2016 JK Atrial Rubicite

How is this batch tasting compared to previous?

 

Tough day today for sure. Stood in line solo for bottles and that meant I missed out on pours, though I had the good fortune of standing in both the outdoor and indoor station lines for 15-30 minutes each to watch the AR kick as I got near.

Of the two and a half hours I was at JK, 2:15 of that was standing in line for AR bottles, the draft lines and the to-go lines. I know complaining will occur no matter what JK does, but today JK went from being a brewery to a linery.

I may try to go back tomorrow just to try it on draft, but the chaos in the parking lot alone discourages me. I'm sure lines will be uglier all around.

 

It's a once a year release and it's arguably their best beer and arguably the best fruited sour in the US. Nothing that's been said thus far surprises me.

 

I don't understand the "shitshow" people keep talking about.

It was 100 degrees.
It is their most popular beer.
1500 bottle count.

Everyone has known about all of these things since Monday. If you showed up by 4:30 (when my brother in law did, he was the second to last person to get 2 bottles), waited in the very calm line, and had good conversation with those around you...you got your bottles. I guess I'm just not understanding what people expect.

 

People expect breweries to either find a perfect method to release beer (doesn't exist), or do it the way they want it done.

 

Do they hand out tickets or anything to identify who isn't getting a bottle?

 

Yeah I didn't have a bad experience either. In fact, I would call it a good one. I went solo and the people around me were really friendly and more than happy to let me run off to get a pour once those started and then get back in line. To me, the bottle line moved about as smoothly and efficiently as it could have. Yes, the line was long well before 4pm, so if that qualifies as a shit show then I guess it was? But I didn't experience anything to complain about.

 

So is someone stretching the truth to make their story better? So not chance if in line at 3:15 but got some when in like 25 mins later?

 

Multiple reports of people getting in line at 4:30ish and still getting bottles.

 

super fucking lol. I mean, you can make the case that any fruited sour is the best in the US, I guess. This is why beer is so silly right now. This statement right here. It can't just be good, it has to be the fucking best. And yeah, I was in line today, I got there early (3:40), I got my bottles (1 hour), I barely got my pours (30 more minutes). I was there solo and had a decent time, though I don't know how somebody could not call it a shitshow. That's not a complaint. Some things just are what they are. There were too many people for the venue.
It's a really good beer. Definitely not top 5 JK beers though. Maybe top 10, but I'd have to think about it. Top sours in the US? I would say not in a million years, but these things are as subjective as they get. Texas really needs some more local competitors in the farmhouse/sour arena. Jester King is a great brewery, but this Atrial hype just blows my mind.

 

I got there at 3:40 and the line looked rough, but it appeared you could get bottles if you got in line up to an hour later than that. Maybe we'll call it 4:30 in line. The outdoor station ran out of draft though at say, 4:50-ish to 5. I had just gotten in the indoor line and lucked out. A lot of people were coming out of the inside with 2 double pours (32oz total) at a time though, which probably contributed to draft running out early.

 

ar•gu•a•bly
It may be argued (used to quality the statement of an opinion or belief)

Glad you found my post so "lol"

 

No wristbands, but as the cases were being cleared out, an employee/volunteer kept counting the line and letting us know more or less if we had a chance. I saw him do this about 5-6 times. Seems like the counting was accurate. Can't complain there as he was letting folks know they had an outside chance

 

315 would be fine, the line grew till 415 or so and then ended..

My only bitch is the cutters. The assholes right in front of us let 5 people join them. We called them out so they sent the last two to Stanley's, where they sat till these assholes made it all the way to the cash line, then they ran up and bough their four bottles... They showed up hours after people had been waiting and people got screwed because of them. People like that deserve cancer and saggy boobs.

 

I will never do this, not at that point where I love a beer that much, but.... I will come out next time with a taser and walk the line and put people on their ass when they cut in line. I could do that shit all day long. It would probably only take a couple of outings, me tasering and some other dudes dragging the cutters and piling them up for others to see.

 

@Chadzero why would you ask about how the beer actually taste Chad? Come on man, this thread is all about how long everyone waited in line and how badly or great JK handled the release.

Badly = they didn't get bottles
Great = they got bottles

 

Might be the best.

 

I honestly had a fantastic time -- knew it would be crazy, took the day off and went on my own and enjoyed the company of the line. Got there at 2:30, guy in front of me was with a group and stepped out of line to get pours for everyone, me included, got my bottles and got another pour and headed home. Atrial was awesome this year, worth the wait and I'll be back early tomorrow for the same great time I had today.