Freetail la Muerta 2015

Great job Freetail. Bottle release went really smooth, and another epic bottle share. Coconut and Cask strength were my favorite. Hope to see the cask strength bottled next year.

 

Thanks for coming out for another great time gang.

As always, looking for your feedback on how the share and release went so we can make it even better next time (which, I don't know when that will be at this point... whenever some stuff is ready to come out of barrels).

Scott

 

My body handled a 1.5 hour bottle share MUCH BETTER than a 3 hour bottle share. I can only drink so much when I start at 8am. Loved that we had a chance to try to beers on draught via a cash line during the bottle release instead of waiting until after everyone went through the line (I think that was the case at SMABRD). The bottle line and bottle pick up was VERY organized and efficient. I think the cones helped keep that area clear.

My only (hopefully constructive) criticism would be that it felt like two different and distinct shares going on with the big table in the brewery and the two smaller tables in the taproom. I think I'd like it more if it was one giant table in the brewery so there is more mingling amongst everyone and the taproom can be open for TV watching, bottle release and cash bar. Multiples times I heard people ask if they were standing in line for the bottle sales or cash bar only to find out they were standing behind some rando that was just watching the game on the big screen.

Overall a great event and delicious beer. Please make that coconut every year, it's one of the best things Texas has (and will) ever produce(d)!

 

Personally I would love to see this type of event happen later. I had a good time, but I would have had a better time if it was like in the afternoon, or evening. Getting up at 7am to go drink, not as fun as it sounds.

 

Had a great time, it was worth waking up @ 3AM to make the drive from HOU. The only thing I would change would be having it be cash only for bottle purchases in a different area from where the taps are that way everyone isn't in the same area at once.

 

I had a great time. Thanks for an awesome event. I pretty much agree with @sethsticles constructive comments. It did feel like two different shares at times (something that didn't happen at the 1604 location). I would just add that if nothing changes, I will still try to drive up to the releases every time.

 

Put a "No Parking" sign by the train tracks.

 

I had a blast. I think maybe all of the bottle share should be in the brewery, it looked like there was more than enough room. That way there is more room for the tap and bottle lines.

Side note, will you guys be doing crowlers for regular tap beers?

You're right it doesn't. It's more fun than it sounds!

 

4am sounds better to me. I miss it so.

 

Yeah, I had commented to a few people during the share that it surprised me how many folks stopped in the tasting room area and didn't filter back into the brewery. I think the idea of moving it all to the back is a good one for these November-February releases. I worry how comfortable people will be during SMABRD when it's a little warmer though. I'll put my thinking cap on for that one. Definitely good constructive criticism!

I've put quite a bit of thought into this. Part of the reasoning for the early start is just tradition (these shares kind of started organically - we didn't organize them, we just had bottle releases when we opened and people started showing up really early and I said it was cool to do a bottle share). The other part is I worry a little about about whether starting it later just means I end up with people sitting in my parking lot waiting all morning. I'd love to hear more thoughts on this.

Good idea. I'll have to figure out how to make this happen with our POS system!

Dude... you wouldn't believe how many times I've emailed our Councilwoman about this with no response. On a local perspective... whenever you read about trucks hitting the underpass on St Mary's/Roosevelt Street... this is the freakin' reason. S Presa is the truck route, but trains for some reason decide to park here, and it means trucks take the route around and end up hitting the underpass. (For the record, if this happens, you can get around by taking any street over to St Mary's, then take the first left after the train underpass, take another quick left then a quick right and that is Groveton which runs right into the brewery).

Yessir on crowlers for regular tap beers! At both locations now.

 

Any bottles hitting distribution this week? If yes, any idea where?

 

Very small handful of bottles of regular and EC12 going to Austin this week, but that is all. No other distribution.

Edit: Aside from kegs in various markets popping up here and there. No other bottle distribution though.

 

Just picked up a bottle in Austin, never had it and can't find any reviews so going in blind.

 

Imagine that! Buying a beer because you like the style. Not because people you don't even know chimed in on the internet. You are a brave soul.

/s

I hope you enjoy the beers. Cheers!

 

I might be an asshole or might have misinterpreted the groups and the purpose of it. Aside from the first 9 in group A, other groups that got called up to purchase bottles, is the numbering used to purposely put us in order, or just have us in the same group. I understand the beer isn't going anywhere, but I've never seen so many grown men jumping over cones expressing that they're "F1 and F2" and therefore need to be the first one buying bottles first in the F group even though someone with "F11" got there first.

 

They either didn't understand that or needed to leave or really wanted to get back to the bottle share would be my guess

 

The numbers within the group have meaning for us in terms that I can say to my staff person who is manning wristbands "where we at?" and if she says F19 I quickly know that means 169 wristbands given out. Other than that, we don't really care how you line up within your group except in the case of A1-9 which had the option to buy something extra, or if we are running low on a specific beer or t-shirts and we want to make sure first come first serve has an opportunity. But we can let people know if that is going to be the case. Other than that, just be with your group and enjoy the soothing sounds of FUCKING SLAYER

Scott