Gingerbread Stout Release Day, 11-8-14

Seems like people are pissed about this on FB.

 

I wasn't posting a knee-jerk criticism because I "didn't get the beer I want", so the eye roll emoji isn't really necessary (as cute as it is). Having any info as to how the event was handled is enough to make that assessment.

They announced the event online saying that the presale event was going to be from 9-10:30 PM (specifying that sales would not end at 10:30, but that it was the latest you could get in line). Bottles would be limited to 4 per person, with no noted limit overall for the event. They later changed that to 8 bottles per person. Shortly after the start of the sales, they told people that they were probably going to sell out, after people had already been waiting for a while.

If a brewery doesn't have much of a product to go around, don't do a pre-release the night before the "official" release & double the amount that people can buy, then turn people away that drove for hours in many cases & waited in the cold so you can sell more to people the next day... & Sunday... & so on. That's just a poor way to treat customers & handle an event like that.

 

You're right, the sarcastic comment was unnecessary on my part, my apologies. If you read these release threads, in every single one it seems someone is saying how poorly the brewery handled the release, it just seems like somebody's always going to be unsatisfied. After some thinking about this one though, I think you are right, Hardywood messed up. They should not have had the Friday night sale at all, that was bound to lead to problems.

 

Wow. I know this one isn't as epic a Huna Day or as bad as other releases in the past but of all of the release screw-ups I have seen this might be the dumbest one. At least for all of the others most of the problem is just simply the sheer volume of people that show up.

1. Why do a pre-release?
2. Why suddenly double the bottle limit? Is it so bad if the beer sits on a couple of shelves for an extra few days?

These guys went and created an issue when there probably wouldn't have been one. It's like they wanted to have to send out an apology letter.

 

The bottle limit was not changed all of sudden, it was changed two days prior. Could they have done better? Sure. But they were quick to admit their wrong doing and offering to help those that were shut out. People need to chill out though, this beer will be in grocery stores all over the city and is hitting distro in NOVA, VA beach area, and Philly to name a few. It will be made for the next month or so. I don't feel bad for those who want 2 cases for all their pre-trades or what not. And people shouldn't be crying they got shut out, it's a heavily distributed beer!!!!

 

Release info published for a month and then changed two days prior to is what I will call sudden, but it's subjective opinion from either of us and not the main point anyway so I'll move on. How much the beer is available in Va. or Philly is irrelevant to someone who doesn't live in Va. or Philly. If I drove a couple of hours or more, took time out of my normal schedule for this, and left empty handed I'd be "crying" too.

I'm glad they're doing it but I am not giving Hardywood any credit for apologizing and making it right. That's what they should be doing. This is no where near the worst thing that has happened in the world, I just think it was some very strange decision making.

 

The line here is crazy right now. Looks like they may have ran out of bands, not sure though.

 

Insane line. I got there at 12:45 and I'm glad I did. There were about 500 people already in line, and probably 3 times that number got in line behind me by 2:00. It took me 45 minutes to get to the front, and with an 8 bottle limit (just about everybody was buying 8 bottles it looked like) its hard to imagine there will be any GBS left at all.

 

This does not bode well for the BA GBS release.

 

I was very glad to see that Hardywood is going to make it up to those shut out last night. I was one of them and about 10 people away from getting the beer. At least they are trying to make it up to us and I commend them for that.

 

How are they going to make it up?

 

By sending them an email and they will make sure those people get bottles. It hits distro Monday, and they are also bottling more on Monday, so will be available Wednesday at tasting room. They had a certain amount reserved for last night, and another amount for today. Heard they sold 6k bottles in about 4 hours today. Talked with one of the owners tonight and their plan for this year was based on turnout from last year. They made even more this year, and yet attendance seemed to more than double. Thought this years was a notch above last years fwiw.

 

That's cool, are they going to ship to people who came from out of town?

I was there today, 6,000 bottles seems like a conservative estimate. Does anyone know how it ended? Did they sell out/did people get shut out or did everyone that showed up get to purchase bottles?

 

Last night was a pre-release. They will not ship. Those who struck out today, are no different from anyone who gets shut out of any beer release. The 6k comes from a buddy that worked the release. He was saying there was still a line when it sold out, but couldn't tell if some were getting back in line (which happens at nearly every Hardywood release). I was there around 6, and it was still fairly packed and bottles were gone. Tasted some on draft, and will get bottles whenever because it's a DISTRIBUTED beer. Thought it was funny that nearly 500 people lined up for a beer that sees such heavy distribution though.

 

You keep saying this is heavily distributed but in my experience this is not the case. Maybe it will be easy to get this year, I don't know, but it has never been really available outside of Richmond in the past so its not suprising that people are lining up for it. I really think your claims of "heavy distribution" are greatly exaggerated. I know Hardywood has increased production and distribution, and I absolutely hope that this beer does become widely available in the general area, but last year it was not and its hard to simply trust rumors and hearsay that this year will be different.

 

I do wonder how much we will see in the new disto areas (Hampton roads, etc).
I guess everyone's experience varies in Richmond, my buddy picked me up as many bottles as I wanted just randomly walking in a grocery store last year and this was weeks after distro started.

 

You do know we'll be getting this in the 757 this time, don't you? TW and hell, I bet even Farm Fresh'll have it. No need to make the trip to RVA anymore...

 

How do you figure it was a "shitty handling" ? Just because your fiancé and her brother did not get beer??? Really ??? Maybe they should have left earlier......Breweries can only estimate turnouts. They said that they would be selling bottles from 9:00 – 10:30 PM and that is what they delivered. I know someone who was shut out and just went back earlier the next day. I wish people would stop blaming breweries for what that cannot control.

 

Wrong.