Dick Knights Mumm
Take me Home Falmer Road
We are going up to Edinburgh in February. A pint in their pub looks to be a treat.
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
Brewdog: F**k the banks
- Thread starter Herr Tubthumper
- Start date
Dandyman
In London village.
Brewdog - f*ck Diageo - BrewDog bites back at Diageos tactics - FT.com
- Thread starter
- #24
Thanks for this. Can you paste the article please? I do not seem to be able to view it unless I subscribe.
BrewDog bites back at Diageo’s tactics
Diageo, the world’s biggest distiller, was on the receiving end of a torrent of wrath on Twitter after blocking an award to feisty independent brewer BrewDog.
The David and Goliath spat, which pits the maker of Johnnie Walker whiskey and Smirnoff vodka against a Scottish upstart that raises capital from its own drinkers, began in Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel on Sunday.
BrewDog had expected to carry off first prize at the industry’s annual awards dinner, sponsored by Diageo. The trophy even had the company’s name engraved on it.
However, as guests sat down to dinner Diageo staff approached the organisers and threatened to withdraw future sponsorship if the prize went to BrewDog.
The distiller was forced into a humiliating apology on Wednesday after the brouhaha went viral and drinkers from as far afield as Chile and China vowed never to touch a Diageo drink again.
The company, with net sales of £10bn last year, admitted to “a serious misjudgment by Diageo staff”.
A spokesman said: “We would like to apologise unreservedly to BrewDog and to the British Institute of Innkeeping for this error of judgment and we will be contacting both organisations imminently to express our regret for this unfortunate incident.”
BII Scotland, organisers of the event, were not available for comment. But the organisation’s chairman, Kenny Mitchell, told BrewDog: “We are all ashamed and embarrassed about what happened.”
BrewDog, which has turnover of £12m, said it was “gobsmacked” by Diageo’s tactics.
“This is clear evidence of the dirty tricks used by global corporations to derail young competitors they fear,” said James Watt, who cofounded BrewDog in 2007. “This is another clear indication that some organisations feel they are big enough to be kingmakers, controllers of everyone else’s fate.”
He said the “only plausible conclusion” to explain the blocked prize was a vested interest in making sure small companies such as BrewDog were not successful. BrewDog brews craft ale and has seven of its own bars which do not serve non-craft beers such as Diageo’s Guinness.
Tweeters took up the cudgels after BrewDog published a blog post berating the behaviour of big corporations and vowing to steer clear of Diageo’s stable of drinks. Diageo is itself a big user of social media for advertising and promotion.
However, not winning the trophy might have left BrewDog holding the bigger prize.
As Gary Kelly tweeted: “Very poor form from Diageo for sabotaging an indie award show. A marketing dream gifted to BrewDog though!”
People tagged their Twitter postings #AndTheWinnerIsNot to poke fun at Diageo.
BrewDog said in October it was opening a £7m facility and five new craft beer bars, after funding the expansion largely through its customers. So-called fanvestors poured almost £2m into the brewer’s coffers through its “equity for punks” online share offer, it said at the time.
Diageo, the world’s biggest distiller, was on the receiving end of a torrent of wrath on Twitter after blocking an award to feisty independent brewer BrewDog.
The David and Goliath spat, which pits the maker of Johnnie Walker whiskey and Smirnoff vodka against a Scottish upstart that raises capital from its own drinkers, began in Glasgow’s Grand Central Hotel on Sunday.
BrewDog had expected to carry off first prize at the industry’s annual awards dinner, sponsored by Diageo. The trophy even had the company’s name engraved on it.
However, as guests sat down to dinner Diageo staff approached the organisers and threatened to withdraw future sponsorship if the prize went to BrewDog.
The distiller was forced into a humiliating apology on Wednesday after the brouhaha went viral and drinkers from as far afield as Chile and China vowed never to touch a Diageo drink again.
The company, with net sales of £10bn last year, admitted to “a serious misjudgment by Diageo staff”.
A spokesman said: “We would like to apologise unreservedly to BrewDog and to the British Institute of Innkeeping for this error of judgment and we will be contacting both organisations imminently to express our regret for this unfortunate incident.”
