Alchemist Tent Sale

Ill have to check my work email and follow back, but it went something to the tune of a massive turnout without enough places to park caused people to park in other businesses' spots. Alchemist didn't want to be bad neighbors while they dropped by.

 

This, and people bringing and drinking beer on-site. They have a permit to pour their beer but BYOB is forbidden. At least one business hired security last time to keep their lot clear.

 

this is 100% the fault of the current massively hyped beer releases crap. If they took those 500 cases of, say, Focal Banger and sent it to their accounts, this wouldn't be a problem. It would be a cool bonus for people shopping their favorite stores. This happens with Trillium. I'll go to CBC and see a Fort Point or Congress St. and think "Oh sh*t! A bonus!"

Why breweries aren't doing this, but favoring big releases for which people have to line up four hours before it starts is beyond me. It only leads to things like the aforementioned: taking parking spaces from other businesses (because God forbid you don't get your case of beer) and people ruining the fun by surreptitiously sharing beers in the parking lot.

It's really a bummer because I love Alchemist and their intentions (be it supporting local charities or bringing us fine, fine beer). But these big releases are getting silly. This is proof.

Also, get off my lawn you damn teenagers.

 

Having been to most of the tent sales, December was the first one there was even close to a problem. Legitimately wouldn't surprise me if twice as many people showed for that as any of the ones before. Even then the crowd was calm and respectful. They've been the exact opposite of every other big release story I've read on this site - you don't need to get there half a day early (for real I would guess <30 people show up more than 2 hrs ahead of the first can being sold), it brings in a TON of business for Green Mountain and the local restaurants, and there was even a hired guy directing people where to park. If they're going to attract 500 people from here on out I can understand needing a change of plan but let's not act like The Alchemist or the people that show up for it are bad guys here, especially if you haven't been to one yourself.

 

Saw Jen at the last sale trying (nicely) to make sure that no one was drinking in line - she had been warned by the property owner, and then the DLC the day before. Such a big crowd, it was hard to enforce. As she walked up & down the line, the guy in front of me said "Is that woman serious? Is she joking?" and snuck a furtive swig from a growler he'd purchased that morning at CBC. When I told him who she was, he was surprised. They will find another way to make it happen, but not without the cooperation of people they are selling to. Otherwise, we will all just have to wait for the new place in Stowe to open, I suppose.

 

If you HAVE to swig from a growler while waiting in line for beer to purchase in the morning, you have a $u$king problem. What an ass

 

Yup and it only takes one or two of that type of idiot to ruin it for the rest of us!

 

I feel the same way. Look, we all like some good morning drinking from time to time (actually, I've been meaning to ask this: the people in the "what are you drinking now" thread, are they actually having beers at 7:56 on Tuesday mornings?) on days like Thanksgiving morning coffee and baileys or Super Bowl tailgating at home or at the stadium. But it's people like the aforementioned that always make me question if beer advocates are just drunks in disguise! You're picking up two cases of beer. You need to have 64 ounces before that?!

 

There is a hearty portion of beer geeks (and of wine and liquor geeks) who use the "hobby" as a beard to thier alcoholism.

I was at the second to last truck sale. There was drinking in line there too. Sometimes people just don't know how to behave, even when told.

 

I was at the October sale. I do know people parked in front of Green Mountain when asked not to. I parked in the business area behind the tracks which was where I thought we were supposed to park. Reading this I am not sure I was right. The crowd was very polite and cool. There was drinking in the line as a few had coolers. The people behind me were drinking heady. I did not know drinking was not allowed. I also had been driving all day and had more to go so had no intention of drinking either and did not. I am also sure having talked to the people behind me for an hour they had no idea they were breaking the rules. They were extremely nice. This is a strange way to distribute beer, but I had fun in the line. I hope they can get the kinks worked out and keep doing the truck sales.

 

Having only missed 2 or 3 truck sales in the summer, this last one on 12/6 I saw a lot of empty cans/bottles laying around. More than I remember from other sales.

 

I've been to them all, and concur that there were many people being dinks in line in December. I saw multiple people drinking right after being told not to. People trying to cut in line. Maybe they've ruined it for the rest of us.

 

They should just make a rule that if you get caught drinking, you're out. Hand everyone in line an Alchemist ticket, when you get to the front you exchange your ticket and the cash for a case. If you get caught for trying to cut or drink, you lose your ticket. As soon as you get your case, if you want to go again, just get to the back of the line and get another ticket.

Feel like this would solve the drinking issue.

 

This would probably work. People should just act like adults though.

 

Kind of sad that it's so difficult for people to do that.

 

I think a lot of it is alcoholism. If you can't go an hour without having a beer where you are asked not to you have an issue.

 

"NO FOCAL BANGER FOR YOU!!"
<RIPS TICKET OUT OF HAND>
"NEXT!

 

I did manage to get a second case. About 12 people did. So very close to 500 in line in December.

 

hopefully it had more to do with the holiday season and one of the beers being a non-hoppy offering

 

Telling people what to do, selling a product that is highly addictive, that can and often does lead to rash or bad decisions will always be hard. It's the nature of the beast.