The Locals HINTS AND HAULS THREAD

I guess I'm the exception. I was hoping for a shipping window a bit sooner...

 

Count me in - would also prefer a late September starting shipping window if possible.

 

Count me in as well.

 

Frankly, I think we're talking about a late-September "let's start signing up" date, with a shipping window in late-October (or even later if it were up to me).

Sorry Jesse, I'd love to do this asap, but the wife and I had 'the beer budget talk' not long ago, and I'm going to be on punishment (and very limited budget for BIFs) for a while...

 

I've got two other BIFs going right now, no hurry.

 

I am in for another round

 

I am the same way. I was tracking my targets box more than my own, although both of my boxes have been superb. If only we could have a Locals share.

 

Yeah, I definitely was excited to see the reaction on my sent box. But I think I've got a much better feel for this group, so I'm looking forward to getting my next target and completely annihilating his porch.

It's gonna be tough waiting, but I think we're all patient adults for the most part and setting targets late September with a mid-October shipping window would work best. I think we should aim for everybody to have their boxes by Halloween because, kids get candy and men get beer. That sounds about right.

 

With one exception, we have been pretty efficient in getting our packages out, but I don't even remember talking much about shipping windows. And I don't think the "lets's start signing up" phase will take long (I have lists of interested parties, and already collected about 10 sets of addresses -- if people want to PM me their info early they are welcome too). We had 26 folks in round 1, 2 new additions for the mini-6, and 4 others who have expressed interest in the next round -- I bet at least 26-28 of those 32 are interested again, and we may find more lurkers in the next month or two. We've also discussed having newbies ship early, but I think if all the newbies are experienced traders/BIFers with good feedback we don't need to do that.

We can obviously finalize times later, but if we do something like targets assigned by the end of September and shipping by the end of October that would work.

I'm just in this one BIF and have over 100 bottles in my cellar; I can only imagine what it's like for those of you who trade a lot or are in multiple BIF's (especially given the size of the hauls in Hastur's)

 

But this is the beauty of aging stouts, you don't have to drink them all right away

Well, since we're not shipping for 2.5 months, we need to bide our time, curious, who's got the oldest bottle sitting in their cellar and what is it? I think the oldest thing I have is a GI Matilda from 2007.

 

I don't have anything old at all (maybe 2012?)

But that does bring up the question -- is it safe to assume all stouts age well? So if I want to send stouts to someone (in a BIF, or a trade, or as a surprise) do I need to worry about bottling date at all? In my color-coded inventory spreadsheet all my IPA's have bottling dates listed and are highlighted in green (ie, GO and drink them soon) while my stouts just say "n/a" unless I care about the vintage. Being able to ship out of stuff I already have (as opposed to buying new stuff and picking up "something for me" while I'm out) would really help me reduce my inventory.

 

I know I've got a couple of 2008 Gouden Carolus Blues left; not sure if I've got anything older.

I'm new to this BIF, but as to timing, I'd be up for it as soon as people want to go. FWIW.

 

And you're one of the 4 I already knew expressed interest...

 

Mike, I think this is a really good question. There should never be an assumption that a beer will age well. Just look at people, sometimes the years are kind and well sometimes...

Whenever I decide to "lay a bottle down" I always like to try it fresh so I have a reference point. If you're going to sit on anything my $0.02 is that stouts or sours are going to be the best candidates. But I think the hope is that they will change in some way over time and hopefully for the better.

Breweries like Boulevard still put a drink by date on their stouts because I think they intended for people to enjoy them a little more fresh. However, Deschutes puts a enjoy after date on their stouts which I always find humorous.

 

Thanks -- I've never had a stout that I thought was bad due to age, but as I mentioned I definitely prioritize drinking IPA's and stuff first. And certainly don't want to send something bad to someone. But obviously stuff like KBS or BCBS ages well and "old stuff" can be sent. I'll just try and figure out what else works to send (ie, I have a Great Divide Chocolate Yeti and a Great Divide Espresso Yeti downstairs, I could always assume they age similarly, try one, and figure out what to do with the other).

 

There was a reason I passed on the stout BIF, and didn't try to join Hastur's next round.

 

I have a 2008 Thomas Hardy Ale. Can't decide when to drink it

 

I tried with all my might to pass on the Stout BIF, I couldn't make myself do it, I had to join. I think as long as I stay away from any other NBOs, the Stouts, Locals, and SWTFYW will be enough to give me my fix without being too much.

 

I am in for the next round. I prefer a later shipping window as work is crazy the next couple months so any additional time is welcome.

 

I have numerous stouts, barelywines, and strong ales in my "cellar" but otherwise, I drink enough and go to enough bottle shares that I really don't have that much of an excess.

That said, I'm trying to drink down my stash in the fresh fridge because some of those are getting old.