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[fijim]

I know guys who are huge traders. So much so that they develop an aversion to anything local or that can be purchased locally. Grass is greener mentality. We had a beer from one of the more prominent Seattle breweries together and his response was "Wow, I totally forgot how good their beer is, I can't remember the last time I had one."

Yeah, I noticed how certain beers were very hyped in my area when they were not available, and now they just sit on the shelf.

Maine Beer Company is one example, everyone was clamoring for these, but now that you can find them on the shelves locally, no-one really cares. Lunch still sells out, but other beers from them that are just as good or better just sit there.

Surly, and Deschutes as well. When they became available here there was an initial rush, but now they are not seen as anything special (With the exception of very limited releases like Darkness).

While it is fun to try new beers and get to try things from around the country, there is almost always something just as good and more fresh that you can find locally. I think spending all this time and energy shipping and trading beer is a waste. I find most of these people have more beer than they know what to do with. There is a collectible mentality combined with the grass is greener mentality and you get trading culture.

Small amounts of trading is great, but it has gotten to such a level that people want to hoard rare beers solely for trading, instead of just attempting a trade with the one or two extra bottles they got, people try to get an entire case. I think this is unhealthy and bad for the beer scene.

Sure in that kind of environment, it's easy to see why someone would conduct that kind of fraud. But it's that whole environment that I don't really understand. What invisible forces are at work to create that kind of value?

That it happens with wine is even more ridiculous to me. There's good research that indicates that people pretty much can't tell the difference between high-end wine and medium-quality wine. Beer seems to have a bit more variety, but I'd be interested to see some similar research.

With wine you have much higher values at stake, in general wine keeps much longer than beer so you have much more older vintage wines around. The value of the best/most rare wines are so high that only the extremely wealthy can buy or even try them. It has become a status symbol to obtain these wines, then you can open it to show off to your high roller buddies. Whiskey is the same way, with rare single malts running 6 figures, and some of the rarest things running several million dollars.

Beer hasn't reached those levels thankfully, even the "rarest" beers wont run more than a few thousand dollars I believe. While most everything is under the $500 range. I hope beer never reaches the point where the "top" beers mean you need to shell out $25,000 for a bottle. Because then it will be limited to the super wealthy. It won't be about the beer, it will be about status.

 

[distantmantra]

People's response when Deschutes enters their state for the first time is always the same. OH MAN SO EXCITED I'M GONNA DRINK THIS STUFF ALL THE TIME!!! Now it's "When does the Abyss come out this year?"

The Midwest, East coast and Florida regions do an amazing job at hyping their beers and getting people to seek them out. Funky Buddha, Cigar City, Toppling Goliath, etc. are perfect examples of this.

Aside from De Garde and some random Hair of the Dog and Logsdons bottles, equivalent beers from WA and OR don't demand as high of trade value. Very interesting.

I'm still amazed there isn't more demand for Ale Apothecary stuff on BA.

 

[Link]

South Florida Beer Gaf (soon to be more of Florida Beer Gaf too), Funky Buddha has their first two beers in South Florida stores today December 10th. Their Florida Hefeweizen and Hop Gun IPA are supposed to be available at a bunch of places including Total Wine, ABC, and Whole Foods. They plan to expand into more of Florida early 2015, and Last Snow Porter is expected in January 2015.

I'll be getting a 6 pack of their Hop Gun on Friday. Their flagship/year round stuff is good but their seasonals and special releases are on another level. Hoping they do very well so we can see them put some of their really special brews in stores.

Nice. Funky Buddha beers are so damn good. I'm at the brewery at least once a month. I'll probably pick up a 6-pack of Floridian this weekend.

 

[Seth C]

Funky Buddha is a fine brewery and always worth a visit, but is far from what I'd consider "special". It's the sort of place, and of the quality, that a LOT of cities around the country offer. The place you'd go to a lot if you're there but not something anyone should ever get their panties twisted about trying to find. It's a GREAT environment to drink in though. I definitely enjoyed hanging out there.

