VIP membership & other deplorable practices...

That's why it's called a membership. There are other perks to membership. As the OP stated, sitting down and trying a beer is one. Getting notifications of what beer is coming in, when or how much of one beer is left and news of new releases are others. There can be more to a membership than the right to buy certain beers.

 

My local beer place simply lets their best customers know what's available before putting it on the shelves if it's something special. No VIP $ bologna. If I spend a bunch of money on a place, that should be enough in my book.

 

If you spend a bunch of money on this place, the VIP membership pays for itself. It includes a 10% discount.

 

How beers get divvied with club:
1.Regular customers, who may be unable to get to store on release days, willing to pay to join a club so they get first dibs of an allotted amount of beer.
2.People and mules who go to every store on release day and buy as much as they can
3.Everybody else if there is any left.

Here is how it is with no club:
1.People and mules who go to every store on release day and buy as much as they can.
2.Everyone else if there is any left

Who do you think "deserves" beer more in above scenario?

I assume you feel entitled to be able to get beer. How do you think is a better way to do this so you can get your beer fairly (since you believe a "club" is unfair)?

 

When was the last time you had trouble purchasing a new book?

 

Theres a local bottle shop here that has a membership - $85/year and each month you get a monthly beer selection (usually 4 12oz bottles or cans), the ability to request items held, and then the ability to enter a lotto for the opportunity to buy limited stuff - available only to members. I was a member when it first came out, and was happy with my monthly selection and got lucky on some good lottos. Unfortunately (for me, not the bottle shop), membership started to boom, the monthly selections started to decline in quality and the odds of winning a lotto became smaller and smaller. I didn't renew my membership - found a new shop with lower prices and great owners who take amazing care of their loyal customers without worrying about members only

 

I understand where you're coming from. And I agree, it's not prohibitively expensive to the craft drinker who's buying special releases anyway. Additionally, it's not prohibitively expensive to the craft drinker that is trading beer. However, I am not really concerned about those about those two sets of craft drinkers as they are already in the hobby and enjoying all it has to offer. I care about the person who busts their ass at work but doesn't make much and wants to try something that doesn't taste like BMC. I would love for that person to get a sip or two of some great beers as it may add another craft drinker to the world.

 

Yes, as long as the lottery is open for several days to a week, people have enough time to enter it. However, if it's a shorter entry period, as in one day, how's that fair to someone who actually works for a living, is a regular customer but doesn't visit daily or actually has a life?

 

Dude should've asked what "VIP Only" meant before showing up. Wouldn't you have??? You call this act deplorable, I call him a moron.

 

Great idea but how many non-craft drinkers actually start with great beers. From most of the newbie posts I read, and what seems to be the norm of many BAs, most people will start on craft with something more accessible and less expensive, like a pale ale. If someone busts their ass and doesn't make much it usually means they don't have alot of disposable income and if that person is conditioned to paying BMC prices, what makes you think they want to shell out $15 - $20 for 22 oz. of a great, rare beer? If you want that person to have a sip or two of some great beers, you're better off buying them youself and letting them try yours.

 

Or one more stop for them

 

In my opinion that is far worse than what is happening in the original post. In your post you are playing beer god deciding who is worthy and has enough items in their cart to warrant bestowing the privilege to spend more money. I mean is there a specific dollar amount they must spend or is it just arbitrarily made up by you depending on your mood?

In the OP everyone has a chance to be a VIP and have access to exclusive perks.

 

I don't think he was going to an event. From what the OP says, it looks like he just stopped into a bottle shop to try a beer.

 

Are you trying to imply there aren't hundreds of other delicious beers out there that aren't special releases? Cause if so that's bullshit. If some n00b misses out on the KBS release or whatever because they aren't in the VIP club they have plenty of other options. As far as money goes, if they don't make much they probably shouldn't be worried about the $25 BBA bomber of the week anyway.

 

Oh my goodness, can you imagine what it would be like if the airlines had this sort of thing? VIP would board the plane at a different time, sit in a different section, and maybe get free alcohol!!!!

 

I will let you all know if they make me buy a VIP membership to have a draft of the Mango today... As I plan to go there and try it.

 

I'm not talking about an event either, I guess I just worded my response poorly.

From what I understand, he went there to drink a specific beer and that beer was "VIP Only." I'm assuming he learned about it on Facebook and that it was marked "VIP Only" on there.

 

I have a couple local shops that are pretty damn nice, and if one of them specifically came out with a VIP club I'd join it just to support the guy who runs the shop. He's always friendly as hell, more than willing to look out for special beers, and he even shared some homebrew last time I was there...

I wouldn't call it deplorable at all, it's like joining a brewery club, pay up front to get access later. Some people will feel left out, c'est la vie. Don't worry about keeping up with the Joneses.

 

If the options are standing in line all morning for a release or paying membership fees for first dibs, I would prefer neither. I'm happy to not partake in (or support) this aspect of the culture and leave more for people who enjoy such things.

I wouldn't want to be a member of any club where these "us vs. them" rationalizations were the prevailing attitude. Suddenly I feel like "wasting" good beer on all the people who haven't earned the right to have it.

 

The VIP membership at the place in question also gets you discounts in the shop. My only complaint in this case is that the VIP membership is oversold. It allows you the opportunity to buy some of the harder to get bottles, but with only a case of most of them to go around, you still run into the problem of bottles getting sold almost instantly.