Because the single beer being collaborated on isn’t the thing that really matters.
Forum join birthday
I could almost do a ‘blank post’ here.
But I haven’t.
Collaborations are fine as long as the price of the finished product is sensible (because no one knows if it’s OK or not).
<*))))))><
I agree the sheer volume of collabs has taken the magic out of it. When a visiting brewer did a collab it was usually something different to what the other brewer normally did. Now when i see two brewers who’ve built their reputation on hazy NEIPAs doing a hazy DIPA i do question the point beyond telling the craft beer world about about your blossoming bromance with the other brewer.
But like others have said, networking is good & its good to see an exchanging of ideas and support for one another
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Just found the Twitter thread this discussion reminded me of. Someone did a Twitter poll about collabs. 43% said they were of serious brewing value, 57% said it was just pissing about with pals.
That was actually closer than I expected. Also, can’t it be both!?
Anyway, Cloudwater responded to it for some reason.
So yeah, no reason for posting other than some “proof” that at least some collabs still have merit.
ok, my take on collabs, both as a drinker and a brewer of numerous collabs
Not so long ago the beauty/horror [delete as applicable] of collabs was that they were often somewhere between ‘a bit different’ and ‘batshit crazy’. Nowadays brewers brew mad stuff all the time, but less than a decade ago most beer was pretty much reinheitsgebot-compliant and mostly middle of the road, a collab was an excuse to do something different.
There is definitely a genuine knowledge exchange element - little hints and tips you pick up and then embed into your regular brews. For me, one that I picked up at a collab and subsequently passed on at other collabs was adding late hops at 80º rather than immediately after flame-out - everyone does it now, but 10 years ago almost everyone was using traditional methods.
Sometimes you get to brew something you physically couldn’t brew at your own place, e.g. you might not be set up to brew sours or barrel age.
It can lead to new outlets for your beer, not so much when you collab with the brewery down the road but when you collaborate with a brewery in a different region or country it can open up that market.
Yes, there definitely is an element of ‘pissing about with your mates’ - generally you try to plan it so that there are minimal mundane tasks like cask washing and racking to do, so you can have a more social day of eating and drinking. Generally collabs were 2 or maybe 3 brewers, so everyone got stuck into the brewing itself, clearly when you get more brewers then it becomes more about the social and networking than everyone actually being hands on - I recently hosted an 11-way collab that involved barbecue, drinking and cricket as well as brewing. I think everyone did at least something towards the brew, but can’t say for sure.
As a drinker, I don’t seek out collabs specifically, but I seek out certain styles (or non-styles!) of beer, and I guess those styles are disproportionally represented by collabs. New bitter or pale ale out? Meh. Even new NEIPA or DIPA out? Meh. New adjunct sour or barrel aged adjunct imperial stout? Take my money!
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Given that’s only enough for one cricket team you must have won easily…?!
shocking as it may sound, the rules of cricket were not strictly adhered to…
Laws. Cricket is governed by Laws not rules. Sorry it’s a knee jerk reaction, I have to post if I see this.
At the moment about 50% of UK collabs seem to involved Yeastie Boys.
" In cricket, the rules of the game are specified in a code called The Laws of Cricket (hereinafter called “the Laws”) which has a global remit."
Then there’s:
and on and on …
And the Aussies really have it both ways:
“A swag of rule changes will come into effect in all international formats later this month after the International Cricket Council confirmed they’ve made numerous amendments to their playing conditions.”
“he majority of the changes have been made in response to the Marylebone Cricket Club’s updated Code of Laws, introduced earlier this year.”
You’re confusing what the things intrinsically are, and what they are called.
Much like beers and their styles on RB!
I know I am a martyr to my own opinions. I really must stop having them.
We’ve managed to cross 2 of my loves. Cricket and beer. Or is that 2 things i love. Or my love of 2 things. I get very confused.
Have a beer!
Talk about cricket and beer. The Ashes is coming up and should be in England this year right? How easy is it to attend and get beer?
Attend not easy
Shit beer easy … although Lords let’s you bring in a small amount of your own !
Canning business that seems founded by home brewers, so …
So another reason for a collaboration
As if to prove my own point I have just seen that Verdant/Equilibrium are releasing a beer today and have already factored in a trip to Hackney to pick up a can on my way home*
*Hackney is in the opposite direction to my home
