Heineken Sales Down As Dickheads Migrate To Craft Beers

First Up

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm actually thrilled to bits that there now is a bit more choice in beers.

I'm from a town of 70k inhabitants, which currently is home to 10 breweries. With each village around it having its own 1 or 2 breweries.

Coming to Ireland 12 years ago was odd, I'd never been to a place with so little choice in beers. I could never really fathom that, for people who love their drinks as much as the Irish.

As I said in an earlier post, it mirrors what happened in Britain when the "Real Ale" movement transformed the beer scene - and 99.99% for the better.

DiegoCosta

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm actually thrilled to bits that there now is a bit more choice in beers.

I'm from a town of 70k inhabitants, which currently is home to 10 breweries. With each village around it having its own 1 or 2 breweries.

Coming to Ireland 12 years ago was odd, I'd never been to a place with so little choice in beers. I could never really fathom that, for people who love their drinks as much as the Irish.

The reality is most Irish people loved the effect of alcohol on their mental and emotional state, therefore they didn't care much about the taste or variety of beers.

I think a lot of Irish people are insecure and have rigid narratives in there head of what's normal and what's not. Drinking unknown beers messes with their reality and comfort zone. The narratives in their head from which they draw comfort are threatened, so they mock those who don't fit their narrative to make themselves feel somewhat better.

chrissb8

I worked in an off licence which had over 100 craft beers. Some of the tosh you'd hear people talk about. No clue at all what they were talking about. Talking as if one beer was like a full on michelin star meal with the "flavors" and "textures". All crap. Take this from someone who went through nearly 400 different craft beers over the years. People do indeed like to sound like they are sophisticated in their beer drinking. When in truth craft beer is amazing but it's not vastly different in terms of types across the board. Simply either more bitter or not in the example of ipa's for example. The worst is when a person comes in agonizes over one beer to get for 20 mins (usually a 330ml bottle) and comes upto the counter still eyeing it in uncertainty. Get a grip and stop trying to show me you "care" and are a "big fan" of craft beers. Ooooh you bought one watch out this guy is going to set the world alight maybe we should all get together and watch you take the first sip and wait with anxiety to as to what you're going to think. So yes I do love craft beer I just hate snobs about it.

SEPT 23 1989

Shiraz 4.99 wrote: »

I worked in bars for years, if we ran out of Heineken we'd tap on a barrel of Carlsberg or even Harp back in the day.
Nobody ever noticed, it's all hogwash.

rubbish

anyone who drinks Heineken would know the difference immediately

First Up

chrissb8 wrote: »

I worked in an off licence which had over 100 craft beers. Some of the tosh you'd hear people talk about. No clue at all what they were talking about. Talking as if one beer was like a full on michelin star meal with the "flavors" and "textures". All crap. Take this from someone who went through nearly 400 different craft beers over the years. People do indeed like to sound like they are sophisticated in their beer drinking. When in truth craft beer is amazing but it's not vastly different in terms of types across the board. Simply either more bitter or not in the example of ipa's for example. The worst is when a person comes in agonizes over one beer to get for 20 mins (usually a 330ml bottle) and comes upto the counter still eyeing it in uncertainty. Get a grip and stop trying to show me you "care" and are a "big fan" of craft beers. Ooooh you bought one watch out this guy is going to set the world alight maybe we should all get together and watch you take the first sip and wait with anxiety to as to what you're going to think. So yes I do love craft beer I just hate snobs about it.

Nice attitude to the people paying your wages. Sounds like you really enjoyed your job. I note that you are not in it anymore. Probably a good thing. I hope your new career is more fulfilling but I hope for everyone's sake it isn't a customer facing role.

Someone who buys Budweiser because he thinks it makes him look or feel American is as deserving of your contempt as someone who has at least thought about what they are going to drink.

Yarf Yarf

I don't know why anyone would have a problem with the popularity of craft beers. Surely the growing industry and the variety that comes with it can only be a good thing? I'm not a beer drinker myself, but I don't know why anyone keen on beer wouldn't want to give a few of the craft beers a go. It's just this need to dismiss anyone who likes anything a bit 'different', this attitude of 'sure, why would you be doing that? Just be happy with what you have!' If you like mass produced beer, fine, but I don't understand the need to take the piss out of anyone who tries something new.

First Up

Yarf Yarf wrote: »

I don't know why anyone would have a problem with the popularity of craft beers. Surely the growing industry and the variety that comes with it can only be a good thing? I'm not a beer drinker myself, but I don't know why anyone keen on beer wouldn't want to give a few of the craft beers a go. It's just this need to dismiss anyone who likes anything a bit 'different', this attitude of 'sure, why would you be doing that? Just be happy with what you have!' If you like mass produced beer, fine, but I don't understand the need to take the piss out of anyone who tries something new.

Insecurity and inferiority complex most likely.

Beefy78

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

rubbish

anyone who drinks Heineken would know the difference immediately

I'd probably assume it is just a bad pint tbh.

