Tool Shed controversy

Reads 2825 • Replies 20 • Started Wednesday, September 21, 2016 8:44:07 PM CT

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Message Oakes P admin beers 30677 º places 1135 º 09:54 Wed 9/28/2016 Just another thought, since this has gone bigger. I’m trying to imagine what other industry thinks that the job of the consumer is to make them happy and put up with their mediocrity. Tool Shed, Mr/Ms. Anonymous Dink Writer, all the rest...it’s the other way around. Your job as a business is to make the consumer happy. What company in a competitive marketplace thinks that the consumer’s job is to fluff them on social, or just to shut up and hand over the money? I’m not saying the customer is always right, but you always need to respect the customer. They earn their money, and you have to earn their business. Not just show up talking big talk about "local is always best" and "I’m a world class brewer" and all this other nonsense. You earn their business, by treating the consumer with respect even when you don’t want to, and by doing everything in your power to give the consumer the best beer you possibly can. I’m totally fine with breweries that make boring beer. There’s lots of those, and there’s a lot of people who want to drink boring beer. As a reviewer, I can only be fair in my assessment. But bad beer does deserve to get called out, because it hurts the entire industry. Ask the people who went through the late 90s. Ask Paul Gatza. Ask the brewers who are busting their asses to always get better. When you sell butter, butyric or boiled vegetables, you are hurting the entire craft beer industry and it is important that everybody calls you out on it - brewers, drinkers and media alike.
Message DuffMan beers 10981 º places 349 º 10:11 Wed 9/28/2016 Originally posted by TimE Originally posted by DuffMan It has now made national news: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/edmonton/online-attacks-prompt-alberta-brewery-to-fire-critical-customer-1.3780657 The story is one sided and I can’t believe Ryan would not be quoted for the article. Toolshed is ripping him and he isn’t standing up for himself. I would have a lot to say if I was in his shoes. They admit it was merely to poke fun at him, but they did it in such a way they look so stupid, and clearly they don’t realize this point. Think I will skip on drinking any of their beers in the future. Doorknobs. Tim They asked Ryan for his side but he declined to respond: "CBC News reached out to the Ryan in question but he declined to comment." I have no knowledge of what is being alluded to by ToolShed, and frankly I don’t really care. I think ToolShed made a mistake, but not necessarily for the reasons stated by others here. Any public acknowledgment of trollish behaviour only feeds the troll, and usually makes the commenter look stupid in the long run. But most importantly, this is case serves to fuel the perception that people like this Ryan guy actually matter. He doesn’t. ToolSheds sales will not take a dip. This drama will pass and life will continue. Social media personalities and participants, including raters/admin on RateBeer, have an inflated sense of importance. I’ve held this position for the 10+ years of heavy participation on this site, and mostly I’ve made this argument when certain people start telling other members how they should construct their reviews. None of us matter in the face of a good product, with good people behind it. And we will not be kingmakers in the decision making process-- the consumer will. If ToolShed makes beer that people like to drink, then they will stay in business no matter how maligned they may be from internet people like Ryan and raters like us. The fact is, most people put little to no stake in what we say on these websites and blogs. That is what ToolShed has failed to recognize, and it’s ultimately their biggest mistake in this. If they realized that opinions are just opinions (even from alleged assholes), they’d be far more chill, and wouldn’t have drawn attention to themselves for a poorly articulated rant. Just brew beer that you are happy with, and that makes your consumer base happy, and chill the fuck out. Let assholes be assholes, you won’t change them.
Message DuffMan beers 10981 º places 349 º 10:43 Wed 9/28/2016 This article captures my sentiments very nicely, and reflects a lot of what Josh has said: http://www.dailybeer.ca/think-everything-is-awesome-with-alberta-beer-think-again/

Message DuffMan beers 10981 º places 349 º 10:47 Wed 9/28/2016 And I should add that my original post gave ToolShed the benefit of doubt that they are truthful about Ryan being a troll. If this isn’t factual (as the above article suggests it isn’t), then extra shame on ToolShed. The reason for my giving them the benefit of doubt is that I’ve not had a bad beer from ToolShed. I’ve not had anything super exciting either, but they make solid brews in my experience, nothing bad.
Message DuffMan beers 10981 º places 349 º 10:57 Wed 9/28/2016 What I would say to Tool Shed: (And for all breweries that engage in social media): 1) don’t over-react 2) don’t be negative toward a negative consumer, EVER!!! Tool Shed made a terrible error IMO. 3) don’t put too much stake in what any single person/reviewer says-- but if several dozen people offer the same criticisms, you may need to engage in some self-reflection!!
Message Hoser beers 388 º places 178 º 11:11 Wed 9/28/2016 http://www.dailybeer.ca/think-everything-is-awesome-with-alberta-beer-think-again/
Message DuffMan beers 10981 º places 349 º 11:14 Wed 9/28/2016 Originally posted by Hoser http://www.dailybeer.ca/think-everything-is-awesome-with-alberta-beer-think-again/ Haha-- you and I are reading the same thing this morning Mike! I just linked it as well, above your post. Great article IMO

Message fiulijn P beers 28351 º places 745 º 12:04 Wed 9/28/2016 Originally posted by DuffMan This article captures my sentiments very nicely, and reflects a lot of what Josh has said: http://www.dailybeer.ca/think-everything-is-awesome-with-alberta-beer-think-again/ I wish I knew a place where to post this and expect all BC breweries to read, because there are more breweries in BC than AB, but the attitude is the same.
Message fiulijn P beers 28351 º places 745 º 15:31 Wed 9/28/2016 Originally posted by DuffMan (...) But most importantly, this is case serves to fuel the perception that people like this Ryan guy actually matter. He doesn’t. ToolSheds sales will not take a dip. (...) Well, these people (us) mostly don’t matter. But I know about a few positive examples (I can’t think of the opposite ones) where a small group of raters has boosted a beer, hence a brewery, making everybody around the world wanting it, fueling their business, and if everything aligns they keep growing, buying expensive ingredients, using expensive processes and brew even better beer (of course, they must be able to brew good beer in first place). I remember Nørrebro North Bridge Extreme, it came out in 2004, one of the first beers by the brewpub in Copenhagen, look at the oldest reviews (1, 2): 19 ratings with an incredible 4.484 average, that boosted the beer to top IIPA, and everybody across the pond wanted it and were trading their best beers for it. Mikkeller also probably became famous after receiving excellent reviews on social media (RB). I don’t remember the details, but I think that initially for us he was just "the brother who brewed a beer in his kitchen for the good beershop in Copenhagen 1st anniversary, and then a few more for the local beerfestival". On the other hand, somebody who is brewing excellent beer in an area without bloggers and avid raters (I’m thinking of Haffner in Germany for example) go relatively unknown for a long time. They still sell the bulk to the locals, but they won’t be able to climb to a higher level.
Message VertBaconStrips beers 2445 º places 4 º 23:56 Wed 9/28/2016 Any direct quotes from Ryan? I’m very very curious about his side of things. Sure, Tool Shed look like dinks but if they can put out exceptional beer or average tasty beer that is well priced they get some scheckles out of my pocket. Don’t do that and you don’t exist. I really dislike that "local is ALWAYS best" comment for reasons beyond the fact that it basically never happens. That being said - Yellowhead seems to get into my liver regularly when my other options are non-craft.