Heading to Toppling Goliath this weekend

If I were Luther college Id partner in whatever way I could with this place (maybe they already have). This may have swayed my vote in which school to attend (granted I would have been 18 and this place would not have existed yet).

 

Check out the Cellar for good beer and this place for GOOD bbq, you won't be sorry!

http://www.oldarmorybarbecue.com/

 

This is where TG needs to look in the mirror. Yes, they are selling tons of beer and making tons of money, but is that really what craft beer is about? Just IMO, but these beers should be getting into the hands of as many people as possible to help sway people away from the BMCs of the world. Moving product and raking in the cash seems like a move from the big boys. These beers could have been in the hands of 90% of the people who went there through Monday. They would have sold out regardless. Is it really hurting their bottom line that much that they can't keep beer on the floor for two more days?

 

Went up to TG today and had a awesome time! Cheers everyone!

 

I don't have a dog in this hunt, having never visited TG (though I was considering it for an upcoming trip), but it's clear to me that by setting a two- case limit TG mainly wanted to sell these limited releases to traders and resellers. If they wanted to sell to end users, the limit would be more like two bottles. Why that makes business sense, I'll let someone else venture. Business sense or not, it showed an appalling lack of consideration for their customers, IMHO.

 

Casanova has several cases of Sue yet this afternoon. Picked up three bottles of Sue and some New Glarus Berliner. Thank you Toppling Goliath for sharing your awesome beers with us. I don't feel entitled to any of your beers, just damn lucky and appreciative to get what I can.

 

I would hazard a guess that TG's to-go sales, and thus bottle releases, are somewhat hampered by the current size of their taproom. It is by no means large and isn't set up for such a high frequency and volume of customers. Further evidence to this I would note their decision to distribute Assassin in lieu of a release. They're just very popular and until they get the larger space set up to handle such releases (and I know they're working on it), they're limited. Just my random thoughts.

That said, David, like every single other beer I have had from TG, is freaking killer

 

They hope to have bigger brew pub/brewery ready for next year. David was amazing and I still haven't totally wrapped head around naughty temple.

 

Hey Josh... was a little buzzed up last night and may have been to aggressive in my view... for that I apologize for coming off that way... I do stand by the fact that a guy and his gal could potentially walk out with 144 bottles for this release... Toppling Goliath is a great brewery making awesome beers obviously but I feel the need to voice my displeasure with the quantity... we call people out who aren't good traders... we need to let breweries know also when they make not a bad but poor decision. We also call out hoarders... toppling just encouraged hoarding... Butt hurt maybe for 12 hours since I was planning on going Saturday...but I don't think there is a logical reason on the consumer and/or fan side why this was cool... Hope your hearing this TG

 

Two bottles? They would have Sue for forever at that rate...It is a drive from any major metro.

Full disclosure I went with my buddy and we walked away with 4 cases of sue, 1 case of david, and 2 bottles of NT (thanks to Courtyard and Cellar for the NT).

Anyways, just like last time when I drove out to pick up 2 cases of sue and 2 cases of Sosus.

Both trips will end with us selling (yes, reselling oh no!) for cost more bottles than we keep. I find people are ecstatic when you give them TG, but they are still pretty damn happy to have the opportunity to buy it too.

Regardless, a trip to Decorah is worth it even when TG has no bottles for sale. Cheers

 

On Friday night, Courtyard & Cellar still had some bottles of NT. Worth a call if you are going out there.

In fact, do yourself a favor and stop and C&C regardless. Thanks again Benji! -Jason and Scott from Omaha

We ended up heading out very early Saturday, but I will bring that Bo & Luke next time (June hopefully)

And tell Nathan thanks again for letting us throw a tent up in his yard! lol.

 

Hi Brett,

If you read my post, I was referring to the limited releases, not Sue, which I understand is part of TG's regular lineup and is available on tap, and sometimes in bottles, in many locations. (Though since I don't live in Iowa or anywhere near it, ill stand corrcted if wrong). A Two-case limit makes sense for a regularly-released beer like Sue. Not for a special release like NT or David. I wonder how many people who bought two cases of NT are reselling at cost?