Grandeeod

Luke92 wrote: »

I love the local beer in Tenerife (Dorada). Very nice stuff! I also like Alhambra.

Alhambra is very underrated. People assume that when they see a pint of it priced at 1.50 or as low as 1 euro in some places, it must be dirt.

Founded in 1925 in the Andelucia region of Southern Spain in the ancient city of Granada, Cervezas Alhambra beers are artisanal beers produced in the craftsman style. These products are 100% natural with no chemical or artificial additives with water from the surrounding snow-capped mountain range known as the Sierra Nevada—the purest in Spain. Many Spaniards regard Alhambra beers as being Spain’s finest!

The Reserva 1925 is a particularly good bottle of beer.

anncoates

chrissb8 wrote: »

I worked in an off licence which had over 100 craft beers. Some of the tosh you'd hear people talk about. No clue at all what they were talking about. Talking as if one beer was like a full on michelin star meal with the "flavors" and "textures". All crap. Take this from someone who went through nearly 400 different craft beers over the years. People do indeed like to sound like they are sophisticated in their beer drinking. When in truth craft beer is amazing but it's not vastly different in terms of types across the board. Simply either more bitter or not in the example of ipa's for example. The worst is when a person comes in agonizes over one beer to get for 20 mins (usually a 330ml bottle) and comes upto the counter still eyeing it in uncertainty. Get a grip and stop trying to show me you "care" and are a "big fan" of craft beers. Ooooh you bought one watch out this guy is going to set the world alight maybe we should all get together and watch you take the first sip and wait with anxiety to as to what you're going to think. So yes I do love craft beer I just hate snobs about it.

Remind me to slap the sulky looking shop assistant when I'm choosing some beers later.

Icyseanfitz

wychwood ginger beard beer is some lovely stuff.....although ive recently started growing my beard and its ginger hmmmmm.

i love trying different types of beer, just like i like to try different types of food and activities, id be bored of my socks otherwise

Shakespeare's Sister

Yarf Yarf wrote: »

I don't know why anyone would have a problem with the popularity of craft beers. Surely the growing industry and the variety that comes with it can only be a good thing? I'm not a beer drinker myself, but I don't know why anyone keen on beer wouldn't want to give a few of the craft beers a go. It's just this need to dismiss anyone who likes anything a bit 'different', this attitude of 'sure, why would you be doing that? Just be happy with what you have!' If you like mass produced beer, fine, but I don't understand the need to take the piss out of anyone who tries something new.

Big time.

If people blather on about how superior they are because they drink craft beer, they deserve to be criticised for that, but in my experience, people who talk about those types far outnumber actual people like that.
Sometimes even just drinking craft beer alone in and of itself is deemed as snobbery.
The anti hipster thing, while justifiable sometimes IMO, has brought with it a whole load of reverse snobbery.

my friend

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

I'll stick to the bulmers.

No, it will stick to you..

raze_them_all_

Kilkenny has a lovely little craft pub right across from the old smithwicks site, has a lovely drink called kentucky burbon ale....might actually have one on my walk home later

Grandeeod

IMO the Craft Beer thing is about trying something new and I've no problem with that. Exploring different things makes life interesting.

My old local in Ireland completely reinvented itself by introducing a large selection of craft beers and some really nice meals to comliment them. For example, Pan Seared Wicklow Pheasant, Braised Red Cabbage, Roast Red Wine Jus, Creamed Mash
Perfect with... Ginger Porter by the Rascal Brewing Co.
or
Fillet Steak, Roasted Thyme Baby Potato, Sautéed Onion & Mushroom, Peppercorn Sauce
Goes well with... O'Hara's Irish Dry Stout, Bagnelstown.

If you want your mass produced lagers and a Sunday Carvery, you can still have it. But it was nice to see a boozer offer something different aswell.

Egginacup

somesoldiers wrote: »

any craft beer I have tasted was muck, some from Trim in some place on Dorset street, a few in Brew Dock on Amiens Street, wouldn't be rushing back to either place and only went in coz of a work thing- or maybe I just have no taste

I agree. Most of these fcuking craft beers all taste like hops....like they couldn't manage to refine the taste. While Bud and Coors and Miller are sh!t most mainstream Euro beers are decent. Perlenbacher from Lidl is damn good.

AnonoBoy

Obviously not all craft beers are great but I find there's plenty out there that taste nicer than the standard beers we were served for decades and a lot of them are stronger too.

I couldn't give two f*cks if some git who isn't adventurous enough to try anything different thinks I'm "trying to be cool" by drinking it.

Zubeneschamali

Shenshen wrote: »

I could never really fathom that, for people who love their drinks as much as the Irish.

If you look at the OS maps from 100-120 years ago, there were breweries, large and small, all over the place.

Guinness crushed them all long ago.

Dyr

This is how I feel about the craft beer revolution


http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/55559860.jpg

Shakespeare's Sister

Egginacup wrote: »

While Bud and Coors and Miller are sh!t most mainstream Euro beers are decent. Perlenbacher from Lidl is damn good.

