BrewDog Bars Sunday Afternoon Focus Group (kinda)

BrewDog Bars Sunday Afternoon Focus Group (kinda)
Published - 26.08.2012 Comments (91)

As you know we love getting as much feedback from our customers as possible. Without you guys we would not even have a business so ensuring we incorporate your feedback in making what we do even better going forward is important to us.

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Last week we had our quarterly bar managers meeting in Manchester. It ended up in a Cuban nightclub at around 4am as all good meetings should (apparently). The main topic of conversation was how can we make BrewDog bars even better and provide an even more amazing customer experience. And this is where we want to hear from you.

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Please leave your suggestions in the comments box below. Feel free to answer some (but not necessarily all) of these questions:

What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available?

What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer?

What would you like the food offering to be in a BrewDog Bar?

What do we do really well?

What can we improve upon?

And any other random or general feedback we can use to make our bars better?

AB:10 draft launch & BrewDog Edinburgh's Alternative Beer Festival

Do you want vintage pinball machines, more live music, more pies made with our beers, more wheat beers, more fruit ciders, staff constantly in fancy dress or more beer school tastings. Now is your chance to let us know.

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Comments (91)
MShedden 29.08.2012 @ 10:29pm
oops! That should be drink beer of course, not music!Also I missed this out. Very important: MAKE THE HOPINATOR A PERMANENT FEATURE!! I loved it at the Glasgow opening. I'd always drink from it if it were on.
MShedden 29.08.2012 @ 10:17pm
I'd like to see Brewdog make a Gueuze or other lambic.I'd like to see more UK guest beers. Apparently there is a bit of a craft beer scene starting up down south and I can't get any of it!As far as improvements, I'd have to echo some of the other complaints about the loudness of the music: we're there to drink music, not go deaf.Also I can't help noticing that the beer prices have been creeping up since Brewdog Glasgow opened and they are approaching the trendy / taking the piss level now...
BeeryEar 29.08.2012 @ 8:45pm
Agree with some comments here, always need a dark beer on with core range, Alex Porter good enough. Try to limit 10% ABV + beers to 2 max on a same time. I'm going less to your bars due to boredom with guests or they are all from only two brewerys with 10 ABV. Which means you're talking £3.50 per half for something you might not enjoy that much.Less gimmicky beers, recent zero IBU beers tasted poor(sorry!) and Anabolics, poor for beer quality and image.Is it possible to have the option with the keg beers to serve them cool, not cold? I just find that I don't taste much flavours until they warm up, when they usually taste amazing.Guests shouldn't have more than one from same brewery and again try and keep variety of beers, Magic Rock, Thornbridge, Dark Star etc. Sheffield and Euston Tap are very popular and still pricey, but the variety and range is so good you keep going back.Get some cider bottles from Westons in, quality cider. Also, non-alcoholic beers from Bitburger Drive or Bernard Fruit beers.Finally, I think we are all being picky in some comments, but that's because you set the bar so high. 5am saint and Tokyo are some of the best beers I've ever tasted!
broombank 29.08.2012 @ 8:17pm
food - talk to Mr Haig in Schoolhill ( opposite RGU in Aberdeen ) His pies/sausages are brilliant and his national reputation could easily supply all your bars( before moving back to Aberdeen he supplied Fortnum and Masons )
Beardspunk 29.08.2012 @ 5:11pm
Maybe having a wider selection of spirits and cider in the Aberdeen bar. for people who don't like beer. more of a variety.
jamie cowie 29.08.2012 @ 3:43pm
Aberdeen bar smart phone free pub quiz!
Gareth Young 29.08.2012 @ 9:48am
I'd love to see Brewdog experiment with some sour things. Perhaps a blend of riptide and some Cantillon aged in Bordeaux barrels with merlot grapes or something.
POMPOM 29.08.2012 @ 3:33am
Bring Juniper Wheat back! IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!!
Fanboy Puppy Lover 29.08.2012 @ 12:08am
A wide range of beer styles and strengths available on draught at all times. Eg. a stout or porter and a lower ABV beer always available.A wide range of bottled beers you can't get elsewhere.Food is a must these days. The best local pork pies you can find and sausage butties/baguettes made with the finest local sausages please!More BrewDog bars. A BrewDog bar in every town.
Beardspunk 28.08.2012 @ 10:01pm
I would like to see Samuel Adams beers and Craft Beers from Portland Oregon such as Hair of the Dog, widmer brothers, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Bridge Port and alameda brewing co. I would like to try their beers. I do think the Aberdeen Bar is a bit small though gets rather cramped when it get's busy. another Aberdeen bar at some point in the futer would be good. Love pretty much love most of Brewdog's beer Nothing compare's to the sheer quality well not in the uk as far as I'm aware of. Can't wait to pop in for a few this weekend.
neptune 28.08.2012 @ 9:10pm
There`s a difference between selling something as cheap as possible and making something as cheap as possible.
michael o 28.08.2012 @ 8:34pm
Hi James When i say as "cheap as possible" I mean don`t charge £9.99, £15.99 or even £24.99. Try to price competitively with wheat beers from the likes of Schniderweiss, Live Oak and Dancing Man.