 

[distantmantra]

I totally agree, which is why the ridiculous hype and fervor for No Crusts and I'm Wide Awake it's Morning on BA a few years ago was really funny.

 

[Seth C]

I totally agree, which is why the ridiculous hype and fervor for No Crusts and I'm Wide Awake it's Morning on BA a few years ago was really funny.

It seems some of Against the Grain's stuff gets marked up (not that high, but still TOO high) out of market. Bo and Luke in particularly. That's especially funny because I don't even put them on the level of "locally really good". They are just an above average craft brewery. No one in Louisville seems to pay them any great amount of attention, but then again Louisville doesn't have any great brewery.

 

[distantmantra]

The Whole Foods by my house sells AtG'a Citra Ass Down for $15/22oz. I can get something just as good if not better for $7/22oz.

 

[injurai]

Damn I haven't been to whole foods for beer in a strong minute. I'll have to make a run over break.

 

[Seth C]

The Whole Foods by my house sells AtG'a Citra Ass Down for $15/22oz. I can get something just as good if not better for $7/22oz.

I don't even UNDERSTAND the Citra Ass Down price. That's no more than your typical $5 pint at any bar here. Then again, I don't know anyone here who buys their bombers. They just sit on the shelves collecting dust, other than Bo and Luke.

 

[distantmantra]

I don't even UNDERSTAND the Citra Ass Down price. That's no more than your typical $5 pint at any bar here. Then again, I don't know anyone here who buys their bombers. They just sit on the shelves collecting dust, other than Bo and Luke.

They also carry Brown Note and another AtG beer that are priced similarly. I never see anyone buy them.

 

[Seth C]

They also carry Brown Note and another AtG beer that are priced similarly. I never see anyone buy them.

LOL. Me either. Brown Note and Citra Ass Down are just their staple beers. Nothing special. At least Bo and Luke is limited, seasonal.

They do have hilarious names for their beers though, like:

5 Roses: A Rick Astley Joint
Mac FannyBaw (Son of Vagina Testicle)
Show Us Your Tetts!
Erogenous Rhone
Rauching Tiger, Hidden Flagon
David Lee Froth

 

[PG2G]

Yeah I love the name and artwork for their beers. Have only tried London Falling so far.

 

[Seth C]

Yeah I love the name and artwork for their beers. Have only tried London Falling so far.

Come to Louisville. You can get a sampler of 5 or 6 beers for $10 then.

 

[distantmantra]

I have no doubt their beer is good, but I will never buy their $15 IPA bomber.

We do get Bo and Luke and it sells within a week or so.

 

[Seth C]

I have no doubt their beer is good, but I will never buy their $15 IPA bomber.

We do get Bo and Luke and it sells within a week or so.

Oh. Bo and Luke sits on the shelves for months here. It's the only thing anyone buys in bottles, but they still don't freak out about it.

And their beer is just okay. Nothing special. Really. Citra Ass Down is definitely not a world class IPA so definitely don't pay that kind of money. I thought it was more funny when they kept taking words on. It was Citra Ass Down, then Citra Ass Back Down, then Citra Ass Back Down Again, etc.

 

[distantmantra]

If they rethought their business model id buy their beer.

 

[distantmantra]

Pickups today:

 

[Seth C]

If they rethought their business model id buy their beer.

They can't yet. If you saw their brewery you'd understand. It's on three floors with limited capacity. I hear they are moving distribution brewing off-site soon though, so maybe that will change things.

I found a picture. This should help illustrate:

That's their brewery. Everything you see there. There is maybe 6 feet between the fermentation vessels and the glass. I've been up there and with even 4 people on a floor you feel crowded.

 

[distantmantra]

That's a really cool setup.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

The Whole Foods by my house sells AtG'a Citra Ass Down for $15/22oz. I can get something just as good if not better for $7/22oz.

The only Against the Grain thing I have had is London Balling, which I loved. That was $6 for a 12oz.

