How long should stores hold special releases?

They should have a clear policy. A week seems reasonable, unless they have actually paid for them in advance (which is silly).

 

However long they want. If they wanna hold them longer than normal for their better customers, that's well within their rights obviously. There is no right answer to this as long as the customer they are holding it for is clear on how long they have to pick it up.

 

Then, he said curiously... If they already belong to someone, why are they on the shelf or somewhere people can see them?

 

Those 4-packs aren't reserved. It's their way of saying, "How does it feel to want?"
Then you end up buying more other beer.
Sneaky tactic if you ask me.

 

One of my stores sold them as singles with a one bottle limit this year. I didn't even bother.

 

My question is why are these visable if they are holding em for people. Keep those in back or under the counter, not where other customers can see them. Seems kind of weird to me.

 

The bottles are visible because the owner wants to see which of his customers start crying when they can't have something they want.

Then he'll know who will be willing to pay for a $20 bottle of KBS.

 

Ahhhhhhhh....strategy!

 

Similar thing happened to my brother, but instead of being told that he was holding the 4-packs for customers, the owner replied "those are mine!" Although this doesn't bother me, just don't display them behind the counter for everyone to see.

 

I love all these threads about people chasing rare beers and then moaning over the unfairness of it all. Check out the definition of "schadenfreude", one of the great words in the German language.

 

Most of the places around here will do 4-7 days...I agree that if you want to hold something longer for a solid customer who's like out of the country or on a business trip or something, by all means, it's your store, go ahead, but yeah don't leave it out on the counter maybe, you'll just end up pissing off other customers, likely.

 

It depends on the type of beer and if they should age well. I'll drink most IPAs or Ales fairly fast even if they are rare since they don't age well. But a stout (especially barrel aged) I'll hold on to for about 1-2 years before cracking it open.

 

A week seems fair. If a store goes out of their way to create a list, at least be respectful enough to go in and pick your bottles up in a reasonable amount of time.

 

Clearly they can do whatever they want, as it is their business. I think I would set a limit if I was running the store. 1-2 weeks seems reasonable.