I Hate "handcrafted Ales"

[sinkas]

I jsut want to publicly stete that the next time I see anything purporting "Handcrafted Ales" I am going to do some serious ranting.
It is the most apathetic clice in craftbrewing, and I wish craftbrewers would employ someone with a brain to think of somthing new to call them.

Hand-crafted-my-ass

 

[chillamacgilla73]

If only the marketing dept would get their hand off it hey?

True though, handcrafted does seem to be the staple craftbrewed beer description.

While we are on rants....I am all for using natural products and minimising artificial additives etc but the over use of natural n natural sourced etc etc is BS - doesn't neccessarily mean its definatley good! h34r: Botulism, ring worms, oleander, anthrax, herpes, clamidya etc are all natural too...dont see anyone banging their drum?

Apologies for the mini thread hijack...

 

[randyrob]

is hand cranked ok kase?

i still use a phil-mill thats not motorised

i was at a antique & craft show on the weekend and everything was "handcrafted"

 

[devo]

sook alert!

 

[user 1153]

clice

what is a "clice"??

I've never heard that terminology before?

Edit: I do agree with what I think you are saying though.

 

[enoch]

what is a "clice"??

I've never heard that terminology before?

Edit: I do agree with what I think you are saying though.

Probably a clich by another spelling.

 

[user 1153]

Probably a clich by another spelling.

Aaaah classic, his comment makes sense now.
I was trying to think of some brewing term that rhymed with "slice"

 

[Barry]

Good Day
I drag out the malt bags, the mill etc by hand. I fill the HLT's my hand. I fill the mash tuns my hand, etc etc. I don't have time to have my hand on it because they are too busy making ales and lagers by hand.
All my beers are made by hand, not a pump in sight or on site.
So, therefore, they are hand crafted.

 

[Jazzafish]

sook alert!

View attachment 14630

GOLD!!! :lol:

 

[blackbock]

I think it depends on who is making that claim: homebrewers have more right to claim handcrafting than, say, a microbrewery that makes thousands of litres each year.

 

[joecast]

spelling and sooking aside, if you see "boutique beer" mentioned anywhere, you have my permission to rant on my behalf. cheers.
joe

 

[devo]

spelling and sooking aside, if you see "boutique beer" mentioned anywhere, you have my permission to rant on my behalf. cheers.
joe

I thought "boutique beer" was what men were allowed to drink when forced to endure clothes shopping with wives or girlfriends?

 

[bugwan]

I have a mate who 'handcrafts' his own websites for a living (his words)... I think it's a pretty reasonable descriptor for homebrewing.

I agree with the 'boutique' naysayers though...not a fan. If only Michael Jackson (Beer Hunter) hadn't coined it, I've loved everything else he's done for the industry...

 

[jayse]

'handcrafted by the coopers family' is a classic.

'Engineered by technicians hired by coopers management'.... maybe doesn't have the market appeal. :lol:

 

[tangent]

i always thought if you hand crank your mill, you deserve a smiley stamp and can call it hand crafted. If you use a mash paddle instead of a stirrer, it's hand crafted. That's the angle I'd use. The whole theme is anti-homogonisation and anti-globalisation. That's the marketing angle they're taking with these, but as Jayse points out so eloquently,

'Engineered by technicians hired by coopers management'

is probably closer to the truth.

 

[beersom]

I think it depends on who is making that claim: homebrewers have more right to claim handcrafting than, say, a microbrewery that makes thousands of litres each year.

The beers I make at the brewery are just as handcrafted as the beers I make at home. The only difference is 980 litres. I even stir the mash by hand !!! Yep, no mash agitator here. I empty the mash tun by crawling in and bucketing it out by hand. I clean the fermenters by hand. etc etc etc..........
It is hand crafted.
The same goes for MANY small breweries.

Although I will agree that it is a often used cliche.

The one I hate is 'Premium'. People come in and ask me if I make a 'Premium' draught beer. I reply - all our beers are premium and they are all available on draught. They generally look at me confused ....so I explain it for them.

 

[user 1153]

The one I hate is 'Premium'. People come in and ask me if I make a 'Premium' draught beer. I reply - all our beers are premium and they are all available on draught. They generally look at me confused ....so I explain it for them.

LOL classic. So typical of this megaswill fuelled society. They probably also ask if you have a "Blonde" thinking that it might be a low carb beer.

 

[domonsura]

LOL classic. So typical of this megaswill fuelled society. They probably also ask if you have a "Blonde" thinking that it might be a low carb beer.

Not low in carbs, just low in IQ..

 

[barfridge]

The beers I make at the brewery are just as handcrafted as the beers I make at home. The only difference is 980 litres. I even stir the mash by hand !!! Yep, no mash agitator here. I empty the mash tun by crawling in and bucketing it out by hand. I clean the fermenters by hand. etc etc etc..........
It is hand crafted.
The same goes for MANY small breweries.

Although I will agree that it is a often used cliche.

The one I hate is 'Premium'. People come in and ask me if I make a 'Premium' draught beer. I reply - all our beers are premium and they are all available on draught. They generally look at me confused ....so I explain it for them.

You're obviously missing out on a marketing opportunity. Take your bog stock lager, but it in a bottle with a fancy label, or use a fancier label on the tap at the bar, jack up the price and presto! you have your own 'premium' beer.

Of course the only real premium is the price premium paid by those with less than premium brains.

 

[Screwtop]

I think a bit of "Hand Work" was the precursor to the original post in this thread. :lol: