BrewDog threatened legal action to prevent a bar from using the term “punk” in its name, it has emerged, a day after the brewer blamed “trigger-happy” lawyers for a similar dispute that sparked a social media backlash.

The brewer, which has been a vocal critic of the behaviour of large corporations, raised an objection to plans by music promoter Tony Green to open a bar in Leeds called Draft Punk.

Green, who says the name was a tongue-in-cheek reference to French dance music act Daft Punk, said the “intimidating” threat contravened the punk movement spirit that BrewDog claims to espouse.

After all, nothing says you’re punk like expensive lawyers.

The same Brew Dog who took offence at being told they couldn’t use the name Elvis Juice? Surely not.

Do the lawyers have pink spiky hair and nose rings? If so i think it’s fair game.

At least the rail companies won’t get themselves in trouble. Most of them don’t advertise a punktual service.

Igmc

Never got Brewdog, thought the beers I tried tasted rubbish.

I used to like their beers but the more popular they’ve become, the less I’ve liked them. The taste deteriorated beyond saving when I saw them for sale in a Tesco Express.

Likewise piemonster, gimmicky flavours imo, edit. though I’ve only tried them when they arrived in co-op, so maybe I’m missing the spritz of niche

I used to like their beers but the more popular they’ve become, the less I’ve liked them. The taste deteriorated beyond saving when I saw them for sale in a Tesco Express.

I’m of the opposite persuasion, they started off as a brand based on utter marketing bull*** but as soon as I see them on a supermarket BOGOF I’m prepared to find them utterly bloody delicious.

Their beer is acceptable, wouldn’t go out my way for it, but they do like a bit of publicity, good or otherwise…..

I reckon in a blind taste, I could taste their popularity even with a close peg on my nose.

They need to make an Epic Brew or an Allez Ale so Spesh can sue them.

That’ll learn them. I have a potty mouth.

Did a similar thing with a bar called lone wolf, presume that’s where the social media backlash came from! It’s the cynicism that’s so wrong with the marketeers presentation of the company values.

Always thought that their IPA was nothing more than the John Smiths of IPAs.

More than just a bit bloody average IMHO.

Good interview with one of the owners of the Lone Wolf on PM yesterday. Despite brewdog’s grovelling – free gin etc. She effectively told them to stick their apology up there arse. Top marks from me.

They were featured on some ‘entrepreneur/start-up’ doc a year or two ago. CEO was an absolute d!ck, of the highest order. Vowed never to touch their product on principle.
Bar owner was interviewed on Today programme. The twerps offered them a few crates of their product and preferential rates to supply thereafter – 2 months down the line, once it got in the papers. Fair play, they were told to stuff it.

It’s a mainstream beer now. No cachet

As an aside, the craft beer market is bloody saturated with average “local” IPAs with a clever name.

They have always been up their own arses ….
And the beer isn’t very nice either – way too nu skool hipster hoppy soup

Oops, ignore me.

After all, nothing says you’re punk like expensive lawyers.

Precedent, m’lud.

God Save the Cream

I like good beer and drink a lot of it. My nephew took me to brew dog in Leeds because of this. Woeful beer, beaten by any number of pubs within 5 minutes walk.

deadlydarcy – Member
I reckon in a blind taste, I could taste their popularity even with a close peg on my nose.

Quote of the day.

God save the cream.. ‘a subversive ice cream brand’ 🙄 Down with Mr Whippy!!!

Do they do a 999 instead of a 99?

I would rather of thought flashy would have admired the way the capitalist system had consumed another “rebel” and embraced them, warmly as they embraced money above principle 😉

No idea on the beer I is teetotal and would drink cheap white cider anyway 🙂

They were featured on some ‘entrepreneur/start-up’ doc a year or two ago. CEO was an absolute d!ck, of the highest order. Vowed never to touch their product on principle.

This.

My wife did get given a few bottles of their gluten free stuff a while back. Utterly grim, she couldn’t finish it, which takes some doing in her case.

Do they do a 999 instead of a 99?

69

Consensus on here seems to be the beers is crap, so why so successful?

I used to like their beers but the more popular they’ve become, the less I’ve liked them

STW-est statement ever! If you like something, why does it matter how many other folk do?! Used to drive me mad back in uni days with the chin-strokey NME types religeously turning on previous years successful bands….

Damn it, I’ve been on at least one ride with Brew Dog involvement and I thought they were supposed to be nice. Stop messing with my moral reference points and making life complicated. But if they’re gits then I’d better drink these ones I’ve got right now and not buy any more. I’ll get nice beer from nice people instead.

