2014 Bourbon County Brands release - Chicagoland

2011 was a crazy anomaly -- IIRC there were all of 150 cases of BCBS distroed in all of Chicagoland. InBev had closed the GI purchase earlier in the year and vastly increased the distribution across the country. Production was ramped up significantly for 2012, and we all had that happy experience of seeing entire cases sitting in stores well into 2013.

 

All of the small stores who help sell the high priced sisters should refuse to order any in 2015. Have them try to sell all of those at Jewel Osco and Marianos.

 

Probably showing my ignorance here, but if these places say they won't carry any more GI products, can In-Bev/AB say "okay then, no more Bud Light/Budweiser for you"?

 

In theory, yes. In practice, that's giving sales to Miller/Coors.

Edit: Mediate that by the fact that macro drinkers tend to be much more brand-loyal than craft drinkers. Craft drinkers are rather promiscuous in their drinking habits.

 

Exactly.
2014 is HOPEFULLY a crazy anomaly with the genius Marketing, Untapped check-ins deluge and insane release lines.
Like I said; here's to hoping that the warehouse expansion means a return to a more normal release in 2015.

(I'm fully aware this is wishful thinking.)

 

Anybody seen regular, lately, for a less than a terrible price (<$35)?

 

Last year I was able to get every variant including Prop and quite a few 4-packs of regular BCBS from different locations without looking for them (I'm not the one to drive from liquor store to liquor store hoping to hoard), and this time I was only able to get a 4-pack. Local mom & pop liquor stores got a lot less than last year, if any, which is a shame. Oh well, there is plenty of great beer out there, and it's getting better and better.

 

I just picked a 4 pack up at Hillside liquors in Hillside for $29.99. They had bottles of Vanilla for $49. According to the owner they were in business to make money and not friends. He also said they expected another shipment before NYE and the price for the varietals was going up to $79/bottle IIRC.

 

Did he say that to you? I wouldn't come back

 

Yes. Right to my face. I guess it was the laugh after I heard the price of the Vanilla that prompted the comment. He seemed very confident in knowing the market and knowing people would pay even the higher prices around NYE.

I was tempted to not even purchase the 4 pack, but, since I was out of town on BF and my spine is weak, I picked one up anyhow.

They are definitely on my list of places that I won't bother stepping foot in ever again though, so I hope the 1 time gouging was worth it.

 

Ha, that's about the same conversation I had at Cardinal in Palatine when they told me Zombie Dust is $29.94 for a sixer. I laughed when he said the price, and he responded with something to the effect of "Hey, we can't just give it away." Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh k, then.

 

$29.94? That's obscene.

This was only my second time coming across a retailer just absolutely and unabashedly gouging on the prices. The other place is no longer in business.

It's a bit of a sticky situation. It's kind of like concert tickets. There's the price and then there's the true market value. I can see a retailer saying, "Why should I only charge $30 when a person is going to buy it for $30 and turn around and sell it for $60? Why shouldn't I just sell it for $60 and make the extra money myself?" Of course they risk alienating a certain percentage of customers, but as long as there are people willing to pay, they will continue to push the price higher and higher. In Hillside Liquors case, I can't imagine that the craft beer is much of their revenue. It's more of a mad dog and case of busch clientele so chasing off a beer wonk or two doesn't hurt.

 

Ever since Cardinal bought Dobby's WWL that place has gone to shit. I used to shop there almost exclusively, but when Hopslam came out they were charging over $20 a 6/pk. That was really the last time I think I shopped there.

 

They were $4.99/bottle, with no break if buying a six pack. If they want to charge an exorbitant amount and actually find a sucker (sorry...a "buyer"), then more power to them. I no longer shop at Cardinal because of this, as well as their dust-covered IPAs. That, and Mr. A's (who also love to charge insane prices) are extremely close to my house, but I rarely, if ever, shop at either. Foremost in AH and Binny's get my business.

 

$30 for ZD is awful. It's an excellent beer, but with the myriad citra options out there now, that type of premium isn't justified.

 

Bucktown definitely got some varietals yesterday. The corner store near me is selling prop at $70/bottle. They charged $50/bottle last year.

Before You Go Liquors was selling Prop at $29.99 yesterday. They're sold out now, but I'll definitely go there more often given the owner isn't gouging .

 

The mythic second wave cometh.

 

Hopefully there will be enough dropping that we can do this thread all over again, complete with the controversy, bitching and humblebragging.

 

Compared to the cost in time saved in not having to stand in line in the cold for 5 hours, $49 for Vanilla is an absolute steal.

 

Hey, it was only 3!