Brewdog Beers Axed By Almost 2000 Pubs

So, I was in this pub the other day, right? I ordered my usual, a nice cold pint of something hoppy and bitter. The barman, a friendly enough chap, starts pouring, then stops, looks at me, and says, "You know, we're not supposed to serve this one anymore." I raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah? Why's that then?" He leans in, "Something about the name, or the label, or who knows, brewery politics, right?" I shrugged, took my drink, and thought, "Here we go again."

Turns out, my local wasn't alone. Almost 2000 pubs across the UK have been told to stop serving certain beers from BrewDog. Now, if you're not familiar with BrewDog, they're like the rebellious kid of the craft beer scene. They've got a knack for pushing boundaries, both with their brews and their marketing. But this time, it seems they've pushed a bit too far.

What's the beef?

Alright, let's dive into the drama. BrewDog's in trouble with the Portman Group, a watchdog for the alcohol industry. They've accused BrewDog of breaking rules with their beers' names and labels. Now, I'm no expert on beer regulations, but I've seen some of these labels, and let's just say, they're... creative. We're talking names like "Speedball Supercharger" and "Dead Pony Club".

Now, I'm not here to judge. I mean, who among us hasn't wanted to name a beer something a bit... provocative? But it seems BrewDog's gone a step too far. The Portman Group's accused them of encouraging excessive drinking and irresponsible behavior. And that, my friends, is a big no-no in the world of booze.

BrewDog's response

So, what's BrewDog got to say about all this? Well, they're not taking it lying down. They've been pretty vocal about the whole thing, saying they're "disappointed" with the Portman Group's decision. They've even started a petition to "Save Our Beers", with over 100,000 signatures at the time of writing.

They've also been quick to point out that they're all about responsible drinking. They've got a "Drink Responsibly" message on their website, and they've even got a "BrewDog Academy" to teach people about beer and responsible drinking. So, it's not like they're encouraging people to down a six-pack and go for a swim, you know?

BrewDog beers axed by almost 2,000 pubs as brand battles losses and

What happens now?

Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it? As of now, those 1968 pubs are supposed to stop serving the offending beers. But with the petition gaining steam and BrewDog fighting back, who knows what's going to happen?

I mean, I'm no expert on beer politics, but it seems like this could get messy. On one hand, you've got the Portman Group saying these beers are encouraging bad behavior. On the other, you've got BrewDog saying they're all about responsible drinking. And then you've got the rest of us, just trying to enjoy a cold one after a long day.

So, what do you think? Should BrewDog tone down their labels, or is this just another case of the man trying to spoil our fun? Let me know in the comments. And if you've got any tips on where to find these "banned" beers, well, I won't tell if you won't.

Until next time, cheers!