I'm not interested in answering Mark's call, I think I've already made myself clear enough in the comments. But still, the following is inspired by the topic he proposed, but also by Barm's excellent response and today's totally unrelated post by Alan.
This isn't a new topic, either, it's something that it's already been discussed a number of times in this and other blogs, but if you don't mind, I'd like to get back on the subject (and if you do mind, well, the problem is yours, really).
How many times have we heard or read that this or that brewer/brewery makes their beers with passion, love, that they are not after the money, that they are fulfilling a childhood's dream, that they want to change the world one pint at a time, that they brew because they want to make the world a happier place, that each one of the bottles that comes out of their breweries is like their own child, and other similar things as if any of that was important?
Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see people that are successful doing something they love, it is inspiring. But let's be real, that success has little to do with their passion, brewing is not an art form, it is a business.
Passion could serve well as an emotional reserve when things aren't going too well, but real success depends on other factors: proficiency, professionalism, seriousness, business talent, knowledge of the market, determination to do things well and respect for the consumer, specially for small brewers. Foster's can afford treating people as fools because they know full well that their target consumer buys a brand and not a beer, and those who buy only brands are fools to begin with. Yeah, there are those who buy the "craft beer" brand, but the owners of micro-breweries should assume their consumers are people who want to drink beer, and beer that is good and not "Gourmet", "Innovative", "Boutique" or any of those bollocks.
So. Hail those who brew for money! Hail those who've set up a brewery because they saw in it a good business! I wish all of them success and riches, if you know how to do things well, that is, otherwise, you can fuck yourselves like everyone else.
Na Zdraví!
Reserve yourPrague hotel and win a walking tour.
This isn't a new topic, either, it's something that it's already been discussed a number of times in this and other blogs, but if you don't mind, I'd like to get back on the subject (and if you do mind, well, the problem is yours, really).
How many times have we heard or read that this or that brewer/brewery makes their beers with passion, love, that they are not after the money, that they are fulfilling a childhood's dream, that they want to change the world one pint at a time, that they brew because they want to make the world a happier place, that each one of the bottles that comes out of their breweries is like their own child, and other similar things as if any of that was important?
Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see people that are successful doing something they love, it is inspiring. But let's be real, that success has little to do with their passion, brewing is not an art form, it is a business.
Passion could serve well as an emotional reserve when things aren't going too well, but real success depends on other factors: proficiency, professionalism, seriousness, business talent, knowledge of the market, determination to do things well and respect for the consumer, specially for small brewers. Foster's can afford treating people as fools because they know full well that their target consumer buys a brand and not a beer, and those who buy only brands are fools to begin with. Yeah, there are those who buy the "craft beer" brand, but the owners of micro-breweries should assume their consumers are people who want to drink beer, and beer that is good and not "Gourmet", "Innovative", "Boutique" or any of those bollocks.
So. Hail those who brew for money! Hail those who've set up a brewery because they saw in it a good business! I wish all of them success and riches, if you know how to do things well, that is, otherwise, you can fuck yourselves like everyone else.
Na Zdraví!
Reserve yourPrague hotel and win a walking tour.
Wholeheartedly agree.
ReplyDeleteLove don't pay the mortgage.
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