Gratitude update

Discussion in 'Beer Releases' started by HopsMatt, Jul 10, 2012.

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  1. HopsMatt

    HopsMatt Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2011 Kentucky

    I sent Scott an email this morning about the latest Gratitude. He replied back really quick and updated the site with this;


    2011 Gratitude Update
    You may be wondering what the story is with our latest round of Gratitude Barleywine... and by "latest", I mean this is absolutely the latest we've ever released this beer. And it's still not ready for release yet. Why?

    Quality issues. One of the most enjoyable quality checks we make here is the step where we crack open a couple of bottles, check to see how the well bottle conditioning has worked, and verify that the beer's carbonation level is within spec for what we are shooting for. Well, this time it wasn't quite so enjoyable, since the beer is almost completely flat.

    It's a challenging environment for the yeast to work in, given that it's an 11+% beer, so we're looking at our options to see what we can do to get it to carbonate properly. One of the more painful options we're considering is to re-brew this batch completely, which will of course take more time, and probably mean the loss of this entire batch... but we're not quite ready to go down that path just yet, until a few less drastic options are explored more thoroughly.

    So, I don't have much of a time estimate for you, except to say... Not any time soon. Sorry it's not better news.

    Cheers - Scott


    Not good news, but still worth waiting for. Not sure if anyone else had seen this yet so I thought I'd share.
     
    #1 HopsMatt, Jul 10, 2012
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  2. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    That's a tough situation to be in. Alan Sprints from HotD released the last bottling of Bourbon Fred with known carbonation issues. He priced it accordingly and I doubt there were major problems selling what was produced.

    Since this is the last of the 'rainbow' series, I don't blame Scott for not wanting to follow in Alan's footsteps. I wouldn't want to end such a highly regarded series with a product below my expectations either.

    I think Scott should still sell the product (still tastes good, right?), maybe under a name other than Gratitude.

    Just my $0.02.
     
    #2 Beerontwowheels, Jul 10, 2012
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  3. tewaris

    tewaris Initiate (0) Jul 14, 2009 Minnesota

    Good to know that the concept of QC is not completely lost.
     
    #3 tewaris, Jul 10, 2012
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  4. JRod1969

    JRod1969 Maven (1,290) Nov 23, 2010 New York
    Trader

    How about FLATITUDE?

    Seriously, I'd buy it.
     
    #4 JRod1969, Jul 10, 2012
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  5. MarkIntihar

    MarkIntihar Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2010 Michigan

    The problem is it sounds like they're already in the Gratitude bottles though. I don't claim to know much about anything, but I would have to think that would be a pain to remove them from the Gratitude bottles and then re-bottle them...
     
    #5 MarkIntihar, Jul 10, 2012
  6. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    I doubt they wrapped them up in the paper before inspecting them. That's like wax dipping I'd think, where it's the last thing you do.

    You are right that they are probably in the clear 750ml bottles.
     
    #6 Beerontwowheels, Jul 10, 2012
  7. MarkIntihar

    MarkIntihar Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2010 Michigan

    Good call, I for some reason (see, I really am an idiot) assumed that the paper label were already fixed to the bottle...
     
    #7 MarkIntihar, Jul 10, 2012
  8. given2flybrewing

    given2flybrewing Initiate (0) Dec 19, 2008 Missouri

    I didn't think they labeled/bagged the bottles until it is ready for sale?

    Edit - Beerontwowheels beat me to my post.
     
    #8 given2flybrewing, Jul 10, 2012
  9. HopsMatt

    HopsMatt Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2011 Kentucky

    A total re-brew would be pretty costly but I appreciate his commitment to quality standards. If it were me, I wouldn't sell the bottles that are not carbonating. It just seems like bad business to sell an inferior product. Even if it was renamed. I would, however, hold on to sond of it and serve it at the release party for free just so his followers can see the difference.
     
    #9 HopsMatt, Jul 10, 2012
  10. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    This reminded me to drink my flat bourbon fred today. Well done.
     
    #10 Beerontwowheels, Jul 10, 2012
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  11. DavoleBomb

    DavoleBomb Pooh-Bah (2,277) Mar 29, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    The problem is that the yeast is used to brewing 3% beers.
     
    #11 DavoleBomb, Jul 11, 2012
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  12. Exiled

    Exiled Initiate (0) May 30, 2009 Texas
    Trader

    I really hate to hear this, but considering Gratitude it the best non barrel aged barleywine ive had, I will wait for sure!
     
    #12 Exiled, Jul 11, 2012
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  13. kbuzz

    kbuzz Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2011 North Carolina

    I'd absolutely still buy it. It would be a fun project to make a starter of yeast w/ high alcohol tolerance, then split up and repitch in the bottles, recap and bottle condition at a constant 72 or so.
     
    #13 kbuzz, Jul 11, 2012
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  14. ChadQuest

    ChadQuest Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2009 Illinois

    Looking forward to it, i actually hope they rebrew it though.
     
    #14 ChadQuest, Jul 11, 2012
  15. HopsMatt

    HopsMatt Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2011 Kentucky


    Hint Hint?
     
    #15 HopsMatt, Jul 11, 2012
  16. DavoleBomb

    DavoleBomb Pooh-Bah (2,277) Mar 29, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Sounds like a pain in the ass to me.
     
    #16 DavoleBomb, Jul 17, 2012
  17. wchollif

    wchollif Initiate (0) Jul 30, 2010 North Carolina

    à la Stone?!?
     
    #17 wchollif, Jul 17, 2012
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  18. HopsMatt

    HopsMatt Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2011 Kentucky

    Scott tweeted that he rebrewed Gratitude. Had to start from scratch. But there will be more Bitter End!
     
    #18 HopsMatt, Jul 27, 2012
  19. Beerontwowheels

    Beerontwowheels Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2009 Maryland

    I was going to do my best to make it to the Gratitude release when I heard it was coming up months ago. With Scott having had these problems carbonating the brew, and knowing that he did the right thing and rebrewed, I'll definitely be at the release. Good on you East End!

    Oh, and thanks for the update, Matt.
     
    #19 Beerontwowheels, Jul 28, 2012
  20. robwestcott

    robwestcott Pooh-Bah (1,767) Nov 3, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    2008 was a re-brew - correct ?
     
    #20 robwestcott, Aug 1, 2012
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