Oh. Bo and Luke sits on the shelves for months here. It's the only thing anyone buys in bottles, but they still don't freak out about it.

And their beer is just okay. Nothing special. Really. Citra Ass Down is definitely not a world class IPA so definitely don't pay that kind of money. I thought it was more funny when they kept taking words on. It was Citra Ass Down, then Citra Ass Back Down, then Citra Ass Back Down Again, etc.

Bo and Luke is that easy to get there huh? It apparently disappears instantly in Bowling Green. One day soon...

 

[Seth C]

That's a really cool setup.

It's awesome to look at and a great place to drink (their kitchen also does a fantastic job) but it does seriously limit their capacity. To expand they are having to move completely off-site, across town. The current brewery/restaurant is right downtown, attached to the baseball stadium.

The breweries here in Kentucky are actually really fun and varied. I'll do a run-down before bed.

In Lexington (where I live)

West Sixth was started by several marketing executives from Lexmark. They had millions in cash at their disposal and purchased the old Rainbow Bread factory. It is positively massive. They were canning from day one, which is kind of unheard of for a startup. The building is so big that it now houses their brew pub, their ever expanding brewery, the practice facility for the roller derby team, a circular agrofarm, a fish and chips place, and an entire flour of space for startup entrepreneurs.

That last picture is completely out of date. Their entire production brewery has moved to another area and quadruppled in size since then.

Country Boy Brewing was the "first" craft brewery in town (I don't count All-Tech/Lexington Brewing/Kentucky Ale) in town. They started with no money. Their first fermentation vessels were old milk tanks that they pumped glycol through the jackets. They were using a fancy homebrew system and brewing constantly for their first several months. Thanks to success they are now canning one beer and have done limited bottles of two other beers. They have moved production to a space across the street (not shown in any of these photos).

Blue Stallion also started with way too much money. They spent over 1 million just renovating their building. I actually don't want to know how much they spent on all those copper vessels. One of the owners is a first generation German immigrant, so they specialize in German/European beer style. Oktoberfest was definitely fun there.

Ethereal brewing is the new one in town, having just opened less than two weeks ago. They are focusing on sours and other beers the established breweries are avoiding. One of their owners was a brewer at West Sixth, another at All-Tech. They are in a really cool area just outside downtown, part of a renovation of the old Pepper distillery.

I'll do Louisville tomorrow. Many college basketball, much beer, so tired.

 

[HiResDes]

Is Prairie expensive everywhere or do they think they can just get away with robbery here in Ohio. I love their stuff, but wallet doesn't.

 

[bumbillbee]

Is Prairie expensive everywhere or do they think they can just get away with robbery here in Ohio. I love their stuff, but wallet doesn't.

From what I understand, there are a few states like Oklahoma and Texas that get non-Shelton Bros distribution (someone correct me if I'm wrong here) and prices in those states are lower, with things like Bomb costing in the $5-6 range. In states like California (and Ohio) there's definitely a markup because of Shelton Bros, I usually see Bomb for at least $10.

 

[distantmantra]

From what I understand, there are a few states like Oklahoma and Texas that get non-Shelton Bros distribution (someone correct me if I'm wrong here) and prices in those states are lower, with things like Bomb costing in the $5-6 range. In states like California (and Ohio) there's definitely a markup because of Shelton Bros, I usually see Bomb for at least $10.

I think a lot of it is Shelton markup. And speaking of Shelton, they rarely send any Prairie to WA. We've seen Bible Belt, American Style, Puncheon, Birra, Prairie Ale and Eli5abeth. Prairie Ale is the only one we've been sent more than once.

That's it.

No Bomb, none of the Noirs, no Funky Gold Mosaic, etc. I really think Shelton just sends us leftovers.

 

[Seth C]

I think a lot of it is Shelton markup. And speaking of Shelton, they rarely send any Prairie to WA. We've seen Bible Belt, American Style, Puncheon, Birra, Prairie Ale and Eli5abeth. Prairie Ale is the only one we've been sent more than once.

