I'm a new trader, and have completed a few fairly simple trades. There have been some really really awesome beers involved, but nothing to be considered a "whale". I'm considering trying to get some harder to get bottles, but I'm not sure if I have the ammo, and I don't want to make a fool of myself. Some things I would be looking for: BCBVS Cherry Rye Prop Black Note Bramble Rye Any of the TG Stouts KH Things I have or can get: Bottleworks XV (Tequila aged Lost Abbey beer, release date 3/4) Peche n Brett The three new Almanac Sours Sucaba Arctic Devil Backyard Fremont BBomb Barrel Aged Old Rasputin XVI Boneyard Growlers Is there enough ammo there to get any of those bottles if I'm willing to go over $4$?
Should be able to land a Bramble with a combination of the beers listed. Most of the other beers will take some bigger ammo. Edit: My bad, I was thinking of Backyard rye, not Bramble.
If you go over $4$, you can almost get anything. Just figure out what places don't get Firestone Walker and offer 2x or even 3x Sucaba. I got Prop offering beers only available in MA (only went about $10 over). I then went $50 over and landed a Bourbon Dark Lord.
Its hard to get people to trade $4$ sometimes. People seem to always want to win the trade these days unless youre trading shelf beers. Either way good luck
In the real world, if you're dealing with someone you don't have a relationship with, none of those beers, even in massive combo (laying aside the Bottleworks bottle, because I know nothing about that) will land BCBVS, the TG Stouts, or King Henry. Black Note will be the most attainable by far. The others are possible if you find the right combo & the right person, but might take time. The best way to land 'big' beers is to develop good trading partners. That way, when desirable beers pop up in your area, you can swap them with someone you already know & trust, without having to dive into the shark feeding tank (the ISO:FT board). That will take time, but it will also get you highly sought-after beers more steadily & pleasantly.
I've traded with the OP before and he is more than generous. We did $4$, but he threw in an extra B-Bomb because I asked for one more and offered to PayPal him since the box was too big already from my end (lots of IPA). He didn't want the money. I actually forgot to put 2 of the beers we agreed on in the box I shipped out and he was very understanding to let me ship them the next time we trade. He's a really great trader and I'm looking forward to trading again to make it up to him. THIS! I have an outstanding trading partner in San Diego. Our first trade was pretty shelf beers on my end for Alpine shelf on his end. We then traded again, and again, and he essentially set aside an Alpine Great for me to trade me $4$ of the Great for BCBS 2013 variants (not Props). We are now on our 4th trade and he basically does his best to grab anything limited from Alpine and I in turn set aside anything limited I can get my hands on one this side of the coast that I think he may want.
1. Go to beer releases in your area/state 2. Buy brewery-only or otherwise limited beers ... ?? Profit!