BrewDog James 28.08.2012 @ 7:36pm
Really great feedback - thanks for the comments and please keep them coming.We will take them all onboard and look to implement some such as ensuring correct music volumes and more wheat beers immediately.However @mico1314 if you are looking for a beer which is 'as cheap as possible' BrewDog is not for you. Full flavour craft beer costs a little bit more than industrial beer to brew.
dp 28.08.2012 @ 7:27pm
New brewdog beer: I liked the Saison you did a while back, just give it a bit more fizz. Your stouts are good - perhaps mix a milky one one up with a bit of cardamom and pistachio?!?!Guest beer: I'm always interested in other local offerings. Thornbridge also always do some tasty thingsFood - I liked the suggestion of a haggis pizza earlier. Decent chips are always a good stocking filler too.What's done really well - just a great place to go to try old, new and interesting beers.Improvements/random - turn the guest beers round quicker and include local breweries - you're good enough to match up to them so it's not competition. Always keep a good spread of styles and ABVs on tap. A good suggestion mentioned earlier was to offer a set of tasters (with some notes even better). Keep the prices down (I've had comments from a few mates on that). Keep music down. Get a few more bars round the country but don't over expand. A cask beer or two? Retain some humility - at times - ;-)
Wilson 28.08.2012 @ 6:54pm
I've been going to Brewdog Edinburgh pretty much every week since it opened. The staff are fantastic, really knowledgable and friendly. Points for improvement: The music is way too loud in the evening - it's often impossible to have a conversation. It's not a Yates Wine Lodge, please keep the volume lower. I've recently taken to going to the Holyrood 9a instead on a Saturday night, as I can actually talk to my friends there.It would be great to have an up-to-date list of bottles, and maybe some more reasonably-priced ones. Don't get rid of the top price crazy brews, but a bit of variety would be nice too. Who cares about WiFi? It's a fucking bar, if you're on the internet in there something's very wrong with you.
Lewis M 28.08.2012 @ 5:37pm
I'd echo (sic) the comments about noise and acoustics in Edinburgh.AND the crap wifi.The issues in Edinburgh about location and "clientele" are predictable consequences of being in the Cowgate area. Long term I think BD Edinburgh will need to relocate - probably to Marchmont, Stockbridge or Broughton, where with a bit more space it could easily compete with the pubs (who do food) in those areas. It's out of place in the Cowgate and there have been times where I've gone in, heard how noisy and stag/hen ridden it's been and gone straight out again and walked to Cloisters.
NiteDawg 28.08.2012 @ 3:54pm
Was a regular at brewdog Edinburgh but due to work commitments could only frequent at the weekend. Due to groups of stag or hen groups creating a negative atmosphere, my wife and I were made to feel very uncomfortable. Due to this I decided to take my business elsewhere. The Bowbar for instance seem to put their regular beer/ whiskey drinkers first in not allowing these disruptive groups for the sake of selling a few more pints of lager. This doesn't reflect the great staff of brewdog edinburgh, who I found very friendly. If anything they were as frustrated as everyone else. But awesome beers guy and keep up the great work.
Chris H 28.08.2012 @ 3:28pm
What would I like to see from BrewDog? A BrewDog Dundee. I know there are many more cities in England (and most likely more people), but it almost feels like Scotland is being ignored in favor of opening bars in England. The BrewDog Aberdeen is a great little pub with awsome atmosphere and the BrewDog Edinburgh can be the same (when the music is not too loud). I've never been to the BrewDog Glasgow, but I'd like to. Living in a small Scottish town, its quite hard to find BrewDog (unless I order it off the internet). I like to travel to the big cities and stop in for a wee scoop of whatever is on tap, but the cost of travel to the cities that actaully have a BrewDog bar is horrible. By the time I've traveled to get there, I could have ordered a bottle of Tactical Nuclear Penguin or Sink the Bismarck (and generally paid the shipping too!). Dundee is the 4th largest city in Scotland... and is closer than any other city for me. I know its a long shot, but what about BrewDog bars in smaller places like Arbroath?
michael o 28.08.2012 @ 2:43pm
Not really interested in your bars ( prices too extreme ) Would like you to brew a hefeweizen, put it in bottles, and sell it as cheap as possible.
Singing Landlord 28.08.2012 @ 2:38pm
When I was running a pub we managed to get Alpha Dog Cask Ale from Yourselves.I would like to see more of the Brewdog beers being available in Cask instead of Keg. That way, some of the free of tie pubs would be able to stock some awesome Scottish Craft Ale.
brewcat 28.08.2012 @ 2:25pm
I've been to a few bars but Edinburgh is my local-ish. The staff are always great, much busier recently but literally every bar is like that during the fringe and they've still been fantastic. I would like to see a mix up in the live music like Bitchplease suggested. But I think that the music in the bar has been generally great recently. Would love to see some of the rarer US beers on draft and bottle if that were possible but also more lower ABV British beer (kernel, camden, tempest etc) rather than an always mikkeller dominant board. Would also love chicken wings in the bar!
Dunk 28.08.2012 @ 12:35pm
What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available? Definitely a wheat beer, when Camden first opened there was an Imperial Wheat on tap, it was great!What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer? Some of Kernel's stuff would be good and, as others have suggested, some lower strength guests would be good.What would you like the food offering to be in a BrewDog Bar? I like it as it is, the burgers in Camden are topWhat do we do really well? The staff are generally good.What can we improve upon? Keep the music in the background
mark h 28.08.2012 @ 11:58am
Big fan of the Newcastle bar! The Meat and cheese platter idea is good and I gather the facilities available limit the kind of food that can be offered in the Toon Brewdog. Maybe some unusual crisps/snacks (Blairs death rain chilli range or the like). No problem with loud or live music and the staff are always great.One idea that I did love and found in a couple of brew-pubs in America (California and New Orleans) was the sampler tray of 4 or 5 small glasses showcasing the best that the brewery had to offer with info. on the tray under each glass relating to the beer above. Great for those starting to discover what craft beer is all about and wanting to try a few beers without getting trashed in the process!I would like to see a range of reasonably priced bottled beers from the like of De-Molen, Kernel, Rogue etc. as these can be sourced at decent price.In general no major changes and keep up the good work!
Marcus A 28.08.2012 @ 11:58am
Beerwise: Always be sure to have the full variety on tap (stout/porter, IPA, lager, etc). Sometimes Camden has been way too IPA-centric with no stout or porter in sight. I miss the Riptide!Food:As mentioned, fried chicken would be awesome.Improve on?:Staff (in Camden at least) have been far more surly recently. I haven't bothered going as a consequence.Acoustics - lovely hard-surface decor is great but when busy it's worse than standing behind a 747.
davidm 28.08.2012 @ 11:57am
only been to Nottingham once so please bear that in mind ... dont be greedy on price (I hear this from beer spotter mates in Manchester for example, and contrast with views on eg Euston Tap), continue to be really friendly (competitively valuable in city centres), offer beer novices an 'entry point' in terms of taste/abv/price, dont exclude cask, champion local micros (partner brews?), do get rarities (to natedawg27's point), do plenty of varied finger food (doesnt have to be globally exotic for me, great cheese is hard to beat and gives variety), avoid overloud music - and with mixed feelings in saying this, dont overexpand - keep Brewdog special/discerning, avoid risk of being vetoed by 'chain snobs' down the line.Great that you invite feedback btw.
bleugene 28.08.2012 @ 11:30am
Please build a pipeline to California - difficult to find your beer here - but I cam live without chips.
Gordon M 28.08.2012 @ 11:13am
A punk approved jukebox. Maybe a twitter feed on a scrolling display. Good quality meat/pie products and more female bar staff. Otherwise fuckin' perfect!
Rab 28.08.2012 @ 10:51am
Oh I forgot, coat hooks on the bar, just under the counter, Vital!
thechobgoblin 28.08.2012 @ 10:37am
Beer : My only comment would be have some more guests at a lower ABV. As good as the high ABV beers are, they're not really suitable for drinking in the day!Otherwise keep up the excellent work. For the people moaning about loud music, have you asked at the time for it to be turned down? Only when you have, and the request has been turned down, can you complain!
m4 28.08.2012 @ 10:21am
Beer - Offering some quality cask beer would make the bars a real home of all good beer. At the minute it seems you only value keg beer but I think there's room for both.Food - would like to see your proper food offering at the Nottingham bar. The platters are good, but would be nice to see pizza/burgers alongside
Me 28.08.2012 @ 9:58am
@davenottsWell it's good for them to ask what people think because there are a lot of people who do not act like you say and don't tweet shit about the bars. I never have, even when I have been disappointed with something, and I have not even bothered to let brewdog know that I have more or less stopped going to their bars, so giving people like me a chance to get their opinions heard can only be a good thing as that is the only way to improve things and maybe get us back on the bar stool.You're opinion stinks a bit of american patriotism, where you think the only way to support something is to never question it and never criticize. That is not a way of running a company. For full disclosure I am a share holder as well, I didn't mention this in my last comment as that was about giving feedback about a bar, but I mention it now because I feel that if you can't keep the shareholders in the bars (and I mean the ones who love craft beer, and not the twats who think they deserve special treatment) then you must be doing something wrong. When people who love craft beer and have invested a lot of time (and money) in the company choose to go to another bar instead, well that act should speak for it self. And unlike what some people think, there are other good bars for craft beer in Edinburgh (and other cities) with very friendly staff and atmosphere. Brewdog do have tough competition and they need all the help they can get to address that, which is why I and others here and giving constructive criticism here on this blog, it might sound ultra negative when bunch of people basically nag at the same time, but that is why you never take feedback on face value and try to understand the reasons behind the comments.Sorry for this very long rant @davenotts, but his better than thou attitude about all the people who think they are better than thou because they are shareholders is quite ironic and is not constructive, helpful or needed.
davenotts 28.08.2012 @ 4:01am
This whole thing seems strange to me. If you ask people what's negative, certain people will respond with what's quite frankly negative issues. I've been with Brewdog from the beginning. I have been an Edinburgh regular for a while now. I'm not one of these people that feel the need to tweet thing's I find momentarily displeasing in the bar to garner some momentarily attention on online. You're pathetic. You really are. "I'm a share holder you say". Well so am I and 9000 other people. IT'S A BAR!. You might have to wait to get served when it's busy. IT'S A BAR! You might not get preferential treatment when you come in if it's crazy busy. Especially during the Fringe. Were it is crazy busy. I have nothing but admirations for the staff. Who treated everyone as an individual. Iwho who IT'S A BAR! I treat the bar staff with the respect they deserve and I have never got anything but excellent service. Because unlike some of my fellow share holders I appreciate how hard it is to work in a bat and have the specialist knowledge these guys have. have.
akjlo 28.08.2012 @ 2:49am
you need a bar in ALASKA and we will run it for you ;) love Brewdog Edinburgh and wouldn't change a darn thing.
Peter C 27.08.2012 @ 11:53pm
What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available? I'm pretty happy with this at the moment, though Trashy Blonde tends to be somewhat elusiveWhat would you like to drink in terms of guest beer? I'm a big fan of American craft beer so more of those would be great, more stuff from Tempest would also be welcomed.What would you like the food offering to be in a BrewDog Bar? I mostly go to BrewDog Newcastle and it tends to be on a night so eating there doesnt happen much, but I think they have a pretty decent rage a cheese board or a pie if you're having a few beers on an afternoon is pretty good, ultimately there is no kitchen so choices aren't going to be massive. Ultimately I would rather it was a pub about good beer not somewhere you go for food.What do we do really wellwhat can we improve upon? Staff really know there stuff about the beer, though the knowledge of the shareholder discount card seems to be sporadic. Someone below mentioned getting a jukebox, I think a proper old wurlitzer would look awesome next to the pinball machine in newcastle, however I really like the music selection they currently play so maybe make sure the staff get a large say on what goes in it.And any other random or general feedback we can use to make our bars better? Some more descriptions of the beers for people, not always easy I know and there are leaflets but even if you just had some tasting notes mounted for the main beers (DPC, 5AM, Punk, zeigeist) might make new people feel a bit better going in.
