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19-09-2012, 11:46
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I don't buy expensive bottles of beer by and large. It's a risky investment, even from those you think might know what they are doing.* Most small brewer's bottling operations are wing and a prayer stuff, so you might be lucky and get the beer exactly as the brewer intended and then again, hopefully on far, far fewer occasions, you might not. If you buy a beer from a supermarket, you could take it back and argue the toss. They'll likely exchange it anyway, as it isn't in their interests to piss you off over a bottle of beer, when you might be next spending £100 on your shopping. If you buy it elsewhere, then you may be on far more uncertain ground.

Now when it comes to buying it from t'internet, I'm guessing if a beer is bad and lots complain, you'll get a replacement, but often expensive beers are bought from sources that aren't exactly easy to take it back to, such as shops in strange towns, brewery shops, over the counter in a brewpub or brewery tap, beer festival and so on. Anyway, there is always the old "It's meant to taste that way, you wooden palated dolt" excuse to fall back on, which can be a difficult one to argue, when it might be something matured in old feta cheese drums or whatever. Shaky ground indeed.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qWkYlFi0Doc/UFiQ8IH-r8I/AAAAAAAADh8/afofnca3i7Y/s320/prohib3.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qWkYlFi0Doc/UFiQ8IH-r8I/AAAAAAAADh8/afofnca3i7Y/s1600/prohib3.jpg)
Why do I bring this up? When I was away I read a thread on Twitter, where several people complained severely about the undrinkability of a beer that had set them back £10.99. In fact more than one beer from the brewery was complained about. I won't name the brewery as it is the general point I'm addressing and apart from the fact I wasn't affected, for all I know, those complaining may have taste buds with the sophistication of the average meths drinker. Either way though, it is a bit of a bummer to pay so much for a drain pour.

I really don't know the answer, but those that produce expensive beers have a duty, no matter how "challenging" it may taste, to convince assure the buyer of a beer, that it is indeed "meant to be like that". Hiding behind cutting edge and experimental isn't good enough. Especially at top dollar.

Maybe this is a what might be termed an "occupational hazard" for the adventurous drinker and can be shrugged off as such?

*Belgians excepted. By and large they know how to do it. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8629758183547510158-1058590177203416971?l=tandlemanbeerblog.blogspot.c om


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