(Grand Rapids, MI) – Here is a small sample of what I have observed over the past week with respect to the Founders CBS release. General thoughts on how this beer release went down or implications on future limited beer releases?
WORST experience getting CBS today
I called over a week ago to the Binnys in IL about CBS. I was told like it was told to several other people that the beer will be sold on a first come first serve basis when it comes in. I’m fine with that. I arrive on 10/06 at 9am when the store opened and was told by a manager that the beer had not come in yet and would (again) be sold first come first serve when it did arrive. After waiting an hour, my self along with two other people went back into the store. Once back in, an employee (an older man) was helping one of the customers and was asking how much he spends in the store. This older man had another manager look up his account to see his total for purchases in the store and now said that they were only going to let customers who spend a lot of money in the store buy CBS.
Changing the price again and again
The place I went to tonight in Pittsburgh first said they were $21.50 then saw someone go to buy some as soon as it was available and raised it to $30, then saw a few more people hurrying up to buy, and then raised the price to $35.
We understand these “rare beer” releases are crazy, we make them that way. We have accepted that high prices, long lines, bitter cold, long lunch breaks or half days off, buying advance tickets, reservations, waiting lists, lotteries, “hooking up” or “taking care of” friends or regulars, first-come first-served, calling 30 stores across the state, multiple tanks of gas, pulling our hair out, web crashes, wrestling matches ending in a landscape pond, blood, sweat, and tears, etc, are ALL part of these releases…. but please, please, please DO NOT LIE to us.
Pete (aka Bartrash) reserved a bottle through ownership and went to go pick it up, but he was informed that, um, he already did. Apparently, someone saw his bottle there with Pete’s name on it and indicated that THEY were Pete, so the person working at the time sold it to the Sour Pete imposter.
Is the CBS release screwing up the forum?
I’m kinda getting that feeling. You see a bunch of trading threads with good/great trades that are completely ignored due to an overabundance of CBS threads. That combined with the “hype this beer” vs “CBS is overrated” back and forth I’m seeing is making me want to take a break from this place until the CBS-mania blows over.
Had a smaller trade for a bottle of CBS that was agreed upon and the other end at the last second backed out.
Hey, want to propose a trade. I had a bottle of CBS reservered and it ended up getting sold to someone else so I’m desperate for a bottle.
Sarcasm or genuine relief from this one store?
Hurray! We’re NOT getting any Canadian Breakfast Stout! Whew, that was a close one.
In other news, Reuters reports that over 25 people were killed by troops amidst the ongoing conflict in Egypt.
(I jest!)
For the good: Gotta give a shout out to Lord Hobo in Cambridge, MA who took their 6 bottle allotment and gave it out for free to the first 50 folks who came. They also had KBS in bottles for 12 dollars. Interestingly enough- a stampede did not ensue.
This is much different from my typical watering hole in Jamaica Plain that was offering the bottles for a heavily-padded 40 dollars a piece.
I went to the Binny’s in DG on the 5th because I had heard that they were releasing it that day. Upon arriving at 9:00 believing that it was going to be a 1st come 1st serves basis, I was told that I would have to wait till 10:00 until the “beer” guy came it. The lady was kind enough to call said “beer” guy to find out he had all 6 bottles reserved for customers all ready and if you were not one of the “special” people you weren’t getting one. Now yes, I did drive to Grand Rapids to get my two bottles but I figured what the hell, I’d try and grab a few more.
I was able to pick up 20 bottles over the course of 2 days and about 3 total hours of driving. Can’t wait to try some of it in my chilli!
George, holy crap!
George-
If you’re not party off the solution, you’re pay of the problem. Lame.
George… you’re a dick.
20 bottles in 2 days? How about this for a single store stop.
http://www.reddit.com/r/beerporn/comments/l0pmi/bought_a_bit_of_cbs_yesterday_like_everyone_else/
This beer is what will cause apes to rise against man in the not-too-distant future.
I am lucky. Founders isn’t even available in my state (Maryland) so I don’t need to even dream about getting any.
If you have the money to purchase XX amount, so be it. It’s your money and nobody can tell you what to do with it. If the store(s) allow it, be pissed off at the stores not the guy who purchased 20 bottles in 2 days.
I agree with what Frank said for the most part. What I found particularly ridiculous with this release was how little the stores themselves knew. I spoke with 4 or 5 stores in two states (WI and PA while I was on vacation). The guy in PA, on release day, still had no idea whether or not he would get any from the distributor. Likewise it was unknown who was getting what at the stores in WI. I’m pretty sure cases were split pretty low in the state. For example: I was #7 for reserve at one location who does do a good job in staying true to there reservations, and did not receive any notice.
Looking at the numbers, they produced 1000 cases for 15 states right? That’s ridiculously low. Consider DLD 2011 where there was approximatly 3000 people and the allotment was 4 bottles/person + 1 if you were lucky enough to purchase the variant. I understand that you want to provide equal distribution for your constiuents, but there is a reason why Surly and 3F do their super sought after releases at their brewery. Of course, I could be totally off base, but if this was a brewery only release I think there would be a lot less aggravation on the webs (me included).
I also want to add that I very well understand the purpose of this release was to let people try things that the brewery does as very special beers. I think this was a great success with Blushing Monk in that the demand simply wasn’t as high as CBS.
I think he was trolling…or so I’ve been told. Don’t see too many of those around here.
@Charlie, this actually was a relatively easy going release at the Brewery first, followed by an add’l 1000 cases into distro…
If you believe someone bought 20 bottles and is going to try it in his “chilli” then you’re an idiot…
@Noble: Oh I’m very well aware. I heard great things about the brewery release. My comment was that spreading those 1000 cases across the entire 15 state distribution area equally and thinking it would have been sufficient or have little distrubtion/selling issues was quite silly. The experience I had was that of aggravation with an incredible lack of communication. Had I not been at a wedding I could assure you I would have been at the brewery, but meh, duty calls.
But to be honest, this beer will be made again and those who didn’t get a chance this round now know better for future instances. Until then, cheers all.
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