It's Amazin' . . . Beer!

A successful marketing campaign is frequently one that utilises a catchy hook: an earworm, or eyeworm(!), or both. Whether you recall the exact brand that used it twenty years later is a different matter. I couldn't tell you the product line, but I remember the silly song, and the colorful gummi bears each carrying a different fruit, the last pushing a huge pineapple in front of it.

The past couple years at Craft Brew Alliance have seemed like a metaphorical fruity-gummi parade, but a la beer flavors. IPAs are especially popular, and we've ended up with a couple of orange or tangerine-flavored IPAs, a pineapple one, and a guava one. Another beer, a saison, is flavored with raspberries; and one of my favourites, a bright red sour beer, is keen with the tang of hibiscus. IPA or no, there are always abundant flavor ideas awaiting testing in the offices of this alliance of beer companies. These include premade flavors and herbal teas. I sneaked in to grab a photo!

The other day in the break-room, which serves as a mingling ground for people in various departments, I learned from a brewer how a huge bag of hibiscus petals --- a vast tea bag, basically --- was used to flavor the red sour beer. Later, I overheard talk of some difficulties in formulating a wildly experimental fruit beer to the desired results; the 15-plus step process was, at going on at least a week, already long overdue, and the brewing employee sounded both resigned and amused. The flavor? Dragonfruit! "I'll be sure to get a keg of it up here for you when it's finally ready," he told me, grinning.

The art of formulating flavor is one of the main reasons I'd ever want to hire into a, well, higher position here --- except I know I don't qualify. In truth, my talent is probably best left to roam free and amuse itself with entrepreneurship, mainly because of its many facets.

Last Friday was the last day for Butch, one of our competent hired-on bottle hall workers, who's leaving us for a cross-country trail hike. (Me next, yo!) The team celebrated after-shift with a tasting round, where various beers are brought by each person for sharing and sampling.

I had to leave early, but took photos of a couple so I can try them later. Like the little gummi bears of long ago, beer brands must craft a memorable look and "vibe" to stake out their claim in a competitive market, especially when a potential customer is unable to taste them in advance. I thought the packaging of these both rather appealing.

As with flavors, it can be the subtle touches that secure a successful overall effect, not merely the initial boldness of an idea . . . as a good Potions master well knows.