rontheentertainer 27.08.2012 @ 11:46pm
Had my sell out show in the fringe all month. Which was great but not as great as the time I spent in the Edinburgh brewdog bar. First time in UK and these guys in the bar made me feel so welcome. So much so that I came in especially tonight to say goodbye to them. We high fived and hugged.Great group of cats. Will miss you guys. Good job during the fringe, hope you get appreciated as much as you deserve. And I'm confused by you Scots and your Chicken Wing obsession but I'm a stupid foreigner, what do I know. :) Love you guys. See you next year. Peace out. Ron
Bitchplease 27.08.2012 @ 11:40pm
I've been around a few of the bars, mostly Camden but recently I've been in Edinburgh for the fringe. The thing I think you've got most right is the staff (especially the Edinburgh bar! So friendly!!!) they really know their stuff and are always enthusiastic and happy to give you a sample or two if you're not sure on a beer.One thing I really detest is the live music, mix it up a bit! Get a dj in, you can hear the same old acoustic stuff almost anywhere! Pizzas are great! Although I'm on board with chicken wings and pies
Jason B 27.08.2012 @ 11:29pm
What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available?A Belgium beer, similar to the trappist ales in style.What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer?Thornbridge stuff would be nice.What do we do really well?The atmos, you can go to a brewdog bar and chill out, the atmosphere is always good and staff are fun to talk with.
weecalf 27.08.2012 @ 10:40pm
Brief your doorpeople to refuse entry to stags and big groups of pissed up guys. I've been in the Edinburgh bar several times and guys who should've been spotted a mile off and turned away are standing swaying at bar not understanding why there isn't Tennents on. Edinburgh music has been pretty loud the past few times I've been in. More tasting notes on some of the more obscure stuff - the idea of having a web page per bar with background info is a good one. I know they are (sort of) competition, but get some local brews in.
phanson 27.08.2012 @ 9:48pm
Cask beer of course - must be a part of the new brewery that can be set aside for BrewDog's great cask beer?As for the music, I quite like it loud in the Edinburgh bar.Decent bottled beer lists (not just one dog-eared copy) please!More special events in Edinburgh, especially as we missed out on the Flying Dog thing.
mzungujamie 27.08.2012 @ 9:47pm
As much as I enjoy the imperial wheat beer when on offer in the bar I do feel like your missing a trick by not having a Hefe Weissbier in the core range at around the 5-6% mark that could be enjoyed in a pint. Why not give it a hop kick like the fantastic Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen - Weisse.
jackthesipper 27.08.2012 @ 9:43pm
Bring back Jackhammer IPA! Best beer ever!
steve f 27.08.2012 @ 9:41pm
A great idea would be having an updated list (even stuck to a wall is fine) showing what beers you have in stock and the price. It's a pain standing at a busy bar knowing you want a new IPA or stout but being unable to see past bodies to guess what there is. Usually your bottle list is way out of date, if one can be found and then you have to ask the price of each individual bottle in case you end up with something costing over a tenner when your not sure your going to like it or not.Another annoyance is that some times there is music and sometimes there is not, Edinburgh seems to have it more than Glasgow. Any reason for this? And I don't think Camden had any on when I visited. Nothing too loud just play something.Another good idea would be to limited the amount of big beers on tap at the one time. It's not easy to pick a beer when 3 of the 4 or 5 are all 10% plus offering, surely 1 or 2 at a push would be a better idea.More variation on the guest ales. Every time I'm in it's Nogne, Mikkeller and that's about it. Occasional I'll spot something new or different but not every time. Often it's 3 of 4 taps from the same brewery as well.Also it would be nice to see more Brewdog bottles behind the bar along with some of the harder to find US beers. Even some of the easier to find one, what's wrong with the like of Sierra Nevada? But mainly I mean some harder to get a hold of Brewdog stuff like the IPA is Dead series or even beers usually brewed for foreign markets.
leedel20 27.08.2012 @ 9:38pm
innis and gunn please
hardcoremonkey 27.08.2012 @ 8:56pm
Edinburgh staff are awesome! Always friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I agree with everything about music being too loud though. I have tried to buy t-shirts there recently but the bar always seems to sell-out straight after their delivery. Chicken wings would be great!
Rab 27.08.2012 @ 8:08pm
What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available? Something "newbie" freindly always on tap for converting new followers, as well as a good session beer (DPC is excellent) What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer? try promoting the best of British craft beer, What would you like the food offering to be in a BrewDog Bar? you can get a burger anywhere, do sausages, pies and haggis pizzas, What do we do really well?Bar looks good, nice staff What can we improve upon?keep the music in the background And any other random or general feedback we can use to make our bars better? can I bring the bairn in during the day, if I was passing??
lazy git ; 0 27.08.2012 @ 8:01pm
sometimes it would be good it the staff would come to the tables for your order, it gives them a chance to introduce different beers to customers, it works very well in some european pubs.
Jo 27.08.2012 @ 7:20pm
My only comment would be related to Camden Brewdog. It's a bit out of my way being I'm in the South West and when Euston Tap is selling the same Brewdog beer on tap for less price than a Brewdog bar, I'm going to get off a few tube stops early at Euston Tap everytime.