Cheers, friend.

 

My mistake Hector; I will say though that Sue itself is pretty dang limited outside of the brewery (bottlewise). The farthest west it goes is to Des Moines and it gets swallowed up almost instantly. Make a trip to Decorah sometime; you won't regret it!


Am I correct if guessing that you are Benji? @DecorahNM if you are the other owner, I just want to say I thought your place was great and please give Benji my message. Thank you.

Lol, I feel like an idiot now. I didn't realize you were the other owner, Nathan! I blame the Bomb! and NT.

 

After reading all the posts here is what I see -

Someone heads down and picks up X number of cases brings it up to the TC and trades it off $4$ (no different than a distributor IMO). Saves me a trip down there... cuz a 3 hour trip for 2 bottles isn't exactly awesome.

TG can set up their business however they see fit - If their only goal is to sell beer and make $$ - eventually their product and customer base will suffer. It's the nature of the beast. I mean look how many people were let down this weekend. 6 people gained a lot of good beer but 60 people felt shorted and a bad taste was left in their mouth about how things are being done... This leads to less of a following and fan base... This leads to less of a demand... This leads to no one driving down and picking up cases of beer....

This will work itself out eventually -

The only people that are hurt by all of this are those that want to visit as the culmination of a trip... Go down to Go down and see this "field of dreams" place - experience it. This is what TG has going for it - making damn good beer that people will drive from God knows where to experience it. . . . Seems like one would capitalize on this. If you could balance the desire to be financially successful vs. creating a "buzz" and "demand" for a QUALITY product... man we'll be drinking good beer for years to come.

I mean when it comes to assassin... I only have so much $$ to spend - I pretty much know I won't be getting it - I'm sure as hell not paying $200 in the aftermarket for it - so I know that if I come across another awesome beer in that category That's where I'll throw my cash at...

Like I said this will work itself out eventually -

They have A LOT going for them - I just hope they can capitalize and build an awesome brand and keep on cranking out an awesome product...

Cause right now in true Iowa fashion - they have the "If you build it, they will come" on their side!

 

Curious if you went to TG this weekend because I seriously question your numbers there. Or is that just a reference to making it a 2 bottle limit vs. a 2 cases limit. Cheers.

 

I did not - Those numbers are just for reference to the few who got cases vs the many who got none. Wish I would have gone - looks like some lucky random people got some great beer to drink down there (KBBS, MD, Assassin)...

I love drinking some of these rare beers, do not get me wrong (there is something to be said for them - they are truly one of a kind)... But I'm starting to realize there are SO MANY good beers out there now - that I can typically find a current "on the self" replacement for most - and when it comes to finding something to drink after a long day at work - that is what matters...

The idea of bottle share get togethers is my idea of the future of whale beer drinking....

 

So I guess they are selling Naughty Temple and David bottles? Saw a friend post on Facebook they bought a bottle of each today.

Arrived at 12:30 Friday and wasn't able to buy a single bottle of NT. Still worth the 350 mile drive but....a little disappointing if they were allowing 2 cases per person initially and now rationing bottles....

 

Silly humans... if the beer gets sold right away that just means more hype for the next release. I think they are playing into the hype and trying to make more.

 

Bummer, we went to the Cellars around 4 or so for Prairie Bomb and BBQ at The Armory. I didn't see any bottles of NT for sale, would of bought one, even for an inflated price. I think they had David for $20 a bottle though?

 

That's a pretty pricey mark-up. I guess if I was going to be totally shut-out and had traveled quite a distance I probably would have bought one. That being said there are going to be plenty of local IP trades. I planned one getting three NT and case of David. Was planning on giving two of the NTs out as extras but no way I'm going to be drinking my whole case of David unless we really dig into it when it gets dropped off today but I think we're just gonna dig into the cellar.