That's it.

No Bomb, none of the Noirs, no Funky Gold Mosaic, etc. I really think Shelton just sends us leftovers.

Don't fret too much. If it's anything like Kentucky, and you did get those beers, bars would have to charge $15 for a flight. Yes, the prices are that stupid.

 

[distantmantra]

Don't fret too much. If it's anything like Kentucky, and you did get those beers, bars would have to charge $15 for a flight. Yes, the prices are that stupid.

I don't buy flights, talking more about bottles. I wouldn't mind dropping $15 on a bottle of Bomb once.

 

[willow ve]

Been drinking a bunch of Heavy Seas Yule Tide (2013) as the weather gets colder. The beer is stored/finished in old rum barrels and has the most delicious spiced rum aftertaste. Highly recommend if you like rum and beer.

Only have it left because the thought of rum + beer flavors mixed scared me too much to try it last year when I got it.

 

[Seth C]

I don't buy flights, talking more about bottles. I wouldn't mind dropping $15 on a bottle of Bomb once.

Well these were mostly on tap, but I'd rather have four Prairie beers for $15 than one for $8.

 

[krameriffic]

Meanwhile I didn't even go out looking for it at all. Haha. And I've already managed to have it on tap once without even trying to find it, so I'm really, really not concerned. There are no beers I've had that are so many orders of magnitude better than a local equivalent that I'd go out of my way or pay ridiculous amounts of money. 95% as good as BCBS will do just fine for me if it means I can just walk into a brewery and order it whenever I want.

BCBS was easy to get, and it's cheap compared to similar beers. I found 12 bottles within an hour at 3 different liquor stores. I like that I know exactly when it will be released and that I can ask for it and people will know what I'm talking about. Firestone Walker stuff is impossible because I never know when it will show up and it will almost always be gone within a day when it does show up. You have to know someone or get alerts somehow from liquor stores to get some beers. The set date thing for BCBS is awesome.

 

[MacGurcules]

Woof. Girlfriend is busy this evening, so I thought I'd head down to the local for a beer. Thought I'd just have one, but sumbitches just kept tapping out of regular stuff and putting on something great. Started with an Enjoy By, then Jewbelation 18, then St. Bernardus Christmas, then Schlafly Tasmanian. I did not plan to be there for four hours.

And tomorrow is a Bruery local debut. Tart of Darkness, Oude Tart, 7 Swans, Mischief, and Autumn Maple.

Beer be pretty nice in my neck of the woods lately.

 

[distantmantra]

Fremont releases Coffee Cinnamon Bourbon Abomimable tomorrow on draft and in bottles. Yay!

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Christ. All that and you ended with St. Bernardus Christmas? Damn awesome.

How was Jewbelation 18? It is so much pricier than the last two years so I haven't bitten yet.
I am also both relieved and disappointed it wasn't increased to 18% ABV this year. Disappointed because it always increases in power, but relieved because at that ABV it is brutal as hell.

 

[Seth C]

Christ. All that and you ended with St. Bernardus Christmas? Damn awesome.

How was Jewbelation 18? It is so much pricier than the last two years so I haven't bitten yet.
I am also both relieved and disappointed it wasn't increased to 18% ABV this year. Disappointed because it always increases in power, but relieved because at that ABV it is brutal as hell.

It hasn't actually been the advertised ABV for a long while anyway. Don't tell anyone I told you though.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

It hasn't actually been the advertised ABV for a long while anyway. Don't tell anyone I told you though.

Really? I had the Sixteen a few times, but I was just expanding my horizons then. I remember the 17 (Reborn) being really hard to finish a bomber of last year. So what was the ABV then? The 18 is listed as 12% and change, which is still high.
Guess being part of a new company is making them more honest.

 

[MacGurcules]

Christ. All that and you ended with St. Bernardus Christmas? Damn awesome.