Kerry Allison 27.08.2012 @ 7:19pm
In reply to Tom AItken, in the Aberdeen bar, we use It Is On to put on beer tastings on a Sunday or Monday, however these are not the only tastings we run. We do beer school every Tuesday night, and can organise a tailored tasting for you at almost any time. I hope this helps. For further information feel free to contact me via [email protected]
John H 27.08.2012 @ 6:29pm
I can only comment in regard to the Brew Dog Edinburgh bar:Try and ensure there's always a balanced range of Brew Dog beers, i.e. at least one Lager, IPA, Stout, Dark Ale, etc at all times, on occasions I've overheard customers ask for a pint of lager (or IPA, Stout, etc) only to be told there is none available on tap.I've noticed a lack of variety of late, I used to enjoy trying guest beers I hadn't had before, but recently I've found myself going in to find I've tried all the (draft) guest beers in the past. Please surprise me with more beers/breweries I don't know.A wider variety of snack food would be good, the pizzas aren’t to every-ones taste e.g. pies? (check out the "Wee Pie Company") small portions of Haggis, Neeps & Tatties? Nachos? Soup & and crusty bread? (winter will soon be on us!)Customer service is usually top quality, although I would say it's not always as good as it used to be.FIX THE BLOODY WI-FI!!! I reckon 75% of the time I cannot connect with my phone and I do not get a 3G signal in the bar. I know from asking the staff that re-booting the router makes it work again, so it’s not a signal/location issue it’s a crap router. If BT can't help look into getting a different/second router that will work consistently.The live music is normally good but the acoustics could be better, with the music drowning out a singers voice or vice versa (am not sure if this is due to the bar's sound system or the performers'), but PLEASE keep ALL music to background levels!It would be nice to get more information on the beers currently available, the bar staff are usually very helpful with this but sometimes it's just too busy/noisy for them to chat about each beer. IF THE WI-FI WORKED an online resource would be good for ALL beers including guest beers, a web page for each bar that the bar staff could keep updated with their currently available beers would be ace! Am sure you could set up a central database available to all bars to make it easy for the staff. But even a simple A4 printout giving beer descriptions would be nice. The daily tweets of the boards are great, but more info. please.
Chris H 27.08.2012 @ 5:02pm
I've not been to the BrewDog bars very often. I've been to Edinburgh several times and to Aberdeen once. I've really enjoyed my experiences, except the last time I went to the BrewDog Edinburgh. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon in July and I had my parents (who were visiting from USA) with us, and the music was soooooooo loud that you couldn't hear yourself think. We were sitting there maybe half an hour when the music got louder, and it was techno-dance crappy stuff. I thought BrewDog was beer for punks, not Euro-dance trash raver people. Tell the staff not to put the music up so loud and play something decent. Needless to say, we didn't stay long on that day. I don't get the chance to go into the BrewDog bars very often, but when I do, I really want to enjoy good beer and have a chat with the wife or friends. If I wanted to drink too much, listen to crappy music, and not be able to hear a thing that anyone said... I'd go to a dance club.
Me 27.08.2012 @ 4:47pm
This is for the Edinburgh bar, where I am a semi-regular. Used to go more often.What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available?Maybe this is just me, but when ever I go with the missus there never seems to be any porters/stouts on draft. There are very few in the brewdog line up anyway, could always have more, especially around the 5-8% (i.e. more or less normal).What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer?I'm actually going against what most people here have written, and say that I would like to see more local and UK beers like magic rock, dark star etc.What would you like the food offering to be in a BrewDog Bar?Used to eat at the Edinburgh bar quite often, loved the crumble loving pizza (one my all time favourites) and also really liked the burgers. But these days there are no burgers and as someone else mentioned already the pizzas these days are more or less just posh cheese on toast, not very flavoursome either.This is one of the main reasons we don't go there as much anymore, as you have to go eat somewhere else, so just as well drink somewhere else.What do we do really well?I'd say the staff is still a lot better than your average bar, but I feel even they are not as friendly and helpful as they used to be.What can we improve upon?As always, you should aim to improve everything, but I would concentrate on the service (as it should be your selling point) and food (at least at the Edinburgh bar).And any other random or general feedback we can use to make our bars better?Just keep remembering the customer service, everything else is secondary... okay, well maybe good beer comes first.
tania_nexust 27.08.2012 @ 4:17pm
Beer: CASK - really miss your cask versions and would love to see you show you can make great cask beer & your staff are trained in managing cask ale. Also more affordable pricing on your core offering.Guests: Other Scottish and English craft brewers - keg, cask or bottleFood - bar snacks from round the world - e.g. pulled pork sliders, chicken kara-age, Scotch pie - will complement a range of beers
Spoon King 27.08.2012 @ 3:30pm
People are very correct about a wheat beer being in core range. Maybe it could be exclusive to bars. I remember Punk Monk being tasty. All bars should try to get handsome, debonair, articulate regulars just like Aberdeen already does.
RussellD 27.08.2012 @ 2:24pm
I'm a semi-regular at the Camden bar. As a California native and craft brew fanatic, I have long struggled living in London with the unimaginative and bland beer options. I think BrewDog Camden is a great place! The atmosphere is nice. The staff is friendly and knowledgable about the beer they're serving. If I could only drag my friends away from Soho, I would come more often. Beer School has been a great recruiting device, because many of them now understand why I like BrewDog and craft brew so much. I love the fact that you now have take-away option. Introducing growlers was a great idea! It would be nice to have a larger growler option, which are great for parties and work gatherings.Hardcore IPA is my favourite and should always be on tap! I think you should keep doing special brews, especially those that are "bar only" options. That makes it a more compelling reason to go to the bar. I love the crazy strong stuff (Tactical Nuclear Penguin, Sink the Bismarck)! Beer cocktails are certainly a revolution to me. I'd like to see you do some more collaborations (especially with US breweries, maybe even a London brewery). For guest beer, I would like to see more US imports (especially IPA's)! You already stock my favourites in bottles: Lagunitas and Bear Republic. I would love to have some US kegs imported. If you manage to get your hands on a Racer 5 keg, I wont leave until it's dry! Also, as many of already said, more variety in the guests. I discovered a lot of amazing UK and European brews because places like Euston Tap have a nice, constantly changing selection.Camden's burgers, pizza and cheese/meat plates are amazing! It would be nice to have some smaller options, such as nachos, sliders and beer-battered onion rings.I think the Camden bar has a pretty nice setup. As much as I'd like some vintage pinball or video game machines, there just isn't space. It's already difficult enough to find a place to sit. I wouldn't give any of that space up. It is unfortunate that there is no outdoor drinking option. I'm not sure anything can be done about that. Can you take over the building and open a rooftop beer garden? Speaking of that, a rooftop or stander beer garden would be nice for your next bar. You could do something interesting with the downstairs space. One idea would be to make it your guest bar. You could also use it to feature special events or themed beer offerings.
