Where are you in your "career?"

Unfortunately, I do not have regular trading partners, yet. Looking forward to that day, though.

 

If this is a "career" it's not a profitable one at all. I like trading beer, and still do it with new people at times, but it has cost me a lot of cash.

 

I mostly stick to my regulars, but I'll throw in a rando every once in a while just to keep things interesting.

 

I'm still under a year into trading but have been lucky enough to find a few different trading partners in various areas of the country. It's awesome being able to trade great beer for great beer without having to worry about people trying to maximize value off every bottle (not that everyone does that ). I never really put up ISO:FTs but will respond to some if I'm feeling frisky and like the potential offer.

 

I hardly ever trade any more. That's mostly because I have about 150 more bottles in my cellar than I want to have, and trading just makes that worse.

 

Nothing like having to drink 10 extras before you can get to your cellar...

 

Significant fractions of the beer I'm currently drinking through are old extras that were just forgotten. I'm actually not really big on extras, I'd rather get nothing than some random mediocre beer. If it's actually something nice then great, love generosity, but throwing in a half dozen random locals that are worse than what I get off the shelves here is just a waste of money for you and a waste of time/calories for me. Who wins?

 

Semi-hiatus. There's been a couple beers recently that I wanted to score, so I've done a few trades. But that was a bit unusual. For the most part, trading is just more hassle than it's worth IMO. I'd rather pay a premium and just buy stuff online.

 

I'm just over my "trading with anybody and everybody" phase and now will prolly drop back to only trading with past partners unless something urgent comes up.

 

Used to trade on a weekly basis and completed close to 200 trades. With the passage of time and recent change in site format, I pretty much have shut down my trading to an occasional box to a regular trader. So many of the folks I used to deal with have disappeared and/or stopped trading after the site change. I don't even recognize 80 percent of the people on the trading forums these days which sucks. The current culture of "get as much for my rare release bottle that i can" that seems to have become the norm around here was not so pervasive 4 years ago. People can trade with whoever they want and however they want. Just count me out of the current king Henry, Ann, beatification nonsense. I will stick with my regulars who don't bend me over a barrel to get the newest release even if it is 300 bottles.

 

No kidding. What kills me are the people arguing over $4$, counting expenses down to the dollar.

 

I am somewhere between 3 and 4. Preference always goes to past trade partners, but I am still fine trading with new trade partners. Really I just don't trade as much as I used to.

 

Retired, although I have a few pending goodie boxes to send out.

Deschutes Red Chair will pull me back in when it comes back around.

 

I got my West Coast guy who I trade with about once a month, and a few people I have done multiple trades with. I trade with random people for the most part.

ISO: Hill Farmstead & Cigar City hookup.

 

Am trading much less, but always ready to send a box to a regular, and put an ISO for something the tasting group would love to try.

 

I am on a hiatus (for the most part), I had a regular trading partner but he is no longer in the game. I am really looking for a trading partner again but not until I get settled into my new place.

 

Broke.

 

I'm a year round sports BIF'er.
I think I've only completed 4 traditional trades in the 4+ years I've been on here, and only one was for a beer that I specifically sought out (King Henry). I'm about to pull the trigger for some Heady.

I always preferred getting boxes of random locals over dealing with the hyped trading community, although it is nice when you get an unexpected "rare" beer in a bif box. Somehow, through some luck and a cool community I've been able to try a good portion of the beers I've wanted.