BII Scotland, organisers of the event, were not available for comment. But the organisation’s chairman, Kenny Mitchell, told BrewDog: “We are all ashamed and embarrassed about what happened.”
BrewDog, which has turnover of £12m, said it was “gobsmacked” by Diageo’s tactics.
“This is clear evidence of the dirty tricks used by global corporations to derail young competitors they fear,” said James Watt, who cofounded BrewDog in 2007. “This is another clear indication that some organisations feel they are big enough to be kingmakers, controllers of everyone else’s fate.”
He said the “only plausible conclusion” to explain the blocked prize was a vested interest in making sure small companies such as BrewDog were not successful. BrewDog brews craft ale and has seven of its own bars which do not serve non-craft beers such as Diageo’s Guinness.
Tweeters took up the cudgels after BrewDog published a blog post berating the behaviour of big corporations and vowing to steer clear of Diageo’s stable of drinks. Diageo is itself a big user of social media for advertising and promotion.
However, not winning the trophy might have left BrewDog holding the bigger prize.
As Gary Kelly tweeted: “Very poor form from Diageo for sabotaging an indie award show. A marketing dream gifted to BrewDog though!”
People tagged their Twitter postings #AndTheWinnerIsNot to poke fun at Diageo.
BrewDog said in October it was opening a £7m facility and five new craft beer bars, after funding the expansion largely through its customers. So-called fanvestors poured almost £2m into the brewer’s coffers through its “equity for punks” online share offer, it said at the time.
- Thread starter
- #27
Cheers.
I always chuckle when people say "an error of judgement." It translates as "got caught."
I always chuckle when people say "an error of judgement." It translates as "got caught."
house your seagull
Train à Grande Vitesse
Brewdog make beer for Tesco, so not always flying the indie flag.
They've just opened a bar in Manchester, very confident, fast expansion from them.
They've just opened a bar in Manchester, very confident, fast expansion from them.
Tony Towner's Fridge
Well-known member
Great story up here about Brewdog and Diageo.
Diageo issues apology to Brewdog following bar awards debacle - Features - Scotsman.com
Says it all about companies like Diageo really doesn't it?
Vive les independentes! Hic!
TNBA
TTF
Diageo issues apology to Brewdog following bar awards debacle - Features - Scotsman.com
Says it all about companies like Diageo really doesn't it?
Vive les independentes! Hic!
TNBA
TTF
- Thread starter
- #31
Make beer? Or sell some of their Punk IPA through Tesco?
Make beer - I checked it out. Seems Tesco Finest American Double IPA is a re-labelled Brewdog Hardcore IPA.
- Thread starter
- #33
Oh, okay. I didnt know that. I must say at 9.2% it is a bit above my tolerance level. I clearly do not have any celtic genes.
- Thread starter
- #34
How bizarre. I have just had a knock on the door and took in a delivery of 3 bottles from the 'Innovative and conceptual' Brewdog Abstrakt range.....at an eye watering 17.1%. I got a free year's membership of thier 'Abstrakt Addikts' premium beer club due to my recent investment. I completely forgot about this. Weird.
Uncle Buck
Ghost Writer
- Jul 7, 2003
- 28,071
Did anyone go to the Brew Dog pub in Nottingham?
Was underwhelmed by the whole experience.
Was underwhelmed by the whole experience.
Only been to Camden. Depends what you want, but I found a nice chilled out enviroment, good beer and cracking burgers! Sure the whole marketing hype could over-hype it for some I imagine, but I thought it was decent enough
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
If giant brewers like Diageo (makers of Guinness, Red Stripe, Kilkenny, etc) spent half as much on developing a good product as they do on marketing what they have, then they wouldn't need to worry about trying to undermine the opposition.
Uncle Buck
Ghost Writer
- Jul 7, 2003
- 28,071
The staff did not help, but for all the hype of the place it was not that great.
- Thread starter
- #39
I heard about your experience and given I sing their praises regularly I felt let down; the bar guy sounds a right tool.
Uncle Buck
Ghost Writer
- Jul 7, 2003
- 28,071
The line, "you are here to enjoy the beer, not have fun", did it for me.