Registered Users Posts: 4,381 ✭✭✭oblivious


    n97 mini wrote: »
    I don't know if that's true but if it is it means their batch size is a lot bigger than RR's.

    Yep all true http://oblivioustobeer.blogspot.ie/2015/05/go-west.html

    But according to the brew-house site there are doing three brew a day


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    #65
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,765 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    5 years ago Galway Hooker was the be all and end all of craft beer in Ireland, is that not sufficient business?

    Supplying white-label products to Tesco, Lidl and Aldi will build volumes quite rapidly.


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    #66
    drkpower
    Registered Users Posts: 5,475 ✭✭✭drkpower


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    Thanks Niamh but I've no reason to contact him.

    If you have issues with his beers/brewery/business, surely the best way to address them would be by interacting with him.

    Otherwise it seems that you are motivated by a desire to criticise regardless, rather than anything more constructive.


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    #67
    MichealKenny
    Registered Users Posts: 237 ✭✭MichealKenny


    drkpower wrote: »
    Otherwise it seems that you are motivated by a desire to criticise regardless, rather than anything more constructive.


    Essentially yes, I was annoyed that I bought 2 4 packs of beers that I thought were from 2 different companies and to find out that both are from Rye River and both were terrible, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't annoyed, and the whole point of this thread was to see if anyone else was annoyed by this business tactic.

    But I agree with you, my criticism isn't very constructive because I don't know how to make a good beer either, I am just a consumer.

    I said what I wanted to say, Colgan's IPA and Knock Knock Ned's IPA are terrible in my opinion and I wanted to see if others shared my opinion. But I don't know the solution, so I see no reason in emailing him.


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    #68
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,748 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    He complains about people spreading lies as facts and then he goes and says this, there is no conceivable way you could know this statistic when your main distribution platform is Tesco.

    I hate to pop your big balloon of indignation, but did the Tesco Clubcard never cross your mind? A very conceivable way of gathering grade 'A' intelligence on consumer purchases of your product.

    Forget about spreading lies when spreading muck is so much easier.


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    #69
    Son0vagun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭Son0vagun


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    Essentially yes, I was annoyed that I bought 2 4 packs of beers that I thought were from 2 different companies and to find out that both are from Rye River and both were terrible, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't annoyed, and the whole point of this thread was to see if anyone else was annoyed by this business tactic.

    It's clear that you've been deeply affected by this incident. You might not be dealing with it at an emotional level, and it's subconsciously affecting your day today living. Perhaps you should email Niall, face your Demons head on.

    And we are all here for you buddy.


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    #70
    MichealKenny
    Registered Users Posts: 237 ✭✭MichealKenny


    The Hill Billy wrote: »
    I hate to pop your big balloon of indignation, but did the Tesco Clubcard never cross your mind? A very conceivable way of gathering grade 'A' intelligence on consumer purchases of your product.

    Forget about spreading lies when spreading muck is so much easier.

    Yep, it did cross my mind, and I didn't know that type of analytics was given to producers, I just assumed it was used internally, but please, do provide a source that says the opposite and i'll shut my mouth, also I doubt 100% of people who shop in Tesco use a clubcard, and then there are all the other places they distribute to who have no way of verifying if a customer is a repeat.

    So you have no problem with him saying that the majority of his customers are repeats, but you give me **** over the fact that I called him out on that? even though any source what so ever would solve this completely?
    Son0vagun wrote: »
    It's clear that you've been deeply affected by this incident. You might not be dealing with it at an emotional level, and it's subconsciously affecting your day today living. Perhaps you should email Niall, face your Demons head on.

    And we are all here for you buddy.

    You could have just said you disagreed, I'm totally open to having people change my opinions on things, There was no need to be condescending about it. I was just trying to spark up a bit of discussion about Rye River, my opinion was I didn't like them and I wanted to get the opinion of others.


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    #71
    lk67
    Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭lk67


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    I don't know the solution, so I see no reason in emailing him.

    What needs to be solved? That you don't like those particular beers? There's a very easy solution to that...