hughh 27.08.2012 @ 12:30pm
I reckon you could do more flights. Have 2 or 3 recommended options which take in 4 different styles or compare 4 different beers of the same style. The recommended flights could be one Brewdog selection, one guest selection and a staff pick. Probably stop serving flights when it gets busy though.fried chicken is a good idea but I think battered haggis would be more distinctive. Instead of a chili dog, haggis dog?Sometimes the only dark beers avaliable are 12% imperial stouts. Dont stop serving these, but it would be nice to have the option of a pint of porter...
Wyreman 27.08.2012 @ 12:25pm
Background music not shouting competition music. Nibbly bar food sausages and mustard , wings , campden pizzas in the other bars , a true cask ipa from yourselves and a n other brewer . Acoustic music rather than amped music. An annual brew dog festival somewhere central .. Birmingham ?
BenH 27.08.2012 @ 12:25pm
I agree with everything NateDawg27 and Ailksa have said. I used to visit the Edinburgh bar way more often than I do now. The keg and bottle turnover has been way too slow. Don't order thousands of stone and Lagunitas bottles for them to sit there for a year. Focus on small amounts of the rare stuff that will sell fast so you can buy more sooner. The keg selection hasn't been great either. I have nothing against Camden brewery or summer wine, but they're not why I go to brewdog bar, especially when theyre £6+ for a pint and i can get them down the road. I want those rare imports that I can't get anywhere else, three floyds, lost abbey etc. Also instead of 6 brewdog taps and 4 guest, I'd rather see 4 brewdog and 6 guest.
craigk 27.08.2012 @ 11:49am
What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available?Mainly a nice wheat beer (not too high an ABV so it's more 'drinkable', e.g 5-6.5%) as many others have said What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer?More from U.S e.g Half Acre, Harpoon, Maui brewing Co, etc... Oh, and more flying dog on draught again please.What would you like the food offering to be in a BrewDog Bar?Speaking about Aberdeen mainly, what about a regular offering like the burgers available in London etc? Maybe there's no space... Wasabi peas then I guess?!What do we do really well?Service and knowledge, good atmosphere within all bars I've visitedWhat can we improve upon?More seating in bars in general, more guest taps in Aberdeen in particular - otherwise, keep doin' what you're doin'!And any other random or general feedback we can use to make our bars better?More external brewery 'themed' nights
CassieTruman 27.08.2012 @ 11:31am
If you want pinballs for your bars, I can hook you up. My father and I run the largest pinball museum in Britain and we're only too happy to help.
nf405 27.08.2012 @ 10:59am
I'd like there to be at least one wheat beer on tap. Other good beer pubs usually have at least one wheat beer available but brewdog often doesn't - maybe you should make your own?
Ailska 27.08.2012 @ 10:54am
Brewdog Edinburgh regular - one thing I LOVE is the low staff turn-over. The doormen know me so I don't have to faff with ID (30 but don't look it) and the bar staff know we're shareholders so we don't need to flash the card.Draft beer selection has become really restricted and not that thrilling - used to get a sampler board fairly often and now just find ourselves going for our old favourites. Brewdog bottles ditto. I'd also like to see some of the American classic IPAs that inspired Brewdog available, it would be amazing to get some Goose Island on tap.LOVE the tweets about what's on that day, often inspires whether we swing by or not.A greater range of food would be nice - some of us are wheat/dairy intolerant so a menu that is primarily bread/cheese isn't great. That said I love the meat and cheese board. The pizzas used to be better, they've become kind of posh cheese on toast (more tomato sauce would help?). Was over the moon when burgers were available and miss them. Chips would be great, pies sound interesting.Wifi is TERRIBLE. I get the impression the router is just in a really useless place. Also resetting the wifi password from the default one on the router would be nice!The atmosphere has been a bit rubbish lately, maybe just because it's the festival. Last night the music was awful (Hi Ho Silver Lining?) and had been jacked up to account for the bar being so busy. It's the first time I've felt REALLY uncomfortable in there and wanted to leave. I loved the bar at first because it was cosy, possible to get a seat even when busy, had great music at a comfortable volume (when it opened there was mostly more rock, especially 90's stuff, and mostly a very cool vibe). The clientele were calm and grown-up and the atmosphere ideal for someone who hates busy pubs and clubs. It actually made me start going out when I previously preferred to have people round for drinks. Recently it's felt like a bog-standard pub with crap, loud music and boorish drunken types to match, and it's list it's cool edge. I don't know what it is, the staff are still awesome, but when it's so busy you don't get time to use their expertise. I'll go with blaming the loud music and hope the end of the festival see's it improve, otherwise I can't see me continuing to go much.I think that can be summarised as I wish the bar/beers/music were how things were in the first 6 months of opening, with better wifi.
a_gnome 27.08.2012 @ 10:54am
Im a BrewDog Camden (semi)regular and for the most part it is a great little bar (especially now the take out licence is sorted).The food is good but could do with a bit more variety for us Veggies (yes bring on the abuse people). The veggie pizza is great but maybe a burger too? or at least chips / beer battered onion rings (trashy blonde makes a mean batter by the way) etc something quick and easy that the carnivores will enjoy equally.Id also like to see more variety in the guest beers, I have to admit I will often go to The Cask or Euston Tap over BrewDog for the simple fact that every time I go in there is stuff from different breweries not just the same 5 or 6 on rotation (as much as I like Nogne and Mikkeller).The staff at Camden are frigging awesome so that needs to be said as often as possible!A juke box would be nice too, vinyl or otherwise that way the punters can have a bit more say over whats playing.
