2016 BCBS Chicago Release (Black Friday & Beyond)

I know I shouldn't be surprised by this, but...Good lord, man, people are lining up at 5 in the morning to pay $20 over MSRP for Rare? In Crystal Lake (no disrespect to CL, it's just not the craft beer hub that Chicago is, so I'm even more surprised about this behavior happening there)?!?

I guess it's good that I talked myself down from trying to grab a bottle at Jewel; paying the extra $10-20 would've been bad enough, but waiting for hours in the cold would've added insult to injury.

 

The positive side was they let them wait indoors...I was honestly surprised myself...Thought I could just stroll in before work, pay the little bit of up charge and be on my merry way......I was wrong..Then again, I guess nothing should surprise us about craft beer anymore

 

Exact same experience I had with Half Acre's BA release yesterday (except we obviously couldn't all wait inside).

"Oh, I'll mosey on over when HA opens at 11, pick up one of the BA giftsets, and be done."

*arrives at Half Acre*

"Oh right, it's a Chicago BA release, there's a line, and I'm a fucking idiot. Hope my boss is cool with me getting to work late..."


I continue to underestimate the beer scene here, because I keep thinking I'm the only asshole willing to go to somewhat crazy lengths to drink a flavored liquid.

 

You're so right... Pickings are slim up in the burbs. I just wanted it as a gift for my bro .....But definitely underestimated...


Maybe it's the old school in me....Refusing to accept that craft beer scene has changed... Thinking strolling in is the way to go....I'm doing it all wrong.....I need to start calling liqour stores 3x a day and make sure I loiter around the liqour store until the truck arrives...Then change clothes and go back twice and pray they don't remember me..
Get up before dawn to go stand in a line for a BA stout or newest and greatest IPA with my Craigslist mule....

Oh and then stare at such BA stout up in my cellar...It's really a closet but I'll call it a cellar...Don't ever really drink it...That would be a shame....

Screw all of that...I'd rather take the time and develop a relationship with the shop and it's employees....Most of the time they come through...If not no worries...It's just beer

 

I get the frustration and a huge part of this is the FOMO effect on the beer scene right now. Go to any good Binny's or local beer shop in the area and you'll find more great barrel aged stouts than you'd want to buy right now. It's insane.

Sure it may not be THE ONE but it's probably 90% of THE ONE (and often times cheaper).

 

It took me a while to remember it was there honestly and it's not far from my house. They have some great stuff though, got high-westified there no limit. Was out of town for black friday so can't speak to that.

 

You are absolutely right....An example is Drago...Great beer, and it turns up...Grab a French press and you can adjuct the crap out of it

 

My mom went to our local Jewel and has already made friends with the beer guy there, she got two just walked in at 8am.

 

I did the same thing for the initial release. I work remotely most days and thought, "hmm, should I be the guy who brings a chair and laptop and just work off my hotspot while line? Nah, I'll just get there at 11 and hopefully be in and out by noon." Didn't get there early enough for a bottle, but I was able to have it on draft. Anecdotal, but based on my friends in other major beer cities, getting BA beer in Chicago is way more effort than those cities.

 

"Hey Maa, want to shoot over to da jewels and mule me some Rare"


Kidding! That's great she made friends....312 whenever you want!

 

Especially in the winter, it's all we have to live for.

 

She was able to get regular and coffee the day it came out and also Prop! Not a horrible friend to have!

 

Judging by the tire fire that is the facebook thread on the jewel release, think there's a significant dissonance in the suburban experience v. the city experience on this one. The two stores I've been at this morning were downright delightful (don't worry I only bought 1..) and sounded as though they had multiple cases. Although one manager lead me to believe he got the most, and he said he got 5 cases.

Also, one thing to add, if you do encounter a really nice experience I'd suggest going to jewelsurvey.com to give them great feedback. Small token of appreciation from our side if/when you find someone that's really knowledgeable and helpful.

 

In their defense, $60 was the 2015 MSRP, it's 2016 and GI raised the MSRP to $80 as they are the manufacturer and have been selling it for $80 (Prop Day/Taproom/Brewpub).

So the $130 price Jewel previously had on Rare was just their $50 surcharge similar to what HA did for the Big Hugs release- you want to walk in and pick one up, that's the price. You want it for $80? Get in line.

 

LOL! That statement is awesome. I get so mad starring at those bottles sometimes,... like they are mocking me, daring me to drink them. Fortunately, I win most of the time which is why the bottle I've possessed the longest is one from DLD '16.

 

I'm not sure they did raise the MSRP, given that Binny's didn't sell it for $80 to my knowledge. Either way, I'm not mad at it selling for $80, just saying it's a little more than I'm personally willing to pay.

 

And often it is 110% of THE ONE. If you ever do any blind tastings, it's pretty interesting to see what beers people like best when they don't know whether what they're consuming is readily available or tough to find whalez.

 

The Binny's I got mine from a few weeks ago sold it to me for $60

 

Yeah, that's what I thought it was going for, but wasn't sure.

 

Binny's is offered me 2014 Proprietors yesterday for $50.00. It being offered to regulars and yes I bought it.