Do you return beer that is off?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by KStark, Jan 23, 2013.

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  1. KStark

    KStark Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2012 Canada (BC)

    Ok, you spend good money on a beer you have enjoyed before. You checked the best before date. You get out your favorite glassware after you've chilled the beer to the suggested serving temperature. You get out the opener eagerly. Crack,hiss you have bought a fire extinguisher or it has a wild yeast infection and just tastes off.

    What do you do, after you have changed your shirt ? Do you just get mad , do you return said beer to the point purchase and get your bread back or do you pour or drink it and treat it as a learning experience?
     
  2. bullywee

    bullywee Zealot (701) May 26, 2005 Colorado
    Trader

    I've taken beer back on a couple of occasions

    for old past it beer (the one bottle that I checked in the sixer for date was good the rest were not)
    For way over carbonated $14 / 750ml that was just odd

    Both returns were met with concern from the staff of the bottle shop.
     
  3. bullywee

    bullywee Zealot (701) May 26, 2005 Colorado
    Trader

    Both times the beer was that bad that I changed out of PJ's and headed back to the store (after a sip)
     
  4. HokiesandBeer

    HokiesandBeer Initiate (0) Jan 10, 2013 Pennsylvania

    Has only happened to me once, brought the case to a friends house to watch the football. My two friends opened theirs, took a sip, gave me a dirty look and then proceeded to tell me that my taste in beer was absolutely awful. I opened mine, noticed it tasted foul and then searched the web...sure enough the batch with that "born on date" was being recalled. I returned the case of 21 beers the next day and the store owners gave me my money back.
     
  5. MichiBrew

    MichiBrew Initiate (0) Nov 26, 2010 Michigan

    Yeah this is a tough one sometimes...like a judgement call depending on how much money you spent IMO...Ive returned a bad bottle or two and exchanged it for another a couple times and the brewers have been more than kind and accomodating and actually thankful for the feedback...this is how it should be I believe if youre gonna run a first class brewery...bad bottles are inevitable once in a while...its part of the process...on the other hand...some brewers just dont get it and are not responsive at all...hard to tell for sure but you get the feeling that they think they are above any kind of reasonable reproach...doesnt make sense though because if a reasonable beer loving person is accomodated by the brewery in question, it simply reaffirms one's appreciation and committment to said brewery...
     
  6. yamar68

    yamar68 Initiate (0) Apr 1, 2011 Minnesota

    The beer is gone man... you should demand that they replace your shirt though.
     
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  7. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    I have never tried to return beer. Down the drain it goes. I only buy singles anyways, so minimal financial damage.
     
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  8. SirWalkAbout

    SirWalkAbout Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2011 Texas
    Trader

    One time. Brought back a 4-pack of Matilda after the first bottle was wayyyy skunked. The owner was very undertanding, actually embarrassed, and exchanged it for another 4-pack. Mistakes happen, I think it ended fairly.
     
  9. Hamburgers

    Hamburgers Initiate (0) Jan 3, 2013 California

    I had to dump a Ceise and Desist by De Molen cause it was bad. There's $10.99 down the drain. Told the bottle shop I got it from to look out for more bad bottles. No refund yet.
     
  10. Giantspace

    Giantspace Pooh-Bah (2,879) Dec 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yup. I have returned a case to Victory and Philadelphia Brewing. Both took the beer back and replaced with beer of my choice. I did have to drive to the breweries. Victory told me the beer in their library reflected exactly what I told them and had beer pulled from some distributors I think. I have also returned some GReen Flash to wegmans after it tasted horrible. It was pretty fresh so maybe it was left in the heat. I had no issues bringing back the three I did not drink.

    I am told in PA you can't return beer. The wegnans was in jersey and the cases were dealt with direct by the brewers.

    Enjoy
     
  11. HokiesandBeer

    HokiesandBeer Initiate (0) Jan 10, 2013 Pennsylvania

    Don't know about that Giantspace. I live in Pa and returned my skunky case to the distributor where I had bought it and got a refund no questions asked.
     
  12. AxesandAnchors

    AxesandAnchors Initiate (0) Nov 21, 2012 Oregon

    Only at a bar
     
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  13. Giantspace

    Giantspace Pooh-Bah (2,879) Dec 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society


    Just something I was told before. Originally PBC told me to bring the case back to the point of purchase. They later told me it could not be returned but I could come to the brewery and get a new case.

    Enjoy
     
  14. davey101

    davey101 Initiate (0) Apr 14, 2009 Connecticut

    If its somehow infected or something is way off I'll email the brewery. Pretty sure all alcohol sales are final in CT and nothing can be returned. Either way I really don't sweat it, its craft beer and mistakes happen. Nature of the beast. I can live with a $5-20 loss. I may be hard pressed to buy their beer in the future though.
     
  15. ThirstyFace

    ThirstyFace Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2013 New York

    Yep, and as a great customer my beer store guy is more than happy to. In fact, when I do he goes apeshit and calls the distributor. Which is not necessarily what I would want, nor do I think it's necessarily their fault.
     
  16. Providence

    Providence Pooh-Bah (2,628) Feb 24, 2010 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My answer to this question reminds of the the Seinfeld episode when Kramer tells Jerry to return a crappy piece of cantaloupe. Jerry says, "I don't return fruit. Fruit's a gamble, I know that going in."
     
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  17. ncaudle

    ncaudle Initiate (0) May 28, 2010 Virginia

    question, are you taking back a empty bottle to your bottle shop?
    I can understand returning a beer at a bar, but not a shop.
     
  18. ThirstyFace

    ThirstyFace Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2013 New York

    Sure, but not all beer store owners lack the compassion that Joe from Joes Fruit Stand does
     
  19. Providence

    Providence Pooh-Bah (2,628) Feb 24, 2010 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Ha ha. That's true, Joe was surly.
     
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  20. stout1420

    stout1420 Initiate (0) Oct 27, 2010 New York

    What was the bottling date?
     
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