Jamie 27.08.2012 @ 10:51am
I love BrewDog Glasgow, but the really loud music puts me off going quite frequenlty.The fact it seems to pop up ramdomly makes it hard to arrange to meet people there as I never know if we'll actually be able to talk.Also, can we have Ingrid again please? I miss it so much...
tonykilleen 27.08.2012 @ 9:37am
generally your bars are great i know the newcastle one pretty well ,personally here is a few suggestions to improve the brewdog experience for me ,1,more variety in guest beers mikkeller is not the only craft beer available (do you have shares in his beers!),2,a better food range again i know space is a problem but i would love to see the pizzas from edinburgh here,3,more uk craft beer on keg and in bottles ,4,a cask line for beers that particularly suit this serve (ie alice porter always better on cask than keg!)
Ian Prise 27.08.2012 @ 9:11am
More reasonably priced guest draft! Take less of a margin and you'll sell more, turn over guest kegs more quickly and keep your customers interested! A dedicated Anchor tap with a rotating selection of Anchor beers. We own a small part of them so we should perhaps try and promote them too. A diet cola available. You are not going to be able to source an artisnal version so just source one from a smaller soft drinks manufacturer.
gog2 27.08.2012 @ 6:53am
I love the bars and staff but have one major gripe that puts me off going in on certain days and at certain times. Turning the music up when busy to a volume that you can't hear each other speak and struggle to even order at the bar kills the ambience rather than enhances it. Background music should be background. That includes live music unless in a separate room. Hot food (burgers & pizzas) in all the bars would be ideal but I know some have space issues.A few more sensible abv level guest draft beers would help the turnover - barley wines and other monster strength beers take ages to sell. Or have just a couple of kegs of these big beers and transfer to other bars after been on a week say?Also, take note of quick selling beer types (wheat/fruit/lambic) and try to source these more regularly.Keep up the good work
NottsRegular 27.08.2012 @ 12:39am
Beers? More US beers. Especially the likes of Lagunitas which had been seen at the other bars but not yet at Notts.Food? Limited space but would love to see the Burgers from Camden or the Hardcore pies from AberdeenStaff? Always excellent at Notts. really know they're stuffImprovements? Notts needs A/C really badly. Despite the welcoming staff and beer selection can be off putting with how hot it gets in there.Random stuff? Would be nice to see more events at Notts eg Newcastles DIY day they had today or art or music events (other than the awesome open mic) would all be coolHope this helps!
BeerLover25 26.08.2012 @ 10:45pm
Beer I'd love to see you do: More wheat beers, its what's missing from Brewdog...and yours will be good. (How about a nice Dunkel...?)Good so far: Staff, always really helpful and friendly. Food: Chicken Wings.
Kb4692 26.08.2012 @ 10:16pm
We would appreciate a non-alcoholic beer on tab. You have something bottled that was great. Lead the way in the UK by offering something tasty and yet consciencous for the driver to stop drunk driving.
Don 26.08.2012 @ 9:23pm
A vinyl jukebox filled with classic rock 'n' roll and punk 45's. You know it makes sense!More BBQ's in Aberdeen, and/or an order in service for hot food from Musa.
Rikky 26.08.2012 @ 8:34pm
Random request : Please set up a Brewdog bar in Ireland !
sogden 26.08.2012 @ 8:11pm
Under a sort of general 'any other feedback' section, what about a Brewdog India? Or some sort of IPA collaboration with one of the new Indian IPA microbreweries?(inspired after reading http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-19340289)
sheldon 26.08.2012 @ 7:45pm
As a relatively new brewdog-introduced beer lover, I used to love going to the bars and trying random new beers, whether draft or bottled. When I was in Edinburgh last week, though, I was disappointed at the selection of BrewDog bottles available - the previously enormous selection was pretty depleted. I imagine this is good news, as it means you've been selling lots, and i know you've got capacity issues at the brewery. As you improve capacity it would be great if the bars became a true haven for every beer you make, especially ones you can no longer get anywhere else.If it's not practical to stock everything, you don't make choosing an alternative easy. You have to squint at the range of guest bottles in the fridge to try and see what you have and take a guess at what you might like that is in your price range. While the staff will always give great advice, its not practical to spend ages discussing your beer choice if the bar is busy. It would be great if you could have up-to-date bottle menus scattered around, with descriptions, prices and maybe split into categories - 'if you liked this beer we've run out of, you'll love this guest beer' etc.
tabamatu 26.08.2012 @ 6:38pm
Brewdog beer: A killer Saison - to sit alongside DPC as a lower-than-punk ABV optionGuest beers: Balance is pretty good for me. Not so keen on guest lists being dominated by UK stuff I can try elsewhere but good to see them. Love seeing Mikkeller, Evil Twin etc. on the bar but the harder to find US stuff is what I usually opt for. Keep them mixed, so no more than one or two per brewery on at a time, special events excepted.Food: Wings all the way!What do you well: Staff are always friendly and the events are well received To improve: Arcade machines would be cool, a la Barcade. Keener prices on guest keg beers. More Brewdog pilot brews - a great way to see what works.
catch23 26.08.2012 @ 6:38pm
Beer: Cigar City from Florida and Guinea Pigs from SpainFood: Just copy what the American craft beer bars doMusic: Turn it down!! (And this comes from someone who works in a record label. Last time I was in the Edinburgh bar, I met up with friends I hadn't seen for a few years, we had to leave because we couldn't talk)
Isayer 26.08.2012 @ 6:12pm
Food -I think taps style modern British food. Small portions, for a couple of quid. Buy a round, buy a couple of tapas.
