Trade value observations and how it doesn't make any sense

Discussion in 'Trade Talk' started by SpeedwayJim, Jun 7, 2012.

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  1. SpeedwayJim

    SpeedwayJim Pooh-Bah (2,877) Jun 19, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Just thinking about this the other day:

    Remember when Allagash Gargamel and Vagabond first came out? Allagash did announced bottle releases and people were going crazy for these limited sours. Now, since they've implemented the silent release practice, almost no one cares about their beers on the trade forums. Nothing's changed. Their coolships are still amazing. The bottle counts are still very small. It seems like simply because they don't ANNOUNCE their beer releases any more, no one really cares about them.

    The same goes for Captain Lawrence. Ever since the building of their new tasting room, they've been doing silent releases (Barrel Select Black, Barrel Select Mother Barrel). Remember when people were going crazy for CdC, Barrel Select Raspberry? Barrel Select Cherry? Now, just because the releases aren't announced, all of a sudden, no one really cares about their limited releases sours anymore. Again, the quality hasn't dropped and the bottle counts haven't changed much either.

    I guess what I'm saying is that its pretty absurd to observe how and why beers have high/low trade value. When we really think about it, why we value beers the way we value them makes absolutely no sense at all!

    Thoughts? Any other beer "value" trends that you see that you just can't wrap your head around?
     
    CoolshipMike and seeswo like this.
  2. Jparkanzky

    Jparkanzky Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2011 Ohio

    I'm "ISO" every beer you listed!
     
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  3. Hophead717

    Hophead717 Initiate (0) Oct 21, 2011 Massachusetts

    This is certainly true, at least in as much as people want a universal way to value beers (such as when people try to apply the $4$ system to non-shelf beers).

    On the point of publicity, perhaps there is some truth there, but some silent releases still command top value in the trade forum. See: Note, Black. That was an unannounced release and word didn't leak out for over 24 hours after the beers went on the shelf.
     
  4. Hophead717

    Hophead717 Initiate (0) Oct 21, 2011 Massachusetts

    NEED TO TICK THE WALES!!
     
  5. AleWatcher

    AleWatcher Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2009 Illinois

    If its unannounced then there is no chance for hype/excitement to build up the necessary interest to fuel insane demand.

    I like it that way.
     
  6. BdubleEdubleRUN

    BdubleEdubleRUN Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 California

    I wish they would all go unannounced
     
    cosmicevan, AleWatcher and DSlim71 like this.
  7. stupac2

    stupac2 Pooh-Bah (2,031) Feb 22, 2011 California
    Pooh-Bah

    I don't think CdC is particularly easy to trade for, and neither are the various coolships. I never bothered trying for Resurgum because of what people were asking. They might not flood the forums the same way Beat or KH did, but it's not like they're trading for peanuts.

    And yeah, it's unsurprising that announced releases build more interest. You can't be interested in something you don't know about.
     
    GrindFatherBob and Holland like this.
  8. Rempo

    Rempo Initiate (0) Jan 18, 2010 Indiana

    The value threads for new releases don't make any sense to me. And neither do the responses.
     
    cosmicevan likes this.
  9. dvelcich

    dvelcich Zealot (646) Feb 6, 2008 Illinois
    Trader

    Don't they still have Resurgum at the brewery? I heard that a while ago... Wonder if it's still true.
     
  10. JohnfromPurdue

    JohnfromPurdue Zealot (572) Apr 27, 2009 Indiana
    Trader

    It's harder to gain a following for the beer if you do a silent release, especially if the beer has never been made before. For the big Saturday events, i.e. DLD, Darkness, Jackie O's, ect, the experience of the day affects our opinion of the brewery and the beer. A beer that brings up good memories is a beer that will stay on ISO lists. Once the beer has that solid base from the release, the hype train can start rolling. An announced release is also free advertising, people start spreading the word like on BA. With a silent release, the beer is already release by the time people hear of it. Their only option is to trade for it and most people don't set up trades for beers they haven't heard of before. It worked for Black Note because it already had the pedigree and was highly anticipated.
     
  11. Jnorton00

    Jnorton00 Maven (1,338) Apr 13, 2007 Massachusetts

    Everyone still cares about the coolship releases when they first come out except for ghoulschip.
     
  12. Jeffo

    Jeffo Pooh-Bah (2,874) Sep 7, 2008 Netherlands
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Case in point:

    Struise has countdowns, a webshop, a thirty-tap truck and all that jazz, and that generates piles of interest and demand.
    De Molen doesn't say shit.

    Struise is one of my favorite breweries, despite the US style hype machine. Urbain is a brewing genius. That said, in many cases De Molen kicks Struise around the playground, and nobody's ever even heard of them. Give De Molen the same machine and everyone would be talking about them.

    Anyways, I really appreciate De Molen's humble attitude, and that's one of the reasons I continue to support them with all my stupid money. They stay local like this; people in their back yard don't have to compete with people a continent away. Perhaps this is why some of the other breweries have decided to tone things down a bit. I can't blame them.

    Jeff
     
  13. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    no, this makes perfect sense, unfortunately*. if you announce the release, speculator-traders go, and they make sure to hype it (once again, the real, marketing definition of 'hype', not praise). if you don't announce it, fewer of such traders manage to acquire the beers. they consequently hype them less. on the flip side, some of those traders actually drink beer (instead of just trading it), so they imply their negotiation know-how via subtly downplaying the value (e.g. not talking about the beer, not ISOing it immediately) so they can trade for it more easily.

    also, more and more established traders who would lose their shit over CL and allagash are locking down their trading to established partners only. if they have CL and allagash connections, they'd get their silent release bottles from them.

    * it's arguable whether this all is unfortunate. it's also arguable if it's true; i'm just speculating given my feel for how things are now and how people behave.
     
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  14. Kaydogg

    Kaydogg Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2011 Pennsylvania

    Dark Lord Day...enough said....
     
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  15. MarkIntihar

    MarkIntihar Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2010 Michigan

    So basically, you're speculating about speculators? :wink:
     
  16. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    and in the end, i speculated about speculation itself. i think it ends there though :slight_frown:
     
  17. Agold

    Agold Maven (1,287) Mar 13, 2010 Pennsylvania

    I think it makes sense. Silent release -> fewer people know about it -> fewer people ISO -> lower trade value.
     
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  18. csano

    csano Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2010 Washington
    Trader

    Trade value is overrated. Imagine a community of people who will send me beers I don't have access to that they think I should try, hype/rarity be damned, and I return the favor. Everyone wins.
     
    FTowne likes this.
  19. fortsambo

    fortsambo Initiate (0) Feb 14, 2011 Colorado

    Monkey see, monkey do... it seems like if you see 2-3 ISO for a particular beer in the trade forum, it's followed by 20 more.
     
    Stouttyme, Holland and MarkIntihar like this.
  20. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    APPLY not 'imply'! always proofread, kids.
     
    Etan likes this.
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