Also, their toilets can do one:

.@goulcher Here's one where you have to remember who's got which chromosomes, for ****'s sake. After five pints. pic.twitter.com/QcmSdUFQGX

— Bez (@beztweets) April 29, 2016

Consensus on here seems to be the beers is crap, so why so successful?

at a guess I’d say most people commenting on here are boring old farts who begrudge paying more than £1.59 for a warm pint of their favourite Ferret’s Arsecrack so aren’t really Brewdog’s target market. 🙂 That and canny marketing.

Have to say i stay about 10 minutes walk from the brewery and like most brewery’s I like some of the beer but others I cant stand.
As mentioned above they have just been really good at marketing their beer, if it was really that bad people wouldn’t drink it.
Having said that I’ve drank Red Death for as long as i can remember so maybe im not the best person to ask…

Did a similar thing with a bar called lone wolf, presume that’s where the social media backlash came from! It’s the cynicism that’s so wrong with the marketeers presentation of the company values.

I assumed this was the case the OP was refering to. I hate how companies think they can take a word that already exists, claim it as their own, then try to stop others using it (see specialized)

Agree not very punk

more importantly as others have pointed out, the beer is rank.

Have they ever brewed a good beer?

For the past 2 years or more their brews have become ‘commoditised’ – widely available, no differentiation, no USP.

I’m in Leeds where they opened a ‘flagship’ craft beer pub at the end of North Street – big hoohah when it opened; now it’s reduced hours and never more than 50% occupied.
Bit of market research might have helped them; 60 seconds walk takes you to The Reliance which does all the things brew dog aspire to- and so much more and so much better with proper food; brew dog offers pizza slice ffs. Reliance – home cured charcuterie, seasonal game and fish, fabulous range of beers, not many hipsters either.

Between these two you have The Greedy Pig and it’s alter ego The Swine That Dines (Thurs – Sat evenings, small plate specials, byo) and Hansa’s Vegetarian Indian.

Heading towards town you have the North Bar and the newly opened Old Bus Station.

They blundered in, spent a sh*t load of money and have got it totally wrong.

As for zilog – you mate are talking bollocks; I have paid – and will always pay – premium prices for the right product in the right environment; same applies, I believe, to many posters on here.
Crack on pal and open another tinny.

Back to brew dog; Tactical Nuclear Penguin and Sink The Bismark – expressions of the brewer’s art? We do it because we can. Yawn.

They gob on about craft but have you seen the size of their brewery… it’s bloody huge. And they make beer for Tesco. Craft my arse.

But fair play to them, they’ve turned average beer and a shed load of bravado into £££. And besides, I’d rather drink their IPA than that god awful wild brew shite with sour lemons or caramel shortbread.

frankconway – Member
Have they ever brewed a good beer?

Yes I’d say they have just a very differenet style and taste to what most brits have been used to.
Currently living in the middle of what could be decribed as a craft beer explosion I’d stiull say what makes it here is decent/good quality beer done a little differently, it’s always popular as a take out or when it makes it on tap here and that is in a very competitive market place.

@chestrockwell; you’re bang on.

Being served by some pimply faced spud featured oik who professes that he ‘adores craft beers’ but can’t pour a beer properly and knows nothing apart from the marketing bollocks he learned by rote at his training/induction.

There’s a shop about 5 mins walk away towards Leeds centre where I went to buy a very specific Rioja; the kid who served me attempted to start a discussion about rum – which, he claimed, was his favourite drink and specialist subject.
After 30 seconds – he was embarrassed and reverted to being an 18 year old with no real world experience.

Stick to what you know 😉

Stick to what you know

Well put 😉

…a few bottles of their gluten free stuff a while back. Utterly grim, she couldn’t finish it, which takes some doing in her case.

Was that the Vagabond? Because that is a GREAT tasting beer. People have different tastes I suppose.

@mikenewsmith: I’ve avoided mainstream beers for decades and ‘think’ i know a little about beer.

I can’t think of a single brew dog product which would cause me to say ‘……stewth mate, I’ll have another of those’.

They now believe their own publicity and don’t appear to understand the market has left them behind.

Only a personal view Mike.

They won’t see any of my money again.

After 30 seconds – he was embarrassed and reverted to being an 18 year old with no real world experience.

Can you autograph an empty Punk IPA can and send it on? You’re AWESOME.