To not buy real ale

[midoriway]

I'll drink it happily if someone else does the choosing, but this website reminded me of just how bad brewers in this country are at marketing and branding their beers.

pumpclipparade.blogspot.com/

Why the hell would I ask for a dogs bollocks, or a drew peacock etc.

no less a name than a 'slow comfortable screw' or 'slippery nipple'

would rather have a Bishops Finger, personally

Why not?

I bet you buy some shite that is branded in a fancy pink sugary way

Such real ale names are supposed to be funny in a slightly risqué, ooh missus way!

I wouldn't get wound up about it myself!

'Baz's Bonce Blower' seemed to go down pretty well at our local when they had a beer festival on.

Roybosh- Not a bit. I love trappist ales, microbrews, beers that have branding that tries to explain what the drink is about, it is not about being pink and sparkly and "lady-friendly", just not shit.

erebus, not too wound up about it, just fascinated that an industry that is desperate for drinkers to choose a local brew, made with real craft and dedication, over some crappy multinational brewer, seems to go out of its way to alienate anyone who is not already a committed drinker.

So let me get this clear- I like real ales, I just think more people would like them if their marketing wasn't so shit.

YABU. Who cares what it's called. Hops & barley - I'd rather have a pint than a bowl of muesli

Buy the drink that you will enjoy drinking.

So what if the name doesn't suit your sense of humour? It doesn't affect the taste.

I love ale, what area are you in? Any good local breweries?

YABU, you should be sold by quality not marketing. Many of the smaller brewers can't afford to pay for fancy marketing and its not what its about anyway

i love real ale, but for me, part of the beauty of it IS the local aspect, the fact you can travel across the breadth of the country and never find 2 brews exactly the same.

the naming of a local brew is often a result of a local in-joke or linked to local folk lore.

the name is part of the 'charm' - lets face it, some of the beers are almost as hideous as the names they have

I care about what they are called, because I would like to see the industry, which is full of committed talented people, dedicated to producing a top quality product, get past the phnarr phnarr, and give these amazing drinks a real design presence, so the rest of the world gets excited, and demand increases, exports increase and everyone benefits.

You can do good beer branding without selling out, it is not all about glossy high jinks. The Belgians manage it, the American micro-brews manage it.

Fair enough. Our local breweries don't seem to go for the ludicrous names though, in fact one of my fave local brews is GFB - which simply stands for 'good beer'

and some american brewers come over here to do it too

gawd, could sink a pint right now

Trillan I'm in Birmingham, so plenty of local breweries. In fact we just had a new tiny local brewer start up nearby, the Two Towers Brewery. I was relieved they weren't trying to sell "trev's stinky old socks IPA" or "Buxom wenches, oooo-er Ale"

twotowersbrewery.co.uk/ link to them, they are doing this on a shoestring, they probably need all the help they can get.

My local brewery goes for names from the Classics: Pegasus, Sparta, Nero, Dionysus

Auntie Monica- See that is what happens, they have obviously consulted a british marketing person, who has lazily given them the advise that everyone likes their beer smutty, and the lazy branding continues.

Our local brewery, Skinners in Truro sell a real ale called 'Ginger Tosser' which always sells well!

I love a good stouty sort of ale but a pretentious name will put me right off wanting to buy it.

A friend was working on a new campaign for Banks in Wolverhampton, and he told me the amazing fact that Banks on tap is not drunk after the keg has been opened 3 days. That is insanely fresh, fresher than the milk in your fridge. He did a little campaign that tried to get this idea across to people.

www.bankssbeer.co.uk/banks%27s-fresh.aspx

This is better marketing than all the "arse trumpeter" "worm wiggler" bollocks out there. Actually gives real information and tries to get new drinkers.

YABU to not buy real ale. It is ace.

Just don't try banana beer. It really does taste of bananas.
in the absence of a vomit icon.

My local microbrewery names its beers well, Summer Lightning is the best beer in the world. [sad pregnant woman who can't even find Erdinger zero any more]

Glitter DP like banana beer, he likes Cains raisin beer too which isn't as vomit inducing but still vile.

Glitterknickaz that's just wrong, on so many levels. what a waste of a good drinking opportunity then at banana.

I sort of get what you're saying OP, i was being facetious (often am at the mention of a decent pint ), but can you honestly say you have never just pointed and said 'I'll have a pint of that one'?

YANBU, because then there is more left for me.

Nyom.