    It galls me when people complain about a drink or food product that they simply don't like... I don't like Marmite but I don't think it's badly made or that there's anything wrong with it, it's just not for me. If I thought there was an obvious flaw I'd contact the maker of the product.


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    #72
    MichealKenny
    Registered Users Posts: 237 ✭✭MichealKenny


    lk67 wrote: »
    What needs to be solved? That you don't like those particular beers? There's a very easy solution to that...

    It galls me when people complain about a drink or food product that they simply don't like... I don't like Marmite but I don't think it's badly made or that there's anything wrong with it, it's just not for me. If I thought there was an obvious flaw I'd contact the maker of the product.


    I can understand that, and yeah, you're right. It is all subjective and really I just came here to complain and see if others felt the same way. As for what needs to be solved, again yeah it is subjective, but I think oblivious hit the nail on the head when he said it was probably high filtration causing the issue, and maybe that is also subjective, maybe people prefer highly filtered beer, but I don't and if Rye River ever release a bottle conditioned beer I will genuinely put my expectation bias aside and give the beer a fair shot.


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    #73
    lk67
    Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭lk67


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    I can understand that, and yeah, you're right. It is all subjective and really I just came here to complain and see if others felt the same way. As for what needs to be solved, again yeah it is subjective, but I think oblivious hit the nail on the head when he said it was probably high filtration causing the issue, and maybe that is also subjective, maybe people prefer highly filtered beer, but I don't and if Rye River ever release a bottle conditioned beer I will genuinely put my expectation bias aside and give the beer a fair shot.

    Ah Jebus Michael I'm genuinely beginning to feel sorry for you now. We are giving you a hard time...

    Look, we all say things that we shouldn't and maybe phrase things incorrectly. I know I do!

    Keep trying different beers though and try RRs Grafters range. Just don't compare them to Punk! :) (Bottle condition beers are a different thing really by the way.)

    Keep drinking craft beer - whatever the hell that means!


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    #74
    MichealKenny
    Registered Users Posts: 237 ✭✭MichealKenny


    lk67 wrote: »
    Ah Jebus Michael I'm genuinely beginning to feel sorry for you now. We are giving you a hard time...

    Look, we all say things that we shouldn't and maybe phrase things incorrectly. I know I do!

    Keep trying different beers though and try RRs Grafters range. Just don't compare them to Punk! :) (Bottle condition beers are a different thing really by the way.)

    Keep drinking craft beer - whatever the hell that means!


    Ah don't worry, I have no problem with people giving me **** if I was wrong and they provide sources as to why I was wrong. It's when they give me **** just so they can hop on the bandwagon that I don't appreciate. This is why I usually stick to the IT boards here, nothing subjective about it, you're either right or wrong :P


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    #75
    Son0vagun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭Son0vagun


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    You could have just said you disagreed, I'm totally open to having people change my opinions on things, There was no need to be condescending about it. I was just trying to spark up a bit of discussion about Rye River, my opinion was I didn't like them and I wanted to get the opinion of others.

    First of all look at your OP, and the language you used! You clearly got issues with RR. I've tried and disliked many beers, including RR beers, but never felt the need to go start a thread about them. Why use the term "like the plague"?, if you just wanted people's opinions? You used it because you have deep underlining issues about two beers you didn't like. I mostly try new beers, I have my go to beers. If I don't like a beer, I just move on. There's no point letting it eat at you and ruin your day.

    The hatred for Rye River basically boils down to the usually Irish Begrudgery and jealously.


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    #76
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    Son0vagun wrote: »
    The hatred for Rye River basically boils down to the usually Irish Begrudgery and jealously.

    This aul chestnut, it's a bloody cliche, don't like something you're jealous and begrudging. Bullshít.

    I also didn't like McGargle's when it came out first, with it's fancy packaging and beer that didn't match - all mouth and no trousers essentially was, and still is, my opinion of that particular beer. So much so, that I've also avoided trying anything else from their repertoire, including the ranges produced for Lidl, Dunnes and Tesco.

    And fair enough, as they said themselves
    Our beer is not to everyones taste and I wouldn't want it to be.

    It's pretty precious of them to then send an email to the Boards.ie Office when someone posts that they don't like their beer. Oh boo-hoo - are we only allowed to post positive opinions about products now? Get a grip Rye River, plenty of breweries and beers have been slated over the years - Galway Bay for example got a terrible time of it when they launched first - but you know what they did? They didn't run whinging to the Boards.ie office, they upped their game.

    I do feel I have to say one thing though, in January myself and my friends did a blind tasting of 4 stouts - Guinness Large Bottle, Belfast Black from Whitewater, the Lidl Rye River Stout and our very own homebrew which won a gold at the national championshpis this year.

    The Rye River came out as the preferred stout of the 5 participants - now I'm not often in Lidl, and do most of my beer shopping in specialist off licences, so I don't really have the opportunity to purchase this.


    Finally, this
    and I think it is unfortunate that some of the discussion on boards tries to isolate people for liking beers that other do not.

    is complete bollox.


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    #77
    dregin
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 6,524 Mod ✭✭✭✭dregin


    Their command of the English language is almost as good as the beer they produce. Utterly awful stuff.


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    #78
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,748 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    MichealKenny wrote: »
    Yep, it did cross my mind, and I didn't know that type of analytics was given to producers, I just assumed it was used internally, but please, do provide a source that says the opposite and i'll shut my mouth, also I doubt 100% of people who shop in Tesco use a clubcard, and then there are all the other places they distribute to who have no way of verifying if a customer is a repeat.

    So you have no problem with him saying that the majority of his customers are repeats, but you give me **** over the fact that I called him out on that? even though any source what so ever would solve this completely?
    I have offered a suggestion for a credible source, a very conceivable one at that. I am not claiming it as fact though.

    The onus is on you to back up your claims that he was lying.


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    #79
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,748 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    dregin wrote: »
    Their command of the English language is almost as good as the beer they produce. Utterly awful stuff.

    Take that gripe to Spell Czechs.

    Let's keep this on-topic & stick to opinions of the beer.

    tHB


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    #80
    BaZmO*
    Registered Users Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    Son0vagun wrote: »
    First of all look at your OP, and the language you used! You clearly got issues with RR. I've tried and disliked many beers, including RR beers, but never felt the need to go start a thread about them. Why use the term "like the plague"?, if you just wanted people's opinions? You used it because you have deep underlining issues about two beers you didn't like. I mostly try new beers, I have my go to beers. If I don't like a beer, I just move on. There's no point letting it eat at you and ruin your day.

    The hatred for Rye River basically boils down to the usually Irish Begrudgery and jealously.

    I was with you up until your last sentence.


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    #81
    Son0vagun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭Son0vagun


    BaZmO* wrote: »
    I was with you up until your last sentence.

    Fair enough. But it's the way it comes across. How many people have said that they wouldn't buy a RR beer, however, they did enjoy a particular one when they tasted it. If it's not Begrudgery then it's snobbery. And it does sound like folk begrudge them their supermarket shelf space.


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    #82
    BaZmO*
    Registered Users Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    Son0vagun wrote: »
    Fair enough. But it's the way it comes across. How many people have said that they wouldn't buy a RR beer, however, they did enjoy a particular one when they tasted it. If it's not Begrudgery then it's snobbery. And it does sound like folk begrudge them their supermarket shelf space.

    Begrudge is the wrong word though and I would imagine in this case it's more to do with people scratching their heads about the amount of space they get for average beers, but you could say that about all the macros.

    It always bugs me when people say that any criticism is down to begrudgery.


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    #83
    Son0vagun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭Son0vagun


    Look we all love craft beer. Did we all start out on IPAs, Double IPAs or Imperial whatever's? I for one didn't. I started out on English Ales, there was no Irish craft beer at the time, and to be honest the majority(the English stuff) were terrible. However they where my gateway into craft beer. Everyone needs a gateway! And we are lucky enough to have many fine gateway beers brewed in this country. If we want craft beer to continue on it's rise then we need beer that's, good, reasonable price, easily available for Noobs to discover them. Most noobs come across their first craft brews in the supermarket and I can't think of a better place to start then Rye River, O'Hara's, Brú or whoever else. I for one wish I'd a Irish option back in my early days of drinking craft beer. I don't begrudge anyone their Supermarket shelve space.


