Forget the beer, what about the NAME?
We’re nearing closer to the time when we’ll have to decide on a definitive “launch beer,” since realistically we won’t be able to start with 5 different brews and a slew of rotating seasonals. With this in mind, we want to know which names are strongest. If you know our beer at all, forget the styles and tastes and even labels associated with them.
Just give us your honest opinion: If you heard this list of beer names, which would you be most likely to want to try?
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Jonathan, Joel & Jeff
June 11th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I think you might be putting too much emphasis on the name. Many places I go I don’t remember the beer name, but I do remember the style. I also will remember a collective marketing campaign if it is memorable, like Flying Dog, but not necessarily each beer’s name.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
DJ, thanks for the comment. I don’t think we’re focusing too much on the name, since it will be the first thing someone sees or hears regarding the beer. We are tweaking our beers as well and are trying to make them as good as they can be, but the bottom line is that we need people to try our beer once before they’re sold on it. If we can get even a little push from a clever or interesting name I think it will all be worth it.
Does anyone feel the same as DJ?
June 11th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I’m a big fan of naming a beer well. It helps you to remember which beer you liked and encourages you to try it.
I don’t know that you can really put too much emphasis on it because naming the beer is unrelated to the brewing - it doesn’t take time away from perfecting the recipe or the technique to think about good names, so there’s really no reason to NOT put a lot of thought into it.
Some craft brewery, I forget which at the moment but think it was Lagunitas, actually says that naming the beer is the most important step in their process. If they can’t think of a good name for it, they don’t brew it.
June 11th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I’m also going to disagree with DJ on this one. Naming a beer can be important.
Would I have tried Stone’s “Arrogant Bastard Ale” if it had been named “Stone Strong Ale”? Especially since that was before I was into beer enough to know that it was so highly-rated?
How about Sweetwater, with their 420? Or Terrapin with the Wake & Bake (now Rise & Shine)? These are names you remember. On a crowded shelf, “MNB Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale” may stand out ahead of “MNB Scotch Ale”.
As a final example, there’s a brewery I’ve been to in Tempe, AZ, called Four Peaks. They’ve got a number of good beers. You know which name I remember? The “Kiltlifter” scotch ale. It’s unique and memorable.
Naming and branding are both very important. I wouldn’t say that they’re the most important aspects of brewing, but they should not be overlooked.
June 11th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
The name is one thing, but the packaging is another. I’ll skip picking a beer I hadn’t seen before if the labeling and image isn’t right. Spend the time on the image, then the name and match it well to the style.
June 11th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Redcoat is the clear winner.
June 12th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Mark, Redcoat is actually tied for last. Nice try.