Your thoughts on Alpine's decision?

Wah wah wah. People use eBay. Who cares. It's a small minority of people and it actually enables some people who would otherwise never get a chance to try a beer to try one. Get over it. Arbitrage exists in EVERY market. Some high valuators do not have ready access and are silly enough to overpay. So what. It's their money, and it's cheaper than flyin to California for a bottle or two (or even a growler fill). If you don't like eBay then just don't use it and tell others you don't believe in it. But don't make it so that people who live more than 2 hours driving distance from you can't try your beer. That's downright silly and economically irrational. How about you either brew more bottles or charge more? Limiting sales because you hate eBay is the epitome of overreacting to something beyond your control.

There are so many more pressing problems in the world other than someone piggybacking maybe $30 profit off someone else's hard work. Let's deal with those first. And then well revisit. Things that I think are more pressing including finding a way to produce Nelson without huge chunks of grassy sediment floating around in my beer.

 

Pat's beer, Pat's rules. As long as Alpine keeps making my favorite IPAs on the planet, I will respect his wishes. He said he would do it and he did. If you want to make money off beer, open a bar or start your own brewery. I'll be at the brewpub next week, hope the Bad Boy and O'Briens are still flowing. Keep doing what your doing Pat, your in the driver's seat.

 

Of course he is free to do as he pleases, but if people are paying the price he demands for the growlers or the bottles, then he really is only hurting himself by discontinuing these types of sales.

 

There are many other issues in the world that are more important. If I wanted to talk about any of them I would find a different website with another board to talk on. I am here to talk about beer and opinions like these though. Especially brewers and ebay opinions.

Nelson is also one of the best IPA's around. Enjoy

 

Just because a beer exist does not mean you need to try it or are entitled to it. If you can't drive to Alpine and get the beer than you don't need to try it. This is the entitlement I am talking about that is running wild in this thread.

 

It's reality. People buy growlers all the time without sitting down at the pub and that's a huge service.

Note- I was under the impression this was for all Alpine beers being growler'd, not just Expo. My mistake.

 

I did not realize it was up to Pat to fix the "bigger problems" in the world, did you?

I'll say it again, he took a stand for what he believes in. Maybe there would be fewer of these "bigger problems" if more people stopped complaining and took a stand once in a while.

 

You may not be entitled to beer, but if you are willing to buy it at a price, and someone is willing to sell at a price, then where is the harm?

Its not about entitlement. Its about trying something.

 

Treating beer like a commodity does not exactly show any respect for the product or those who created it. We choose to take part in a community, we should treat each other with respect.

Edit: And try what is available to you. There is no reason for people to be upset about what is not available to them unless entitlement is involved.

 

It's ok. You'll get over it just as you most likely did with PtY not being available in growlers anymore.

 

I agree with it, simple as that.

 

Agree with this 100%. I don't understand the proprietary feeling from a brewer that they own the beer after it has left the premises. But, whatever.

 

I dont feel that most brewers look at it as they OWN the beer after it leaves their brewery. I believe most are very passionate about the beer they brew. They put a good amount of hard work into making such a fine liquid. I think many of them read places like this and hear about beers being sold on ebay. They also hear it from their fans. So the brewers check out ebay or where ever and see the beers they brewed being sold for 5x-10x the price they originally sold it for. I think maybe after you see this on ebay or another site it just might get under their skin. We are talking about very small breweries that make a product that is still very small in the market. We are not talking about iphones here.

 

Question for those who know the brewer/brewery more personally than I:

Does the brewer get upset about people trying to trade Expo on here as well? What about traders that potentially ask for beers that cost more money than the Expo (or "trading-up," as it were)?

Note: I'm not saying this is the same as selling on eBay, just curious how he feels about trading.

 

there isn't any "harm" really but at the same time if you don't have the opportunity to buy it, tough luck, if you can't handle it then I don't know what to say. There is more to life.

 

There will always be people trying to profit of others..... That's not going to solve all the problems.
I'm surprise I don't see regular bottles of Alpine on ebay. Its good beer and I wish I could get more regularly. Oh wait I have a good trading partner I'd do get it! Ha NOT FOR SALE! ISO expo hoppiness that's one I've never had yet

Just keep brewing and I'll keep drinking your good beer I get in trades from beer loving people and not from ebay

JME

 

I think I have heard that Alpine is not a fan of their growlers (maybe bottles too) being mailed at all.

 

i do not know the brewer but if you read his news letter he has repeatedly made it very clear that he does NOT like to see alpine growlers shipped anywhere not only because of the environmental waste but also because the product suffers. not sure if i've seen him make the same comment re: alpine bottles but the same concerns re: product degredation would seem to apply but perhaps to a slightly lesser degree.

 

@ pete & nano

Thanks for the info. At least he's consistent and has reasoning behind it. I can appreciate that.

 

as far as i am concerned the way beer nerds trade money isn't always a factor in the trade. For me usually it is, I usually do $4$ to avoid any type of price mismatch. Though when you are considering "rare" beers often times people will offer this rare beer for this rare beer and price or quantity wouldn't matter. Since the brewery isn't in the business of trading beers, solely selling them, i doubt they would care anyways.