Bissell Brothers (2018)

You know, I picked up some Substance & Reciprocal today. Get that sour feel during the initial drink. You aren't crazy.

 

Given the turn out for this, they really needed a can only line (even if it just branched off inside the tasting room as one of the 4 POS options). I wouldn't have complained about it being cash only either.

We got there an hour before open and my estimate was that we were about 200 back in line (between the building and the side parking lot) with another 200+ behind us by the time the doors opened. At open, the line ran the entire length of the building, past the parking lot, and around the corner heading back up towards the train station.

This seemed at least as busy (if not more) as the last Swish release (we were in the cash/can only line for that one).

Nothing Gold was 17 per 4pack, Substance was 13.

 

This is more of a rhetorical question, but it really seems like waiting in lines has become the norm for a lot of beers these days. At what point would you no longer wait for a beer release? Around here the longest I can think of are the Dinner releases with people waiting overnight. It was a similar situation back in the days of Kate the Great. I hear that's how it is for Pliny the Younger (or at least it used to be). Maybe this should be it's own thread.

 

I personally can't think of one time I've ever waited in a line for a beer release. I didn't wait in line for the Zwanze Day releases at Lord Hobo, but that had more to do with knowing they were already at capacity, and there was little chance I was going to get in (some did eventually I think, depending on the year).

I also wouldn't say this is what it's like everywhere. Based on Bissell Brothers' ratings, they're on par, if not a bit "worse" than Nightshift here in MA. And I've never waited for their beers, their highest rated beer was released a couple weeks ago, and I walked right in and bought it. A lot of Trillium's beers are higher rated than either Bissell or Nightshift, and I walked right into the Boston location to purchase Galaxy Fort Point for example. I also tried Artaic/Dusk Trill Dawn on tap at Five Horses without any issue (that's different though, not a bottle release).

I think there's a few releases that, for whatever reason, attract incredibly long lines. Dinner for example. When you can buy Heady Topper, Julius...etc. without huge lines and they have comparable ratings. Availability is likely the variable here, Dinner isn't around routinely.

One of my buddies went to the Pliny the Younger release a few years ago. I don't think he waited overnight, just a few hours outside, then drank his fill when he got in. I could start a thread titled, "How long will you wait for a beer release".

 

I refuse to wait in line and chase beer. Somehow I'm happy with the quality of beer I drink.

 

For some breweries/releases, I am willing to wait a couple of hours, though it usually has to be convenient or combined with other plans to really make it worth while. In this case. my wife and I were on our way up through Portland anyway, so it worked out.

That said, anything the breweries can do to make the lines/check-out process more efficient can only be seen as a good thing.

 

Cash only, exact change. Problem solved. You can pump through hundreds of people in 30 minutes

 

Wow didn't know BB lines were like this. I've been to both the old Industrial Way spot and just last week to Thompsons Point, both visits no line to speak of.

I like their beer, but there is no way I am waiting upwards of 2 hours for Substance. Maybe this is due to it being one Maines only 16 oz canned IPAs that gets as much buzz as it does.

 

Only some releases are like this with Bissell Brothers. Swish, Nothing Gold, and Reciprocal seem to bring out some lines, especially on Friday/Saturdays in the summer. I believe it's usually pretty mellow the rest of the time.

 

You have a couple things going on with Bissell:

1. Its summer, so between memorial day and labor day there are a ton of tourists. Outside of this window, we are dead.
2. Day of the week - Bissell is easy peasy Wednesday-Friday. It's Saturday that's usually the busiest day (and lines are only a concern if you are looking for Substance as its allocated for the entire week rather than a single day)
3. What's getting released and what else is going on around Portland matters. If there's a beer fest, the line is longer. If dinner is release, the line is longer.
4. Some of their beers do see limited distro in Maine.

Bottom line: don't let the long lines deter you, you don't have to wait as there are plenty of ways to get their beers without waiting in line for 2 hours. Also as an alternative, Foundation Epiphany is criminally underrated.

 

Personally, I don't mind waiting in line for a couple hours as long as I'm in good company and have a beer in my hand. Line shares are always pretty fun as long as everyone is civilized and not acting like an idiot with no respect to the establishment

 

Care to share where in the northeast you can line-share (brewery approved)? I don't see this happening at any brewery I frequent that has lines (TH, Tril, BB, HF...)

In theory, it's nice but it's not happening anywhere here and if it is, the brewery certainly isn't supporting it

 

I was speaking from my experience in the south, it wasn't allowed but they didn't mind as long as we were respectful. Also have been to one Other Half release, they didn't seem to mind that much

 

Maine Beer Company Dinner releases is the only one I know of that they look the other way on this for now.

 

I would think there are liability concerns. If someone gets hurt it's the brewery's problem.

 

I totally agree, I'm surprise that they don't discourage it at all. Though, they are only one trainwreck away from cracking down.

 

Will be in Maine starting next week for 7 days and looking forward to getting to Bissell maybe twice on days other than Friday and Saturday. Definitely excited to check out the new digs. The info in this thread is great.

 

What stores in Portland get cans? I'm staying in the downtown area and was hoping to snag a couple.

Also anyone know what fruit seed is this year? I know last year it was strawberry, wasn't sure if it changed.

 

Bier Celler is the only store, I think. They post it on their website.

 

Your best bet for cans would be at the brewery. They have a decent amount everyday they're open. And jhavs is correct, Bier Cellar would be the store to got for cans