Bruery 2016 RS/HS Allocations

You're in trouble my friend....

 

Anything you don't max out I hope I get first crack at....

 

I find it kind of interesting how, as far as I can tell, the Bruery Societies are starting to fall more in line with how Modern Times operates their League; however, Modern Times seems to regularly be highly praised and the Bruery is getting eviscerated for the way each group is run.

Modern Times drops BPT dates at random with a little advance notice and offers a preview tasting to sample the beers prior to sale. The Bruery will have SMM as a preview tasting to sample the beers prior to ordering.

Modern Times BPT sales are often only a 3 day League exclusive window, then whatever doesn't sell gets opened up to the public or remains exclusive if the League purchases it all. The Bruery is going to give members a week (every month with easy to expect dates) and then most likely second chance and public sales unless the Societies purchase all bottles and the beer remains exclusive.

This year, The Bruery is also adding to what is included in the base membership price that gets you access to all the perks to begin with. Plus, you still get 15-20% off based on your membership, which is a pretty nice benefit that I really wish Modern Times would offer sometimes, especially with $30 bomber pricing.

I'm a member of HS and the League and I love both, but I find the Bruery's membership to offer more of what I would consider a "value" to its members.

Guess not every club is for everyone and there's always something to complain about on the internet.

 

You cant please everyone obviously. Looking at this from a utilitarian standpoint:

Positives:
-More beer for your money with options to buy the non beer extras. I know people are upset in here but probably across the board this is a net positive. A lot of people don't want an extra expensive growler they cant or wont use. (I do think The Bruery should honor old growlers, perhaps with limiting certain beers to one fill per person per day?)
-Better beers. Thats what we are here for... this list looks more exciting than '16.

IDGAF:
-One week sale window. Locals can still try before they buy. A week is plenty of time. If you have to wait for your next paycheck to buy the bottles you probably can't actually afford them. This allows The Bruery to move to second chance sales quicker and then public if needed. I get it.

Negatives:
-Items in cart aren't held. Can't imagine anyone out there is happy about this one. Seriously... is there one psycho here who will raise his hand and say "I love the thrill of racing to checkout"?
-POSSIBLE loss of exclusives. This hasn't been made explicit but its looking that way. The exclusives are a major selling point for people... they don't even have to be that good just need to be stuff other people cant get (only half kidding here...) better crank out a few pilot batches and drop a few 1 per hoarder beers. Keep the fat cats happy.

 

It's a matter of context. Key points:
1) This is the first year of the rebooted League for Modern Times, whereas 2017 is the eighth year the Bruery will be operating societies (I wonder how many OG RS members are still left? Pretty much everyone I know who was OG has dropped).
2) The RS/HS are a large part of the Bruery's core business model, whereas Modern Times is built around distribution with the League slowly increasing in scope but still a smaller chunk of their business.

Obviously people are going to complain about the Bruery regressing in things like allocation windows and online functionality when they've become accustomed to it. The fact that a brewery navigating their first year of a club is getting praise isn't an accurate benchmark for the standards that the Bruery should be held to.

 

Meanwhile in response to feedback they have received, Rare Barrel is saying they will try for between 2-4 exclusive small batch offerings to its club members next year.

This would be a great thing for the Bruery to do. I don't expect them to make CR a "small batch" exclusive beer, but if they could find some time in the brew schedule to create some exciting one off beers that they will only sell to HS or HS/RS (and I mean actually exciting beers and not more mocktails or similar "interesting" but not "exciting" beers), I think it would clearly make people very, very happy and go a long way towards member retention (if that's a goal).

 

I also believe that 1 week window is a small time to order what I want. I think 2 weeks would suffice nicely.

 

Yeah, I think the "exclusive" bit is one of the bigger sticking points for folks this year (and especially for those that jumped up from PS to RS between '15 and '16). Last year, PS got some limited access to extras, but largely RS beers were seen as unattainable unless they moved up the following year. This year, majority (feel free to check my math there) of beers ended up not just in PS sale, but public sale as well.

With one-week windows, I'd assume sales would be lower per window than they are now... BUT perhaps this gives way to some of these small batch bottles folks have mentioned a couple times now in the recent comments. To me, that would be a huge boost to the program, especially since PS benefits have crept so far into RS.

 

In the game I play online they occasionally have a race season with various types of races at various times to please the masses. I enjoy racing.

/me raises hand to be difficult

 

I guess it is my turn to weigh in:

I guess I will be the one psycho that @Coldstorage Referenced. I thought the 60 minute hold was stupid. Who needs that long to check out? There has got to be some level of holding stuff in your cart so you can check out. I don't see this as a problem.

The one week allocation is a very negative change to me. I am 3000 miles away and don't get to taste stuff before ordering. I like to see what people are saying about a beer. If a beer is getting near universal raves I will probably order a couple more. I will order less of it is getting panned.
A week is just too short a time. It has nothing to do with money. It just gives me some time to decide what to buy. When I'm dropping $200-$500 a month on beer I don't think that is an unreasonable request.

I liked the way that the orders were in my account before but I'm not losing sleep over it.

I don't want a t-shirt or sweat shirt. If it is a cool opener I'm great with it. If it is lame I will throw it in the trash. The pin they can keep. I don't know what they think an adult is going to do with a pin.

I'm in Hoarders. I pay more. Give me a few exclusives, pretend you think I'm special

That's my 2 cents

 

Room for Me was the highlight of the year (so far) for me.

 

Was re-reading what each level gets. My opener will be walnut and Reserve gets oak. Suck it Reserves!!!!

 

Similar policy for next year - 2017 RS and HS members can use 2015 or 2016 vessels on RS32 / HS32 fills. Non-members can use previous vessels for half-fills of full 2-L options.

 

Different glassware and different Wineification variants too....definitely excited (er, cautiously optimistic) to see that. Also is Mash & French Toast like....the breakfast food french toast? or more like...toasted barrels from France french toast?

 

Just received confirmation, that HS members do not have the option to renew as RS members.......

 

I might be the only one! I am going to re-up, but as I mentioned earlier in the thread, I pretty much don't max out like I used to and generally buy one or two of things that sound good - I am not a fan of the cocktail beers or anything spiced, but visit the tasting room often enough where the discounts and unique growler fills are worthwhile. I also really enjoy the events and can always use another pin.

 

The pin is easily the most upsetting thing. If a grown adult walks around with a pin on, they should be removed from all Bruery societies.