New Holland on "best of" votes: "It’s not that we don’t care, it’s that we care too much to bother you with them."

I don't personally encourage anyone to vote in various reader polls, and NABC traditionally refrains from asking its customers and fans to stuff dozens of ballots for the sake of the cause. Some times we are mentioned, some times not … and some times, as an underdog from underrated New Albany that carves out a win, it just feels fine to be vindicated as a business.

But as usual, my friend Fred Bueltmann of the New Holland brewery in Michigan says it much better. Just last week, I remarked to a Bank Street Brewhouse visitor that Fred and New Holland have always been important influences for me. "Stop and Taste" is a remarkably concise way of summarizing a complex larger point about food, beverage and place. If we haven't always gotten it right at NABC, it isn't for lack of trying.

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online-voting-pledge/">Online Voting - Our Pledge

September 6, 2013 - There’s a recent blitz by local media to get online votes in a “best brewery” campaign. This is not a new thing, as we’re all inundated with “best of” lists and other online polls.

At New Holland, we work very hard to remind ourselves why we went into business, and what purpose we serve. We absolutely believe in the social and culinary benefits that good drink and good food bring to the world. We think life can be that much more enjoyable when people have interesting, quality and rewarding choices in what they drink.

In this digital age, communication, branding and self-promotion have seen some serious shifts. We’re online, plugged in and in front of screens way more than ever before. We’ve come to realize that while technology brings us terrific tools for communication, it can also tear away at our lifestyle. If we don’t find balance, the conversations about flavor can actually distract us from enjoying the flavor in its best moments.

We feel seriously enough about this that we crafted a message and principle that we try to live by, called “Stop and Taste.” It is centered around “The Rant”, featured below, which we refer back to frequently to guide our voice and actions, and to help us honor the experience of our customers over all else.

Of course, we still appreciate recognition, like everyone else. Whether it’s a customer reaching out to share what they love, how a beer or spirit changed their evening for the better, or a writer recommending us to others, we humbly accept the praise and share it with our team as reward and encouragement.

However, we find the pervasive effort to get customers to constantly vote on lists, or debate who should be on or off a list, to be a distraction from what we are here for. We’d much rather spend the time encouraging people to get to know various beers, spirits or breweries and distilleries and share what they like about them or the differences between them. This is a far cry from digging into a meritless debate about “Who is better?"

We commit ourselves to branding, promoting and engaging in social media in a way that reflects our mission; to provide quality choices to our customers, improving lives and the world by offering an opportunities to stop and taste. We are here to make our customers happy. When we feel we’re accomplishing this goal, we’re happy.

Before you call “sour grapes”, please know that we’re damn proud of what we do, and feel plenty recognized for it. We just don't feel this activity supports our craft, our customers, or the Stop and Taste Lifestyle. We appreciate any and all praise, including our customers nominating or voting on lists, but we want to explain why you won’t see us touting it, or hitting you up for votes or mentions.

We hereby pledge that we will remain politely absent from campaigns that we feel encourage online badgering for votes, and have the potential to be baseless popularity contests. It’s not that we don’t care, it’s that we care too much to bother you with them.

Instead, we encourage you to take a moment to stop and taste. For yourself, and as you please.

Cheers!
Fred Bueltmann - Beervangelist

New Holland Brewing
Owner, VP Sales & Marketing