How was Jewbelation 18? It is so much pricier than the last two years so I haven't bitten yet.
I am also both relieved and disappointed it wasn't increased to 18% ABV this year. Disappointed because it always increases in power, but relieved because at that ABV it is brutal as hell.

The Jewbelation is "only" 12% but it has a nose like rocket fuel. Very boozy. But also a lot of chocolate, with sugary fruits, cherry, date, fig, etc. Hell of a sip, but I couldn't manage much of it.

 

[Seth C]

Really? I had the Sixteen a few times, but I was just expanding my horizons then. I remember the 17 (Reborn) being really hard to finish a bomber of last year. So what was the ABV then? The 18 is listed as 12% and change, which is still high.
Guess being part of a new company is making them more honest.

12-15% sounds about right. I believe the 16 was actually around 13.7. I shouldn't know that but a buddy was the one who actually tested the beer for them, or I should say one of the labs that tested it.

 

[Demon Lizardman]

Has anyone been to world of beer?

 

[Link]

Has anyone been to world of beer?

I go every now and then. They're actually opening a new location right down the street from my place, which is on the way home from work, so I'll probably be there more often. Their prices are pretty good for a large chain.

 

[distantmantra]

They opened a World of Beer in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle literally two blocks from one of our best craft beer bars, The Pine Box. That said, I can't think of any reason to go to World of Beer.

 

[Link]

They opened a World of Beer in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle literally two blocks from one of our best craft beer bars, The Pine Box. That said, I can't think of any reason to go to World of Beer.

See, we don't have a lot of places like that in South Florida. The ones we do have are a bit of a drive for me, which is obviously not something I want to be doing after a few high ABV beers.

 

[distantmantra]

See, we don't have a lot of places like that in South Florida. The ones we do have are a bit of a drive for me, which is obviously not something I want to be doing after a few high ABV beers.

Definitely. I've got a lot of great bars, breweries and bottle shops within walking distance of my house. Much safer and smarter.

I assumed that most WoB's are in more suburban or sprawl-type settings. That makes this one even stranger.

 

[ShinAmano]

I really wish we could get a GAF beer swap going...


Anyhow has anyone had the Dogfish Head Pearl Jam Faithful Ale? Thoughts?

 

[distantmantra]

Anyhow has anyone had the Dogfish Head Pearl Jam Faithful Ale? Thoughts?

I had it a year ago. Not bad, but nothing special.

 

[Bacon]

Anyone have some stout recommendations similar to left hand nitro milk stout? Had that a month or two ago and absolutely loved it.

 

[distantmantra]

Anyone have some stout recommendations similar to left hand nitro milk stout? Had that a month or two ago and absolutely loved it.

Do you get Elysian? Their Split Shot Espresso Milk Stout should be out shortly. It's their "Spring seasonal."

 

[dekline]

Weekend pickup...Not bad. Got the shenanigans for a fiver.

 

[Demon Lizardman]

I go every now and then. They're actually opening a new location right down the street from my place, which is on the way home from work, so I'll probably be there more often. Their prices are pretty good for a large chain.

Is it any good?

 

[brotherbean]

Weekend pickup...Not bad. Got the shenanigans for a fiver.

http://abload.de/img/t2014-12-12_143055r1ec9.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

Two of my favorites, Celebration and Ten Fiddy. I was giddy when Oskar Blues finally started distributing here, huge fan of Dale's and Old Chub when I don't feel like shelling out for Fiddy.

 

[dekline]

Two of my favorites, Celebration and Ten Fiddy. I was giddy when Oskar Blues finally started distributing here, huge fan of Dale's and Old Chub when I don't feel like shelling out for Fiddy.

Now that you mention it, I've been seeing more and more Oskar Blues around here...Fine with me, I love their beer.

I picked up the celebration because of this thread. Haven't tried it yet.

 

[Seth C]

Now that you mention it, I've been seeing more and more Oskar Blues around here...Fine with me, I love their beer.

I picked up the celebration because of this thread. Haven't tried it yet.

When it's $15 for 12 bottles of Celebration it's really hard to go wrong.