Alpine Brewing Thread

Just for clarity's sake on my comments here, I definitely didn't mean to imply any deception on MT's part! My comparison was simply that they, too, have made dark beer w/ sour fruit, and it didn't seem to raise suspicions. I'm simply saying Alpine's description wasn't enough to get me to cry infection, but I understand that with the host of baggage they have -- from GF, to how they've handled releases, to how they've handled previous infected beer, and so forth -- why folks might be skeptical.

 

What beer are you referring to?

 

This one - http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31987/119442/

(Realize this obviously isn't a BA beer, as I implied earlier. My apologies for the mistake. For that reason, and for it being a one off, perhaps a bad comparison.) Boulevard just released their Imp Stout X w/ Tart Cherry, but that's also not the best comparison b/c of how big an operation they are. Anywho, the general point stands -- I get why folks history w/ Alpine makes them a bit suspect, it's just hard for me to separate the wheat from the chaff sometimes when it comes to Alpine skepticism -- how much of it is history, how much of it is just general frustration w/ GF, crappy customer service, etc.

 

That was a draft-only, one-off experiment. I think "bad comparison" covers it pretty well.

 

Just for shits and giggles, though, do you honestly feel like the push back on this beer here is solely due to concerns about infection? Do you honestly feel like Alpine doesn't get put under the microscope on this stuff moreso than other local joints?

 

Yes, they get put under the microscope more than other local breweries, but when you consider their track record, resources, and how they handle communication, I don't find it to be unjustified.

Alpine could very easily post on Facebook and address whether it's a sour stout, how much it costs (which they've ignored on both FB and Instagram), and whether or not they'll have a release mechanism in place that doesn't cause the line to crawl slowly for hours. They've chosen not to address those points. What you infer from that is up to you, but it doesn't give me a ton of warm fuzzy feelings.

 

Word. Again, your history (and I think a lot of others here) goes back farther than mine with them, so, for the reasons you listed and otherwise, I don't blame you for the skepticism.

I guess I just still look at the situation and try to glean what seems fair to ding them for and what doesn't. I.e., poor release management doesn't make me wonder whether they're releasing an infected beer -- it just makes me wonder if the line will be a shit show. Or, just because Pat dropped some Bwahahas on the Internet, and their communication in general can be pretty...wanting...doesn't make me wonder if this beer is infected. That said, if I was one of those folks w/ infected Odin's Raven or whatever in the past, I'm sure I'd be skeptical as heck too.

 

I think I still have a BA Token I can send you if you want to be part of the "skeptical as hell [as an aside - heck, really? You know you're allowed to swear on the internet, right?]" club.

 

Jeepers, I mean, shucks, I mean, golly, I mean, hot damn!, you're a pal!

 

How the heck did they do that? Seriously.

 

100 POS machines.

 

Before the sale actually started, staff members went through the line and marked hands of those standing in line. They had the 2 bottle limit packaged and ready to go. They had multiple pay stations, with cash only pay stations and cash or card stations as well. Once the sale started, it literally felt like I just walked from the back of the line to the front of the line with no stopping.

 

staff members "weird, such a long line at the restroom all of a sudden and we've run out of soap and paper towels in the men's restroom"

 

They are in WI. Far less beer pretension within the breweries. They don't want a shitshow. Not an unfair comparison IMO. People drive just as far to get to them as people do to get to Alpine. They gain nothing from a shitshow, but gain a ton of respect for getting you in and out with dignity lol.

I really think that Alpine & RR in particular LOVE a shitshow. It's about documenting a ridiculous line, not getting the product into the hands of people efficiently. An "it's all going to sell no matter how slow we do it" mentality. Cost of doing business is cheaper in WI... but still.

 

I think you can add Mandarin Nectar to the GF list as well as I just saw a bottle pop up on a store in NC website with the new Alpine bottle and label.

 

Oh god, they've taken the wonder that was Mandarin Nectar and ruined it! When will it stop!

Seriously was there ever enough demand for Mandarin Nectar to warrant brewing it on the big system?

 

I live here and will be there if the rain holds (I need it to rain to cancel my other obligations (work)).

 

You would be surprised to see how often that beer is out. That and willy vanilly are out of stock more often than you would think.

 

Line for the release today was about 10-to-12 deep as of 8:30 a.m.

 

Hopefully this standing in rain increases trade value.