Diageo rigged micro-brewers award.

skoomi · 09-05-2012 06:32PM #1

Scummy tactics:

Drinks giant Diageo apologises over rigged beer award

Diageo brands include Guinness, Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky

Drinks giant Diageo has apologised after admitting a "serious misjudgement" over the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) awards.

Diageo staff allegedly told BII Scotland to change one of the winners at their annual event, or risk losing Diageo sponsorship in future years.

The winner of the 'Bar Operator of the Year' award - Aberdeenshire-based BrewDog - was subsequently changed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18005851

The story from BrewDog themselves:

http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/diageo-v-brewdog

EDIT: Fixed link.

Phill Ewinn · 09-05-2012 06:35PM

I'll accept an apology if it comes with free beer.

Biggins · 09-05-2012 06:37PM

Why was he selected for change in particular?
Was he a upcoming threat to them?

Micro brewery's are an upcoming thing, even in Ireland. See: http://www.beoir.org/
Diageo must be quietly worried.

Disgusting blackmailing behaviour by the way, by them.

Birneybau · 09-05-2012 06:56PM

Stinks alright, like a Guinness fart.

Sindri · 09-05-2012 07:01PM

skoomi wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18006291

Something wrong with your link.

Are you in any way affiliated with BrewDog?

Biggins · 09-05-2012 07:07PM

Sindri wrote: »

Something wrong with your link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18005851

Sindri · 09-05-2012 07:08PM

Biggins wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18005851

Thanks.

I'll buy you a pint of Diageo.

TPD · 09-05-2012 07:09PM

Disgusting behaviour. Hopefully the craft brewing culture continues to grow. Would be great to have small town breweries in Ireland, competing for county and national awards each season / year etc. Also, to have Diagio out of small pubs and have some proper choice on a night out.

Biggins · 09-05-2012 07:16PM

TPD wrote: »

Disgusting behaviour. Hopefully the craft brewing culture continues to grow. Would be great to have small town breweries in Ireland, competing for county and national awards each season / year etc. Also, to have Diagio out of small pubs and have some proper choice on a night out.

If you go to http://www.beoir.org/ you will find there is many places now in Ireland that are specialising and making their own brew.
In central Dublin alone judging by the graph on the website above, there seems to be a good few in the city capital centre.

I have no objections to supporting new Irish Irish businesses like this.

(At least that my excuse I'm telling the other half, for popping out for a swift one!)

Big Nasty · 09-05-2012 07:17PM

Great growth of craft breweries here, over 20 domestic on the island of Ireland now plus a growing interest in speiclaity beers. Last year Diageo brought out Smithwicks Pale Ale 'Craft Beer' in response to the growth of the craft beer scene here.

The above article is obviously poor form by Diagep but the result will be a positive increase in knowledge / interest in craft beers as the subject is given international coverage.

Big Nasty · 09-05-2012 07:21PM

Biggins wrote: »

If you go to http://www.beoir.org/ you will find there is many places now in Ireland that are specialising and making their own brew.
In central Dublin alone judging by the graph on the website above, there seems to be a good few in the city capital centre.

I have no objections to supporting new Irish Irish businesses like this.

(At least that my excuse I'm telling the other half, for popping out for a swift one!)

Nearly all the craft breweries are outside Dublin but the highest demand / largest amount of pubs specialising in craft beer would be in Dublin.

There's growth in most other cities though for sure. Mostly a per capita thing though.

Biggins · 09-05-2012 07:24PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Nearly all the craft breweries are outside Dublin but the highest demand / largest amount of pubs specialising in craft beer would be in Dublin.

There's growth in most other cities though for sure. Mostly a per capita thing though.

Fingers crossed it might turn into a good little earner/industry countrywide.

Big Nasty · 09-05-2012 07:33PM

Biggins wrote: »

Fingers crossed it might turn into a good little earner/industry countrywide.

It is already - the growth over the last few years proves same. It's slowed a little this year but over the last few years there's been 2-3 craft berweries opening here each year. They're mostly 2-4 man shows so distribution is an issue. Most supply locally and to the growing number of pubs in Dublin specialising in craft beer also.

nlgbbbblth · 09-05-2012 07:38PM

Deplorable behaviour from Diageo. Trying to get craft beers outside Dublin isn't easy. Off licences have some decent stuff but the vast majority of pubs have a rubbish selection.

Sindri · 09-05-2012 07:44PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

It is already - the growth over the last few years proves same. It's slowed a little this year but over the last few years there's been 2-3 craft berweries opening here each year. They're mostly 2-4 man shows so distribution is an issue. Most supply locally and to the growing number of pubs in Dublin specialising in craft beer also.

