Some of you will know that I am no fan of Brewdog, the disingenuous, corporate, mainstream brewer. However I have always been a huge advocate of their bars but after a couple of months away from them, things have changed.
- The non-Brewdog offering is very much the same in all the bars, little individuality, same breweries. Stone, Beavertown, Cloudwater, Mikkeler and very little new UK stuff.
- Menu now consists of 6 pizzas and 1 chicken wings. That’s it. There used to be a range of dogs, burgers, wings, and all the craft street that goes with it. In fact, all the type of food that goes with craft beer.
- Staff. Certainly at my regular most of the familiar faces have gone and been replaced by less knowledgeable, less friendly (imho) staff. Table service is rare.
- Fresh beer. Being served a pumpkin beer in June 2016, brewed in the fall of 2015 was surprising.
It looks as though the accountants have taken over. There has never been a brewery logo in Brewdog apart from Brewdog, it now appears they don’t even want the guest beers apart from their mates and sell off bargains. Food, it slows down the drinking and as the bars are full at peak time – you wouldn’t want that.
From my London-centric point of view, (If you lived in the City would that be EC-centric? – Ed.) I think Barworks and Draft House have got the formula right for customers. Brewdog make lots of money, if you think that is success.
Been to mine the menu is the same burgers and dogs still on as they always have been, seems a bit of a gripe by a non fan tbh
I have been a big fan of Brewdog bars in the past. The point I was trying to make is that they, certainly my closest one, appear to have changed for the worse recently. Still good bars but in London there are plenty of other options.
In my experience each BrewDog bar does food in its own way – they don’t have a nationwide menu like, for example, Wetherspoons do. At BrewDog Bristol last Sunday I was table-served with a decent pie by a very pleasant staff member.
My only gripe with some, but not all, BrewDogs, is that the beer can be over-chilled though at Bristol it was spot on.
OK I’m a shareholder so have an interest in boosting BrewDog. There’s not one where I live but I’m in their Birmingham and Leicester bars reasonably often and so far have had little cause to complain.
I so wish they would ban the word ‘awesome’ though as they overuse it awesomely!
Awesome but fair comment.
Brewdog bars are also franchises abroad now. I do not know if this is the case for UK bars. When I was last at a Brewdog bar it was Camden. I didn’t recognise any staff members. I had a nice and fresh Oscar Blues pale ale which was kept well. I had a nice experience but it was pricey. Hardly a revolution movement just a clone of average craft beer bars in the States. Nowhere like the best beer bars in the States or even in Europe. The beers are ok but they don’t excite me much now. Dead Pony Club is probably their best imho. I think they just got too big and have problems managing it all.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/revealed-birmingham-restaurants-takeaways-rated-10337878
I would never eat in Brewdog Birmingham.