(12/4/2014) Eclipse Release Party and Bottleshare Info

I no good at maths but 400 / 130 = 3 bottle limit?

Then open it up after everyone with a ticket gets a chance to go through. Funny that you can spend years making a beer, endless hours planning a party ... and then screw up the last mile.

 

I do have to give a shout out to Larry. Don't remember his last name. But he was such an awesome guy, he graciously shared his beer with us even though I made the mistake of not being bottles. I had read somewhere that there wouldn't be shares inside the party. So thank you for that Larry from Santa Cruz.

 

http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...erpiece-x-70-ft-will-return-your-soul.234607/

 

Think that got pulled. Funny though

 

@larrylf

 

One thing I just thought of that I haven't seen mentioned yet which makes this poor event management even more egregious is that it was a paid and ticketed event with a high ticket price and limited attendance. It's one thing to have an unticketed bottle release go awry ... or to have a larger mass market event like DLD where people don't get bottles.

But the fact that this was an expensive ticket, with so few attendees ... man, that's the most inexcusable

 

It was a total clusterfuck. My first and last time attending the party. Stood in line for at least an hour only to find out that there was nothing left that I couldn't have ordered on futures and had sent to my house. It's mind-boggling to me that they didn't see this coming

 

How was it picking up bottles? We decided not to eat there, mainly because I just didn't wanna give them the business. But I can see where getting bottles would have taken a while once crowd started coming.

 

I agree 100% I can't say I won't try to attend the event next year, but I hope they make some drastic changes to the organization and management of the party. Wait to get in, then wait close to an hour to purchase bottles. They had 1 person processing orders, until the line got so long that they grabbed 2 others to help. Get to the front and everything is out. The unfortunate part is they probably don't give a shit on making it right. They will send out a half-ass apology email for damage control, but will want to sweep the issue under the rug as quickly as possible and move on. If they lose a few, it's okay, because they got money in their account now and will still sell out the party in 30 seconds next year. Just Terrible Business!

 

We didn't eat there either for the same reason, but it was pretty easy. We went late (almost noon) and there were only a few people in front of us. I imagine the crowd was bigger earlier in the morning. You had to ask for the bottle of coconut, which I thought was odd since it's included in the $100/ticket. They also managed to mess my order up, which I didn't notice until I was all the way in South Lake. They gave me two 2012 Elijah Craig 20 years, instead of the two Evan Williams 23 I ordered. Kind of funny because the EC20 were out by the time I got to order my bottles, or I would've bought some. After the shitshow last night, I am certainly not going to drive an hour back there to swap them. Sorry for whoever gets screwed out of their bottles. Grab me my EW23 and I will ship them to you :-) You would think the guys packing up orders would know which bottles were in each stack? Oh well

 

I was there first thing in the morning, honestly they didn't have a clue. Bottles were everywhere. There was one guy who pulled his car around back and loaded 2 cases of masterpiece, fairly certain he didn't want to get hasseled.

 

Well I hope karma catches up to the people that went nuts. Though fifty should have made more if they were doing no limit. So really who's fault is it? I dont remember them even saying how many they had of any beer.

 

Besides the Masterpiece situation. I have a few things to add...
1. They were not rinsing my glass in between pours.
2. Access to water was a huge issue... even to stay hydrated was a challenge. There was not any place really to get it yourself and personally pushing a button is easier than pouring a pitcher.
3. The set up of lines, layout of tables made it difficult to move around freely. Perhaps since there were not chairs for everyone the ones on the main area should have been removed. Due to this fact people were confused and stuck while others were simply trying to get you guessed it water or beer.
4. For a ticketed event everyone should have access to be able to purchase the same amount. If they chose not to then open it up to everyone else.

As a first time attendee I was a bit disappointed. However, I was able to have unlimited beer, a glass, and a event bottle of coconut (absolutely loved it). I hope that this list will help future events.

 

I did not attend, but reading these accounts, the thing that stands out to me is that there were only 130 people at this party and they still managed to screw it up? That is true incompetence. When I read other stories of events where 750 people show up I can kind of understand it but a ticketed event with 130 people? That's easy.

Source: Planning and running company party with 350 people in attendance.

 

I remember past events that seemed more intimate with fewer tickets sold and I can't help but think that they've allowed this event to grow to a size that sets the table for problems folks are talking about. The size of the place can't accommodate the larger group. Sucks to have to stand up for hours and also struggle thru tightly packed quarters. I think 5050 should step back and assess before planning future events.

Andy & Alicia are the hardest working, most dedicated humble people I know of in the business. I'm sure they will make adjustments to improve.

 

Dear Eclipse fans,

For anyone who would like to get our formal thoughts on all of this - I have started a new thread:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...party-goers-and-beer-geeks-everywhere.234895/

Sincerely,
-Alicia Barr
Co-Founder & Beer Lover
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

 

Like I said.

 

Yup, you did. Though I suppose it's better than no response...

 

Rare Barrel did something right in their first anniversary party. Multiple Sessions to reduce the probability of these types of issues. Oh, and they put a limit on all their bottle releases. 12, which sounds a little bizarre, but it does prevent people from buying 50+ bottles, while allowing people to buy lots for friends.

 

has it been stated which bottles will be distributed and which ones will not

obviously rum, single malt high west and vanilla coffee will not but what about the others