Aye, especially since Diageo control most of the distribution to pubs around Ireland.

Biggins · 09-05-2012 07:45PM

Fair play to the people that refused to take the award.
They knew who really deserved it.

Big Nasty · 09-05-2012 07:47PM

I don't want to see this thread moved to Beers / Wine / Spirits as it won't give the same coverage to domestic, Irish owned business' and of course good beer but for anyone interested you will find numerous conversations in relation to craft and 'proper' beer on that forum to include locations to find same.

beoir is even more informative but a bit more geared to the beer entusiast as opposed to the beginner.

Big Nasty · 09-05-2012 07:49PM

Sindri wrote: »

Aye, especially since Diageo control most of the distribution to pubs around Ireland.

Diageo only distribute their draught beer and spirits directly - everything else comes from wholesalers. Craft brewers usually distribute themselves.

Zebra3 · 09-05-2012 07:51PM

Suicidal stuff from Diageo.

But unsurprising. :rolleyes:

skoomi · 09-05-2012 08:17PM

Diageo's official response, fairly shyte.

“There was a serious misjudgement by Diageo staff at the awards dinner on Sunday evening in relation to the Bar Operator of the Year Award, which does not reflect in anyway Diageo’s corporate values and behaviour.

“We would like to apologise unreservedly to Brewdog and to the British Institute of Innkeeping for this error of judgement and we will be contacting both organisations imminently to express our regret for this unfortunate incident.”

So was it the fault of the lowly staff in the field? Surely a decision of this nature would have come from way up.

Tis fairly shocking stuff. Twitter is in bits with talk about this, the hash tag is #andthewinnerisnot

Sarky · 09-05-2012 08:21PM

I've given up on Diageo brands. Mostly because compared to newcomers like Brew Dog, their beers taste like a hamster's arse.

AnonoBoy · 09-05-2012 08:26PM

Brew Dog make some great beers so they do!

Glad to see Diageo being shown up for the useless, bullying bunch of pr*cks that they are.

ScumLord · 09-05-2012 08:32PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Last year Diageo brought out Smithwicks Pale Ale 'Craft Beer' in response to the growth of the craft beer scene here.

I tried that pale ale and it was lovely, can't find it anywhere since though, there are signs everywhere but no beer left.

skoomi wrote: »

Diageo's official response, fairly shyte.

So was it the fault of the lowly staff in the field? Surely a decision of this nature would have come from way up.

That's how corporations work, they fob off blame onto some employee and carry on as normal. Corporations are never accountable.

Just bought a load of O' Hara's beer, with the thread about ale earlier I had a lip on me for booze. Their all lovely so far.

Baneblade · 09-05-2012 08:32PM

They also said the new "winner" refused to accept the trophy as it already had "BrewDog" engraved on it.

lol they could have at least whipped out a key and tried to hide the name a bit

Big Nasty · 09-05-2012 08:41PM

ScumLord wrote: »

I tried that pale ale and it was lovely, can't find it anywhere since though, there are signs everywhere but no beer left.

Just bought a load of O' Hara's beer, with the thread about ale earlier I had a lip on me for booze. Their all lovely so far.

Smithwicks Pale Ale isn't bad but comes nowhere near any 'proper' pale ale or any other speciality / craft beer I know.

O' Hara's are one of the major success stories of Irish craft beer and do very well in the US.

dan1895 · 09-05-2012 08:48PM

Intending to head down to the Carlow Brewing Co soon and stock up on the various types of O'Hara's. I've heard you can get it off them direct at a very good price.

Micky Dolenz · 09-05-2012 08:51PM

Sarky wrote: »

I've given up on Diageo brands. Mostly because compared to newcomers like Brew Dog, their beers taste like a hamster's arse.

Eewww, you've tasted a hamster's hole. :pac:

ScumLord · 09-05-2012 08:55PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

O' Hara's are one of the major success stories of Irish craft beer and do very well in the US.

Just finished a bottle of leann follain, love chocolatey stouts.

Bottles of guniness stout are really nice, it's many times better than the stuff out of the tap, I'd drink it if they served it in pubs.

Sarky · 09-05-2012 08:57PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Eewww, you've tasted a hamster's hole. :pac:

Tastes kinda like chicken.

Sweaty, sweaty chicken.

bgrizzley · 09-05-2012 09:10PM

i drink Guinness, but havin a think about this, ive decided, i wont anymore. fcuk you Diageo and your too cold stout. New day.........

120_Minutes · 09-05-2012 09:13PM

I'm lead to believe that this type of behaviour is nothing new from Diageo, only this time they were caught.

Delighted.

Diageo rigged micro-brewers award.

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