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    #84
    BMJD
    Registered Users Posts: 2,694 ✭✭✭BMJD


    Baldy Conscience wrote: »
    It's pretty precious of them to then send an email to the Boards.ie Office when someone posts that they don't like their beer. Oh boo-hoo - are we only allowed to post positive opinions about products now? Get a grip Rye River, plenty of breweries and beers have been slated over the years - Galway Bay for example got a terrible time of it when they launched first - but you know what they did? They didn't run whinging to the Boards.ie office, they upped their game.

    They have every right to contact boards.ie when misinformation is being posted, some of which could be interpreted as allegations of revenue issues regarding his much they are producing, in my opinion.

    I must admit, I've only tried a couple of beers from their range so I can't really comment on their products but at the end of the day they are making a good go of things, employing people and increasing consumer choice. I will pick up some McGargles over the weekend and give them a try, the packaging has until now put me off a bit (and I know I shouldn't do that!).

    The thread title and some comments here are completely over the top, if they were giving yiz the runs like Bulmers pear then fair enough, but they are hardly pushing bottled Ebola on us!


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    #85
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    Ah yes, I also started my craft journey with humble old London Pride from the shelves of Tesco.

    I avoid RR because my first experience with anything from their range was an extremely bad one, that being McGargle's. I've limited money, and I'm not going to go running back to a producer - same with any other new beer on the market really, Irish or not. I'll try it, if it's good I'll get it again, if it's not good I won't, and I won't go near that brewery unless someone can convince me otherwise.

    I actually really want to try their own branded stuff, wasn't one of them a sour?


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    #86
    billythefish99
    Closed Accounts Posts: 92 ✭✭billythefish99


    Son0vagun wrote: »
    Fair enough. But it's the way it comes across. How many people have said that they wouldn't buy a RR beer, however, they did enjoy a particular one when they tasted it. If it's not Begrudgery then it's snobbery. And it does sound like folk begrudge them their supermarket shelf space.

    Theres nothing wrong with 'snobbery' when it comes to buying beer.

    What annoys me is someone who does no research, goes to TESCO of all places, lifts a four pack off the shelf and expects an artisanal high-end beer from a brewer who doesnt even make those claims in the first place. Its ridiculous.

    If you want world class beer, its available here. Of course the same people come on here whinging about the price then.


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    #87
    Son0vagun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭Son0vagun


    Baldy Conscience wrote: »
    i actually really want to try their own branded stuff, wasn't one of them a sour?

    Yea I believe they changed a lot of minds with their beers at one of the festivals earlier in the year. I totally understand not revisiting a brewery that you didn't like in the first place. I do it. I hadn't tried McGargles again after the first time. However, I was lucky enough to spend a day brewing with RR with our local Home Brew club. It was a real eye opener. I got to try lots of their beers and they were all class. We drank a **** load of Cousin Rosie's pale ale and Uncle Jim's Stout and they were both top notch, especially the Stout. Afterwards we all headed to the local bar who had Gargles on tap, and we got stuck in again. Since then I've tried their Solas and Grafters range and can not fault it.


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    #88
    lk67
    Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭lk67


    Baldy Conscience wrote: »
    Galway Bay for example got a terrible time of it when they launched first - but you know what they did? They didn't run whinging to the Boards.ie office, they upped their game.

    But they have changed haven't they? They are now brewed in Kildare and I presume the brewer is different too - like Galway? I tasted the McGargles range when it came out first, and also a couple of months back. They seemed very different to me.
    Baldy Conscience wrote: »
    The Rye River came out as the preferred stout of the 5 participants

    Interesting... but I doubt if this would have been the case if everyone knew it was an RR beer? No?

