Other Half Brewing Thread (March 2016)

At this point, there is no other logical reason than the fact that Other Half likes having a big line and the hype that is built for their brand by it.

They've been open for 2 years, and the one change they made to their line system (handing out wristbands) does nothing to speed up the line, it just lets people who won't get a wristband know they shouldn't wait around any longer. For all the other suggestions that people have made to them to speed things up, they've never tried a single one. They're going to sell the beer either way, why not spend a release day trying out an innovation (pre-sold ticket, silent release, weeknight release, etc), that's been communicated ahead of time?

When they first opened, they alternated Thursday night releases and they were so much better. I know they've said they could only reserve the mobile canning line on Fridays, but for as long as they've been canning if they wanted to they could easily have been booking canning time on a different day by now.

 

Complaining on BA about people drinking in the line at releases also falls on deaf ears, clearly, but that doesnt stop YOU from complaining about it every 2 weeks.

 

Tickets would only solve the problem of people taking too long to decide if they want to spring for that extra 4-pack while inside. It won't fix the checkouts that take way too long, people blocking the line while loading up their hipster sacks with cans, etc.

There are easy fixes to these problems and the fact that nothing has been done to address them speaks to OH not caring much about keeping the line moving.

 

That's definitely fair, my comment was more a response to your suggestion that we shouldn't complain. We might be complaining to the wrong people, sure, but the complaint is definitely justified. They are fully aware of how slowly the line moves, but if you think it would be helpful to talk to the people at OH next time I'm there I definitely will.

 

Would be nice for them to try a release with BPT and no proxy pickups. Announce and sell tickets a day prior, allow pickups all day Saturday.

No system is perfect, but can't imagine it gets much slower than it is now. Plus lately there haven't been supply issues.

 

Not even a can release weekend and still this thread is providing quite the read.

 

Take a deep breath everyone. And don't some of you guys know each other personally or I know you at least drink regularly with mutual friends.

 

The selfish part of me wishes someone from OH posted here. There really is a lot of valuable intel in this monthly thread, provided by loyal customers.

Hell, look at the Modern Times thread. Their freakin CEO is answering posts about hoodie sizes. Grimm, Carton, Pipeworks, etc are the same way. They go above and beyond in the customer service department.

I disagree about the, "why aren't you bitching directly to management about this." -- a majority of customers don't complain, they just don't come back at all. Maybe OH doesn't care...I'm really not sure, but the inefficiencies during their release days has gone well past the point of beating a dead horse. They should recognize this and look for alternate solutions

 

100% agree with this. I work for a magazine where I have been doing interviews with HF, SP, TG and more, all of which responded to me immediately when I sent them emails. Heck I had a bad bottle of Madagascar and a week later I got a new one in the mail with a hand written letter. I have tried to reach out to OH multiple times for an article so the idea that someone would get a response complaining or suggesting something different about their process seems highly unlikely. No bone to pick with you @Kanger since you responded to me, but I just think reaching out at this point is not going to work.

This is a beer forum, and it's specifically their thread. They should come on here and speak to the people that wait every other saturday for their beer.

 

Unfortunately, I'm guessing last release was an anomaly. I have no personal feedback, because I've been avoiding the collab releases of late, since I lack the time and the patience to wait on lines that barely move.

 

The line did move slightly quicker last release, which I think had to do with the fact that there were only 2 can options, no bottles, and no new glassware - so basically, best case scenario. Lately there have usually been more options - either bottles, a third can, or new glassware, which I think slows everything up even more. They could definitely speed things up by doing only can sales on Saturday mornings, and saving bottle releases for weeknights and do glassware sales only out of the tap room. That wouldn't fix all the problems, but it would certainly help.

 

Yeah, the line is slow. And I'm not really quite sure why it takes so long. My transactions tend to be pretty speedy, but I have noticed people chatting up the OH folks, which is probably the largest factor. I don't think the bag-loading is an issue.

 

There's a lot of passive aggressiveness to my humble opinion. Don't make excuses for Other Half's painfully slow process, it has nothing to do with them not being in the middle of nowhere like tree house.

 

I've definitely seen bag-loaders blocking the flow in the past, but I agree that chattiness is far more of a factor. I realize that many people who are deeply immersed in the craft beer scene are socially inept and thus seek acceptance from the "cool guys" who work at the brewery, but at some point the onus is on the people at OH to be curt and politely (or not-so-politely) tell them to move along.

 

OH did not create this forum or this thread. They have absolutely no obligation to come on here and respond. Your sense of entitlement is staggering.

Here's what OH should do: brew and sell beer. Totally up to if you want to put the time and effort in to get it.

 

And there it is ... The key word of the other half thread, "entitlement" . How long before someone mentions not parking at McDonald's and drinking in line?

 

Nobody said they had an obligation, simply suggested what they "should do"... I am of the opinion that when given the opportunity, small business owners should make an effort to be in tune with their target audience.

Most businesses would be happy to have a direct line to customer feedback; I would argue that willfully ignoring it, whether you agree with the sentiments being expressed, is foolish. As bad as BA can be, Yelp is infinitely worse with regards to the nature of complaints and size of the audience it reaches, and I see plenty of restaurant owners directly addressing that feedback. That's smart business.

 

It's not that they are obligated to come on here. I would just assume (wrongfully or not) that they would be interested in seeing what the people that are supporting them each weekend are saying.