The Alchemist launches Heady Topper Authorized Retailer Program

Your right, I stand corrected. With all those retail outlets, why go to to the brewery?

 

What a crock of shit....ever since they pulled out of the Southern VT 'authorized' beer stores, to say that there are 137 authorized retailers is laughable.

Also, like stated earlier so many times, I am going to say that if someone walks into an unauthorized location and buys a can, I am pretty sure they will not be placing a call to the VT State Police (also laughable) trying to get this crime reported.

Who is the Alchemist kidding...seriously? If they were really that concerned about it, maybe have some actual distribution of the product and you can prevent these HT pirates from surfacing.

 

How did they all compare?

 

I would like to know how Green Flash, Alesmith, et al can get their superior beer to VT; but The Alchemist can't get HT to Vermont (not to mention some smaller foreign brewers)?

 

Lol you've never been to The Alchemist, huh?

 

Isn't the majority of Heady sold out of the trunk of a car?

 

Mr. Merc, are you saying my counting skills are wrong (I did, after all, earn a "Needs Improvement" in 1st grade math), that the Alchemist's retail availability list (http://www.alchemistbeer.com/retail-availability/) is inaccurate, or both?

Mr. Flashy, I would think your answer is in their brewing capacities and business strategies. Green Flash, for one, appears to produces upwards of 45,000 barrels per year (I just did a quick google search, so this could certainly be wrong), and Alchemist brews/will brew upwards of 9,000 barrels (according to the Burlington Free Press article in March). Being 5 times bigger allows them to distribute more broadly, and their strategy is to be a national brand. (And if you find Green Flash both superior and more available, why even worry about Heady Topper?)

 

The honest truth is, no. Having had some cans that were stored warm for an extended period of time, I learned my lesson. I can wait until I get some properly stored cans on my (or a friend's) next trip up. It's just beer, a bit of patience isn't going to kill anyone.

Beyond that, seeing how widespread the bootlegging has become, I refuse to buy one whenever a local bar or shop magically has some in. You see enough of this complaining online about locals getting shut out, people making long trips once a year and getting shut out... I don't want to encourage that by being part of the problem, supporting people who just want to bring tons of cases back to sell at $10 a can in their bar. Clearly the compulsive gottahaveits will continue enabling those people, but I'd rather not be part of the problem. I'll happily support the cannery and the "authorized" retailers.

 

heady>Pliny>Kiwi>Blind Pig >/= Maine Beer co Lunch

 

how would you squeeze sucks in there?

 

After Kiwi

 

Some brewers supply the world, others a country and The Alchemist cannot even supply the 45th largest state (won't even get into population). What makes a good brewer?

 

Really?? Why is Lunch here?? Julius eats Lunch's lunch!

 

Have to keep the demand higher than the supply.
Not saying they're in it for the money, but I bet it's pretty comforting knowing you make the "top" beer in the world.
I wouldn't be in a hurry to change.

 

This was back in nov before I was privy to the greatness of Julius which happened in February for me.

I don't disagree with you but it was actually a decent batch of lunch if memory serves me.

I've done other lineups that put this one to shame but this was after my second trade and the first time I had Pliny all the cards seemed to be in line for me haha

I also happened to go to HF for the first time the weekend after and the growlers of Abner ss#5 and Susan and lawsons hopzilla not to mention the 2 4pks of heady (the cannery sold out the day before I went) made for a good lineup on thanksgiving.

Next bday I think I'm ordering a couple hundred dollars worth of cantillon

 

Sweet.

 

Considering Green Flash brews 50 different beers and The Alchemist brews- one- should make up the difference in capacities.

 

Here's a Fox44/ABC22 (local news) interview with John Kimmich about the program.

http://www.fox44abc22yourvoice.com/...gainst-beer-black-market/d/videostory/4164234

 

Their goals and business plans are different!!! The Alchemist has been very clear that they intend to supply the local market and until that is satisfied they won't be moving out.

From another angle, you think Green Flash beers may be shelf stable to survive poor distribution conditions trucks and warehouses where I don't think most people would be happy with a Heady after sitting in a distributors warehouse for 1-2 months.

 

James - Paul Kowalski is finally vacating Yankee Brew News as the VT reporter. I think you should take on that gig! OR are are you already?