Last night I realized I have a fragile mind, one easily swayed by the little demons a P.R. person can put in your head. In this case, I succumbed to the story about Flying Dog’s Raging Bitch being banned in Michigan – a story I wrote!
Some longtime readers will remember that I had written off the entire Flying Dog Brewery because I hadn’t had anything from them that wowed me. I eventually tried their Gonzo Porter and thought it was pretty good, and had an even better experience with Raging Bitch. Still, I doubted I’d ever seek out their stuff again. Until that I wrote that piece about the Michigan ban.
Here’s how the process unfolded:
START: Ambivalent towards Flying Dog’s beers
- Find out about the Michigan Ban -> Decide it would make a nice post
- Proceed to write -> Develop interest in Gonzo artist Ralph Steadman
- Look at Flying Dog branding with new appreciation -> Remember they brew some good beers
- Post story -> Receive many comments
- Read comment about how Gonzo Porter is their best offering (thanks, John!) -> Realize it’s been a while since I’ve had one
- Go to the beer store last night -> Find myself looking at a 4-pack of Gonzo Porter
- Get captivated by Steadman’s work and remember the comment from site -> Reach past DFH Raison D’Etre and Palo Santo Marron and purchase Gonzo Porter
- Go home and taste Gonzo while hungry (my tastebuds eager) -> Delight in the hoppy start and chocolate notes
FINISH: Decide I love Gonzo Porter
Well played, P.R. people! You’ve taken a guy who really wasn’t buying Flying Dog’s beers and converted him into someone who looks forward to tasting them again. Some of our readers astutely commented that this might have been the whole point of the lawsuit. As our pal Chad (@BeerPoet) said:
I’m going to be the marketing ass that I am and ask, how much free press do you think Flying Dog will get for filing this suit? And furthermore, how many people will try or buy more of their beer because of that press?
Well I know of at least one, Chad.
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Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
Nice, Jim. At least you got suckered into some good beer. In that case, I wouldn’t call it “suckered.” Perhaps it was more like “calculated but benevolent suggestion.” :^)
Yes, I was a willing victim, but I thought it was funny how the process worked on me. It’s interesting what influences what we buy.
I fully expect you to pay off my student loans now.
Do they accept pennies and pocket lint?
Here is how that will go John:
Jim’s Mind at the start:
1) I would never pay off John King’s student loans
2) Jim posts about being a weak minded fool
3) During Post remembers that John suggested he try Gonzo Porter
4) Weak Minded fool passes over several other GREAT beers to buy pretty good porter
5) Weak minded fool remembers he is a weak minded fool and posts about it
6) John King suggests to weak minded fool that he pay off his student loans
7) Weak minded fool remembers pretty good porter and decides he “owes” John something for the suggestion
8) Weak minded fool borrows against 401K to pay off John’s Student loans.
The power of suggestion is a powerful thing for weak minded fools.
Hey Jim remember how I suggested you try the Four Roses Small Batch? I expect you to buy me a new four door Ford F250. I’ll check my driveway when I get home.
Just make sure you bring a shovel and a garden hose.
I need a new truck as well.
You can have my old one when Jim buys me my new one. 😉
I love their packaging! They made my list of favorites: http://www.antleragency.com/good-beer-deserves-good-packaging/
That’s a nice list, Adam. You have great taste, sir.
If you blow it up a bit, the whole blog thing is free press for craft beer. Interesting though how (if true) craft beer can be so, crafty in their under-the-radar marketing. It takes work to get through all the noise, and this lawsuit thing worked!
I’m more concerned that “Young Jim” has just now found Ralph Steadman ! Ever heard of Rolling Stone ? Hunter S. Thompson ?? Oy Veh…
But, while I’ve been a fan of Flying Dog for a while, I only found Raging Bitch 3 or 4 months ago in Atlanta…That and the Gonzo and the Kerberos are pretty damn good, but keep an eye out for the Wild Dog one-offs…They change every time and have been really impressive most of the time though the current one, a Smoked Double Lager has me wondering ???…