+1
If looking for good beers, I suggest east of the Danube and you're home. Asian beers too IMO.
The craft beer thing is making people aware of those European beers though also, so it's a great thing I think.
Some craft beers taste bloody awful to me, but some... well you'd never drink another Bud/Coors again.

Shenshen

Egginacup wrote: »

I agree. Most of these fcuking craft beers all taste like hops....like they couldn't manage to refine the taste. While Bud and Coors and Miller are sh!t most mainstream Euro beers are decent. Perlenbacher from Lidl is damn good.

I think that's down to individual taste. My OH loves hops, I'd prefer a beer with a more malty taste.

It's a good thing we both get what we like these days

Ziphius

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

If you look at the OS maps from 100-120 years ago, there were breweries, large and small, all over the place.

Guinness crushed them all long ago.

I never understand how Irish people have such loyalty to a company which, basically, destroyed the country's brewing tradition.

suicide_circus

Some craft beers are so over hopped as to be nearly undrinkable. The inclusion of belgian trappist ales, german weissbiers and kölsches and czech pilsners under the catchall "craft" title is also more than a little misleading. These are beers that are anything but newfangled and in many cases predate your heinekens and guinnesses by centuries.

Egginacup

Molester Stallone II wrote: »

Gorgeous stuff if you can get it!

And what the fuck is "hand-crafted" ale?

Some clown cut the wheat/malt/barley by himself and then pulverised it between his shovel hands? Then went to the spring and brought back handfuls of water and mixed it in a bowl with yeast (that he hand gathered)?

The fucking label on that bottle probably wasn't even applied "by hand"

raze_them_all_

Ziphius wrote: »

I never understand how Irish people have such loyalty to a company which, basically, destroyed the country's brewing tradition.

The loyal fanbase is to put it nicely, dying off. You very rarely get 18-30 year olds coming in for the black stuff

Frank Lee Midere

Shakespeare's Sister wrote: »

Big time.

If people blather on about how superior they are because they drink craft beer, they deserve to be criticised for that, but in my experience, people who talk about those types far outnumber actual people like that.
Sometimes even just drinking craft beer alone in and of itself is deemed as snobbery.
The anti hipster thing, while justifiable sometimes IMO, has brought with it a whole load of reverse snobbery.

Indeed, ask an iPhone user.

The problem I have with one of my craft beer drinking friends is he does fit the cliche: poo-pooing all non craft beers, calling us peasants ( unironically ironically), and drinking any old muck which is labelled craft.

But the new choice is none the less good. I too like O'Haras,Dungarven and others.

Sometimes I want a bland beer and less discussion of the actual beers though. Lets sit back and watch the game.

drkpower

First Up wrote: »

A lot depends on availability and especially on tap. Draft Guinness is ubiquitous, nothing else is that widely available. If I visit Porterhouse or similar I'm happy to experiment but in your average local, what are the choices?

Fair point, although that is changing (slowly).

But a good many off licences now have a very good selection so there is no excuse for not trying them that way. If you love one stout, its madness not to want to see what else is out there of the same type.

Frank Lee Midere

Egginacup wrote: »

I agree. Most of these fcuking craft beers all taste like hops....like they couldn't manage to refine the taste.

You gotta love hops to love most craft for sure. It seems like a re-action to the "bland" taste of normal lager, but surely getting rid of the hoppy taste, or modulating it, is part of the skill. Hops are hardly something we would choose to flavour anything else with.

Yarf Yarf

Shakespeare's Sister wrote: »

Big time.

If people blather on about how superior they are because they drink craft beer, they deserve to be criticised for that, but in my experience, people who talk about those types far outnumber actual people like that.
Sometimes even just drinking craft beer alone in and of itself is deemed as snobbery.
The anti hipster thing, while justifiable sometimes IMO, has brought with it a whole load of reverse snobbery.

Oh, sure. If you only drink something so you can look down on others and go on about how much more knowledgeable you are about beer just cos you drink craft beers then you should be criticized. But in my experience those types don't exist to the extent that justifies the backlash. A couple of my friends like beer and enjoy trying the different craft types, but they enjoy cos they enjoy it, and it's only recently that it has become easier to try them, due to the surge in popularity. I think it's great that they're getting a chance to drink something unusual that they've never drank before. I like wine so I've always had that luxury. It's nice that other drinks are getting that variety now too.

AnonoBoy

suicide_circus wrote: »

Some craft beers are so over hopped as to be nearly undrinkable. The inclusion of belgian trappist ales, german weissbiers and kölsches and czech pilsners under the catchall "craft" title is also more than a little misleading. These are beers that are anything but newfangled and in many cases predate your heinekens and guinnesses by centuries.

But craft refers to the amount of the beer that's produced as opposed to it being new, doesn't it?

In the states Sam Adams lobbied to have the amount increased so they could legally still call themselves a craft brewery.