Toolbox Brewing Co. - Vista, CA

Blaha

 

I'll complain, as I planned on going up after work to try and grab bottles. Now, with basically only 125 people being able to buy bottles in person, it's not worth the 30 minute drive each way (more like 60 when I factor in traffic) with the risk of getting shut out.

I keep failing to understand why breweries, especially small breweries, want to continue to sell bottles to the weekend traveling crowd that will visit once in a blue moon, and not save these sales for locals who have the chance to come regularly and become regulars. You know, the people who keep the lights on.

 

You guys get it on tap, a few days a week. I'm lucky to get a bottle here and there, occasionally spend a couple hours there, after a couple hours drive each way. Glad at least some bottles are available on BPT and I can possibly guarantee myself 1-2 considering the drive. But the double dip concerns me too. There's gotta be a simple system to solve that though.

It's hard all around... Haha

 

This isn't a personal insult at you, so please don't take it as so. A business that survives on a daily basis from locals, who can't keep up with local demand, has no business trying to make you happy. It's bad business. I get that people who run breweries aren't Business School grads, but this would not fly if this was any other industry.

If we're good enough to get it on tap, and many locals do on a frequent basis (myself not included because Vista is far for me), then those locals should be the ones getting the perk of getting bottles of it. I just can't understand not taking care of your core business.

 

Let me use myself as an example, not because I feel entitled to anything, but I think I'm a good example of someone Toolbox should be trying to cater to.

I live just North of Downtown San Diego, about a 30 minute drive from Toolbox. In that 30 minutes it takes me to drive to Toolbox, I can drive any direction for 30 minutes and come across 100+ places (breweries & craft beer bars) that are worthy of me going to. That's not an exaggeration either. So is the life of us spoiled San Diegans.

From the start of this year, when I really started visiting breweries and craft beer bars on a regular basis, I've been to Toolbox about ten times. Six of those times were before Toolbox ever sold bottles. Toolbox was the new hotness, there wasn't really any local sours and they did growler fills at very reasonable prices. Toolbox stood out as more worthy, on a regular basis, than over 100 other spots for me.

Since Toolbox started selling bottles on BPT, I've missed out on every release but one. I only got that one because a buddy got through for me and I gave him my info over the phone. Toolbox has also stopped doing growler fills and the San Diego local market has started seeing an increase in sour production. Because of this, I've been to Toolbox only four times since March. One was to pickup bottles that I got, two were to meet friends driving into town to pickup their bottles that I missed out on and one other time to try Handful of Peter on tap.

All the perks are gone for me to bypass 100+ other destinations to go to Toolbox. Council's Beatitudes are just as good on tap to me, and with a majority of their bottles sales done in person, and being 20 minutes closer, Toolbox just loses out on a consistent basis.

If Toolbox's bottle sales were all done in person, I'd certainly take the time to drive out for them. I'd also make Toolbox a more frequent destination during non-bottle releases, as I would feel the perk of getting bottles was worth me visiting them more often during "down" times.

 

I don't understand why you should be catered to, or anyone for that matter. It's beer.

 

If they sell out of everything they produce, I'd say they're doing business just fine. Whether that be to a local market or a quasi-local market doesn't have any effect on their bottom line. Locals will still flock to the tap room regularly for fairly priced good beer and it's still a destination for out of towners. The way I see it, the only problem they have with their business plan is, as of now, they can't keep up with demand.

 

The local crowd that goes to the brewery when nothing special is going on are the ones that keep the lights on. For a local establishment to survive and thrive, you need to cater to your locals.

 

I guess not.

 

What did you expect?

I think they should make all these crybabies live in the Peninsula / South Bay for a while. That'll teach them!

 

Please no. I like my little slice of heaven up here.

 

I can't wait for TG to sell Mornin' Delight & KBBS on BPT!

 

You aren't a crybaby.

 

Outside of the Mug Club, the MD release is going to be a ticketed event. So yeah. Things are moving in that direction to an extent.

 

Can someone alert me when West Ashley is sold on BPT? I mean even though they don't need any non-local influence to sell out beers and their slogan is "Know your brewer" which basically means drink local, there's ZERO reason for them to cater to locals.

 

You're really upset about this, huh? If it means that much to you, get there early and make sure you're one of the people who can buy it in person.

 

I think you're working on the overall right concept, but your personal example is pretty poor. 10 visits in 7 months doesn't make you anything close to a regular, and you're certainly not the type of customer keeping their lights on. Even the 6 visits in 3 months before they started becoming a less attractive destination to you isn't anything approaching a regular. You're about as important in their overall plan as I am - and I live in the Bay Area.

 

San Diego-ites.......San Diego-ins......San Diego-uns......San Dieg-ons......San Diegans.

They want Ron's blood.

 

@IggyWH I'm not offended, I just think your opinion is a little entitled. They are doing what they can to make sure all of us can get access to bottles. If TG were to do BPT sales, they probably wouldn't allow proxies, same with SARA, just like Toolbox is doing. So it really doesn't change anything. I see what you are trying to say, but I don't really agree with it. You still have to get to the brewery to get your bottles.

It really doesn't matter if you do BPT or onsite, sounds like you consistently miss out on bottles. While you still have access to every one of the recent beers on tap, with a 30 minute drive (I don't think it makes you one of the "locals that keep the lights on" if the drive is really that bad to you). I stood in line for x-lupus, got bottles. I was online for peachin camaro, got bottles.

Maybe get faster internet? Maybe head down to Toolbox now and be the first in line for this one?

Not trying to be a dick, but your opinion is all about you and your circumstances. If you want the beer in bottles that bad, find a way make it happen for yourself.

 

I've said in other posts that I don't consider myself a regular.