    It would be interesting to do the same with their other beers.


    I do think the OP was out of line with how he commented, and he's not alone. I still remember someone commenting a while back on one of Black's beers with the sign off 'Avoid.'


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    #89
    Saruman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    Baldy Conscience wrote: »
    It's pretty precious of them to then send an email to the Boards.ie Office when someone posts that they don't like their beer. Oh boo-hoo - are we only allowed to post positive opinions about products now? Get a grip Rye River, plenty of breweries and beers have been slated over the years

    I just felt the need to clarify this bit. Niall didn't come on here to cry about people not liking his beer. He specifically came on here to put a stop to the ridiculous and unfounded claim that they were too big to be considered a micro brewery.
    He said his beer isn't for everyone and doesn't expect only positive feedback.

    In fact, I would go so far as to say that people not liking their beer is something they expect because the McGargles target audience isn't and never was exclusive craft beer drinkers. That's what their other brands like Grafters and Rye River itself are for. This is what he told me when they first launched at the Alltech festival a few years ago. This was before their own brewery was ready and the beer was contract brewed in the UK until their own brewery was ready. At this time, all of the beers were diacetyl bombs and tasted like the fake butter you get on theatre popcorn. Once they moved production to their own brewery, the beer got a lot better.

    Now, moving away from that comment and to this thread in general.
    I'm not a fan of McGargles beer, I tend not to drink it but I will do so from time to time. I don't like the branding and I would rather a more flavoursome beer. However, I see no reason for myself or anyone to attack a company that's doing nothing wrong. They have talented brewers and can produce more flavoursome beer when they choose. To grow their business, they need to concentrate on the brands that sell, their bread and butter if you like. Even Porterhouse couldn't survive if they stopped producing their bland lagers like Temple Brau and Chiller as they account for most of their beer sales. Many craft breweries rely on at least one accessible, unexciting beer to pay the bills so they can continue to experiment and produce fun beer. For Rye River, that's the McGargles brand.
    For New Belgium in Colorado, that's Fat Tire, a pretty bland pale ale to my palate.

    Rye River
    • They are a microbrewery under Irish law.
    • They are considered an Irish Craft Brewery by Beoir as a result.
    • They are not the largest Irish microbrewery.
    • They produce beer that thousands of consumers enjoy every day.

    Nothing more needs to be said about them. If you like it, drink it. If not, there are over 60 other Irish breweries to choose from. I'm sure people can find something they like.


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    #90
    BaZmO*
    Registered Users Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    Son0vagun wrote: »
    Look we all love craft beer. Did we all start out on IPAs, Double IPAs or Imperial whatever's? I for one didn't. I started out on English Ales, there was no Irish craft beer at the time, and to be honest the majority(the English stuff) were terrible. However they where my gateway into craft beer. Everyone needs a gateway! And we are lucky enough to have many fine gateway beers brewed in this country. If we want craft beer to continue on it's rise then we need beer that's, good, reasonable price, easily available for Noobs to discover them. Most noobs come across their first craft brews in the supermarket and I can't think of a better place to start then Rye River, O'Hara's, Brú or whoever else. I for one wish I'd a Irish option back in my early days of drinking craft beer. I don't begrudge anyone their Supermarket shelve space.

    I agree wholeheartedly. There will always be a market for gateway beers as it’s how we all started.

    I was out last Friday with some friends and some friend's of friends in the lovely Shearys off the Crumlin Road. I was surprised to see them all making their way through the different beers that were on offer. These were the same FoF’s that used to give me awful stick at parties for drinking that “weird poncy muck”. But the favourite among most of them was the Guinness Hop House 13. I suppose that was the happy middle ground for them between having a safe Heineken and a 8 Degrees Hurricane or Trouble Graffiti, although I was surprised that they were trying the latter ones.


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    #91
    Mesrine65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,969 ✭✭✭Mesrine65


    lk67 wrote: »
    I don't like Marmite
    :eek:

    @ MichaelKenny... email the guy, you might get a few freebies...win/win :D


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