Crazy beer culture

I have lived in Chicago for 12 years and have never stood in a line or wasted my time chasing a release store to store. If I bump into the beer (which in chicago u most undoubtedly will) at some point so be it. I leave the lines to noobs and whale chasers. im too busy sitting in the pub with my friends enjoying all the great beers this city has to offer.

 

I've never been to a brewery release here in RVA, but I track them on the forums and such, just to get an idea of if or when I can get a hold of the beer through more traditional means (go to store, buy it, enjoy my conservation of time). Through my study I have found that the Hardywood releases get attended very well and go through the new offering completely about 75% of the time. Seems like more of a culture within itself actually. I haven't anything against release people, in fact if I were younger and didn't have weekend activites that revolved around children's activities, I may be there. To each their own. I have, on the other hand, enjoyed tap takeovers that feature limited release beers. Kinda fun but I tend to get a little, let's call it "edgy" in elbow to elbow crowds (this led to me retiring from pits at concerts as well....). Rather agree with @michman and sit in a more quiet pub with friends or just drink at home!

 

yes exactly. I hope nobody takes offense. My intent wasnt to criticize those that choose to attack these releases and lines. Its just not for me and wanted to show that not everyone in chicago does this and it doesnt give an accurate reflection of the entire spectrum of beer drinkers here.

 

IMO Charlotte is getting that way. The beer scene is exploding (which is a good thing) but it is bringing so many newbies into the culture creating a weird competition among consumers. Losing one's mind over beer is a good description.

I dove headlong into craft beer almost 20 years ago and have never looked back. I like good beer and trying new breweries, varieties, etc. and have gradually honed my taste and appreciation over the years. That said, there is nothing more annoying than someone who just stepped into the beer scene telling me I have to chase this beer or gotta be at this release or tap takeover or tell me that a certain beer is overrated. They were at the grand opening of such and such brewery, blah, blah blah.

Beer has suddenly become so hip and cool. Well, it was hip and cool to the majority of us years ago and it will be hip and cool long after these folks have moved onto the next thing their friends tell them they just gotta do.

 

Look at the thread in the Southwestern forum about Jester King/Evil Twin release. I should have just gotten a pizza at Stanleys next door and watched the crowds. I would have enjoyed it more.

 

Philadelphia is very beer aware... There are lots of events all the time and more brewers distribute to the Philly area than any other region in the US, because we drink lots of craft beer! There's a reason that Russian River distributes to Philly and skips over every state between here and the Pacific coast. But Philly Beer Week probably sums Philadelphia's beer culture best. For several years now they have had an entire week dedicated to beer with literally hundreds of events throughout the city and suburbs. There are too many events, special tappings, fests, beer dinners, meet the brewers, etc. to see them all. Brewers from all over the world come to Philly for Beer Week. I think Cantillion's brewer was quoted as saying something like [paraphrasing]... "few people in my home city in Belgium even know who I am, but in Philadelphia people are greeting me on the streets and treating me like a rock star!"

If Philadelphia's beer scene has a negative it's that our locally brewed beer isn't at the same level with beer places like Portland, Fort Collins, Bend, San Diego, Asheville, etc. but we make up for it with fantastic distribution. We do have a few local star brewers and others are catching up, but they have some stiff competition from all the amazing beer coming in from out of state. But I think that's good....it keep our local brewers on their toes, and they can't simply rely on local support of mediocre beer.

 

Even smaller city scenes like Rochester, NY will sell out of things like Bourbon County (just the regular) within minutes to an hour. The craze is real, and it's everywhere.

 

I couldn't agree with you more, I've got this obnoxious guy at work, who, 3 years ago was drinking Milwaukee's Best, now tries to tell me about hop varieties...I'm glad he's into craft beer, but save that shit for your hipster friends

 

Thank you so much. I cant support my local breweries just because they are local. They need to have good, consistent product in order to compete with what I'm able to buy in my distro area.

 

Yeah, this is why I have "Mules"..

 

Yeah... I'll go to my local brew pubs regularly and get their beer fresh from the source, but at that the store/distributer the locals have to compete with everything else available too.

 

San Diego has been the way you describe Chicago as for at least a decade.

Case in point: In 2006 (if memory serves), Alesmith released barrel aged Speedway and barrel-aged Old Numbskull (I think? Maybe Decadence...) for what I believe was the first time. They were releasing on a week day (a Thursday) at noon.

As luck would have it, I was either out of work at that time or had a long weekend or something, so I was free to go. As luck would also have it, I was taking a two-day trip to Las Vegas on Tuesday and Wednesday, coming back to my home in Los Angeles on Thursday.

So... I drove all the way from Las Vegas to Alesmith to get some beer. The event was advertised as starting at noon. I got there at 11 and there were already about a hundred or so people standing around, sharing beer and so on. I went up to the desk (no line? Odd...) and was given a numbered ticket. When they called the numbers, starting at noon, you would come up and buy whatever beer you wanted, limit 4 per person. My number was 122.

By the time I got called up, all the Speedway was gone. I bought the other beer since I didn't want all of this to have been a waste. I recall liking the standard version better of whichever beer it was. I explained to one of the guys at the table that I had come all the way from Las Vegas (and still had to drive home to Los Angeles) and was disappointed that I didn't get any Speedway. He said I should have called or emailed and he would have made sure I got at least one bottle. Turns out I was talking to Pete (the owner, who happened to be there).

Ever since this , I have given up on limited releases for the most part, though I used to go to Firestone in Buellton for them until they became unbearably crowded.

 

Florida, Miami specifically, seems to sell out of any limited release incredibly quickly.

 

Being that I'm out in the hinterlands, I'm not really immersed into any beer scene. What I can see is that the popularity surge of craft beer has created mini-mobs at popular beer events and releases. Demand for some has overwhelmed supply, but not across the board.

One little comparison is Founders KBS and Founders Imperial Stout. Both are highly rated special releases from a the same BA-loved brewery. On BA, KBS scores 100 and Imp. Stout scores 97. KBS didn't last a day on the shelves, but the imperial practically gathered dust. Now, I don't know how much of each of these beers were made and released, but both are great beers from the same brewery. Some beer is just more special than others?

 

Boston has some great Festivals as @BeerAdvocate always mentions..That said, I just went to a indoor 4 room (a football field in total length) event in Portland ME and they sold it out at 3000 people(!). Also went to Maine Beer Co where the release of Dinner had lines going so long the Police had to be called. Beer releases however are better then festivals in Boston. With the # of really good liquor stores and also good local breweries (Jacks Abby, Trillium, Night Shift, etc.) we get and can find good beer with no problem. Do yourself a favor in Boston, skip the festivals and go to the bar, or the store, or the brewery instead.

 

Not everywhere. I picked up two four-packs of Bourbon County last week that according to the store manager had been on the shelves since Black Friday. Most metro areas are pretty similar, but once you get outside of a city with less than 100-150k people, it's usually different.

 

At this point beer culture is basically everywhere. I live in an area most would consider fairly rural, but between craft beer stores, regular beer stores, local breweries, and every town having at least one good pub-- PLUS all the wineries that are also brewing and all the local home brewer stores... yeah... I think you can go into any town in the US and not find some of sort of beer scene there. Even the local grocery stores are packed with craft brews. It's a good thing though I think overall. I meet a lot of people who really appreciate the art, culture, and science behind brewing, which is far better than the frat boy Bud Lite mentality that previously overwhelmed the beer drinking scene all of a few years back.