Alpine Brewing Thread

Yes, I am. You should meet me for a beer sometime; you'd figure that out before the third swig.

 

truth++

I mean Hi!

 

Green Flash recalled all of the current batch of Nelson from distribution because they filtered it? That doesn't sound like something Green Flash would do, or something that anyone would do.

 

Even if they intended to recall it (which would shock the shit out of me for a variety of reasons), it doesn't seem to have worked. I had some exceptionally clear (and not awesome, even by GF standards) Nelson this past weekend and I've heard quite a few people say that the current batch floating around isn't up to par. I can totally believe that Pat sent back whatever they were allocated, but I'd have a hard time believing it was pulled everywhere without some sort of official corroboration of that story.

Tangential question - even if they did recall this batch, if it was Pat's doing, where was he with the GF batches of HB and Duet that tasted nothing like their namesakes?

 

Maybe Nelson is his baby. Or, perhaps, maybe this time they did something he explicitly asked them not to do, and he was making a point in the way that Pat likes to make points.

I am a bit confused what is the truth, though. Pulling it up there is one thing, but I've heard a few people say that they've pulled it everywhere and that simply does not make sense.

 

It seems a little late for Green Flash to start recalling batches of *any* beer just because it isn't up to par.

 

It's never too late to realize that you are inadequate in your profession. Although the longer you go without that realization the funnier it is for everybody else.

 

As per the pulling question, has there ever been an official announcement that clearly spelled out what the relationship is between GF and Alpine? I am still not clear as to if it is a partnership/merger, take over or what?

 

Green Flash acquired Alpine and left Pat as the head of Alpine's operations. Calling it a partnership was marketing speak that was intended to allow Green Flash to look like they weren't just acquiring a boutique brand that they can leverage to sell more of their own product.

And yes, that's the cynical take, but having been through two acquisitions personally and watching several others via close friends, the cynical take is usually the correct one. Everything will be friendly and cooperative right until Pat wants to do something that fucks with Green Flash's bottom line.

 

The batch was pulled from Alpine, as most already heard, and from the GF tasting room. I was not told what happened with the beer that had already been sent out for distribution.

 

By "their own product" do you mean GF-branded beers? I think the deal will definitely help GF sell more beer, but only the Alpine-branded beer. I don't think it will help them sell more GF beer -- unless they do a "you have to buy x amount of GF beer to get x amount of Alpine beer" thing with distribution. Is that what you're saying?

 

Yeah, sorry, that was worded a bit ambiguously. GF is using the promise Alpine kegs to get bars to buy more GF product. Mike Hinkley more or less said as such in an interview in February. Can't say I blame him, but calling it a partnership makes it sound a lot better to beer geeks.

 

It is a partnership, like simon and garfunkel . I will let you deceide who is who in this analogy.

 

Can u fill an unmarked growler or do u have to use there growlers at Alpine? Going soon!

 

alpine growlers only

 

That's the posted policy, sure, but if you ask for Pat and explain - in a firm but friendly fashion, of course - that you drove all the way from LA, he's always happy to make accommodations for our neighbors to the North. If he doesn't relent immediately, just tell him that you're trying to hook a trading partner up and he'll agree to it. If there's anything he cares about more than helping LA folks, it's making sure that people across the country get to enjoy his beer.

 

hahahah yeah thats true. and besides, if they are will to let green flash send out inferior versions of their beer to every corner of the country they might as well fill some blank growlers

 

Copy. Thanks for the info

 

Only three beers a person and wouldn't fill non Alpine growler. Didn't want to waste $10 bucks. Food was pretty good beers were great. Growler fill sucked.

 

Did you ask to speak with Pat?