TomAitken 26.08.2012 @ 6:03pm
The beer tasting sessions to be more than just Sunday and Monday nights. I can't get any friends to do it during those times. Any chance of an afternoon session available during the day during the week?
hystrix cristata 26.08.2012 @ 5:54pm
Chips with the burgers, chips with the burgers, chips with the burgers, chips with the burgers. I ended up having two burgers in a row the other day as one doesn't fill you up. They were awesome though.
Glasgow drinker 26.08.2012 @ 5:17pm
I love the selection of brewdog beers however it would be nice to get some of the more unusual beers in bars other than Aberdeen. As far as guest beers go it would be great to see a few more british beers. I know it isn't possible to go down the route of cask beer but could we get some great bottle conditioned beers at great prices due to the reduced costs of bringing them in from the uk and no import of them. Food is great in some bars but Aberdeen seems to suffer a bit. However it would be nice to have the scotch eggs that the Aberdeen bar stocks in the other bars. Also a wider selection of meat for the burgers. We have had pork and lamb in the Glasgow bar recently, could we try venison or something random like horse. My final random suggestion would be cigars. A small humidor behind the bar and a sheltered area outside the bars.
Nicholas A 26.08.2012 @ 5:11pm
Beer: Whatever you want, you've not let me down yet.Guest: Go local around the bars, get some new-wave-breweries involved. You're going to disagree on attitude, but Camden and Greenwich are doing some nice things.Food: Chips.Random shizzile: Get the next London one up soon, bigger premisies Beer garden would be awesome.
beerbore5000 26.08.2012 @ 4:32pm
me again, whilst highlighting I love your bars and visit every time I'm in Glasgow, a lack of any cider and no diet cola make it difficult to get some of my friends in. Brewdog should link with a cider maker. And to echo others, live music shouldn't be too often and shouldn't drown out conversation
beerbore5000 26.08.2012 @ 4:13pm
What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer? Australian beers (Bridge Road, Murrays) and more reasonable strength IPAs; too many guests lines at one time get devoted to way too strong barley wine, stout and trappist style dark beers, I'd like to see a better choice of light, refreshing and hoppy beers at any one time What do we do really well? The staff in Edin & Glas ooze passion for beer & the food choice is ideal (try the cheese)What can we improve upon? Pricing; I recognise you have to make a profit but the cost of draught and bottles is a bit off sometimes; a UK brewer's IPA for 4 quid a half, over a tenner for some of the American bottles when they are 3 quid are beerritz, could your mark up not have a maximum per bottle rather than what I expect you use, a percentage on the cost to you wholesale?
Travellednews 26.08.2012 @ 4:04pm
I think as long as the guest beers are good quality, varied and reasonably often changed it doesn't matter what that are.Pies with beers is a definate, fancy dress is a definate NO! Live music is good one or twice a month, but not too often, it's a drinking pub, not a music venue.Art for sale by a certain artist JB? One more thing, Please hold an AGM down South sometime.
HollowBarista 26.08.2012 @ 4:03pm
What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available?-A tasty bravely acidic unfiltered wheat beer.What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer? -Other small breweries with attitude. Flying Dog and Stone.What would you like the food offering to be in a BrewDog Bar?-Akin to australian or japanese pubfood.What do we do really well?-Beer, marketing, jokes, texts on bottle.What can we improve upon?-Beer festival?And any other random or general feedback we can use to make our bars better?-Pouring schools. Temperature and bubble size matters.
thunderbolt \m/ \m/ 26.08.2012 @ 4:01pm
a couple more blonde beers would be good
S 26.08.2012 @ 3:54pm
What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available?CASK. I miss the old Brewdog cask beers.
colinbm 26.08.2012 @ 3:53pm
Wifi in Edinburgh is not great. And since you seem to be in a data black spot for 3G would be good to see improved. Would be happy to assist with getting it working better if that would help.
Al Sex Gore 26.08.2012 @ 3:51pm
Kill the live music (surely no one likes to shout their beer conversations!?!)How about giving something back and show some support for local newbie craft brewers? Get the home craft brewers involved in some sort of competition (Punk Factor? Ok, that sounds corny) with local bars running tasting comps and a big prize to come brew up at Brewdog HQ? Just a thunk! Oh and yeah, pies would be good! ;))
Hywel 26.08.2012 @ 3:45pm
What would you like to see beer wise from BrewDog that is not currently available? A Kölsch style beer (see wikipedia for details!)What would you like to drink in terms of guest beer? More Asian beers from Vietnam, China, Thailand etc.What would you like the food offering to be in a BrewDog Bar? Pizzas and burgers are already amazing. Perhaps offer steak too?What do we do really well? Bar staff are excellent, bars have a great atmosphere.What can we improve upon? More seating perhaps for Friday/Saturday nights? Bars get full quite quickly and I've seen many people standing at busy times.And any other random or general feedback we can use to make our bars better? Play heavy metal music in the bars! :D
Highlanddempster 26.08.2012 @ 3:41pm
Brew some bee rfrre pussy riot
Nathaniel S 26.08.2012 @ 3:38pm
Beerwise: I'd actually like to see Brewdog do a nitro stout.Guest beer: Specially imported stuff. I mean, draft stuff that you're not gonna find anywhere else, literally.Food: Fried chickenWhat you do really well: Staff.Random shizzle: A brewdog bar with a kickass beer garden.