Monkish Brewing (December 2016)

Sure... I just think the secondary sales issue takes a back seat to public drinking, altercations, parking issues. Does the local PD deal with secondary sales? Is the ATF agile enough to come check a Monkish sale on 2 hours notice?

Think it depends on how you mean this - to solve the symptoms, I agree that the cause has to be dealt with. My comment was that I doubt the neighbors care about secondary sales at all and most likely are totally unaware that secondary sales/trading is what is generating the significant lines, etc.

At the end of the day, they just want to come and go in peace. Having said that, Monkish may have to deal with secondary sales in order to mitigate or resolve the symptoms. In other words - if all of the symptoms were absent (parking, lines obstructing traffic), I can't see the neighbors caring about a secondary sale at all.

Also, how big is the issue of secondary sales in the parking lot? Figure the vast majority go to their car or go home before posting to an online group and aren't doing IP sales in the parking lot.

Has its benefits and drawbacks - biggest drawback, IMO, is having to have a pretty broad pick up window which requires cold storage space, etc., which is tough for a brewery as small as Monkish.

I'd be curious as to what the logistical issues would be.

 

This is where I think Monkish is effed if they do and effed if they don't. At the beginning of December, there was the guy that was whining that Monkish announcing 2 hours in advance was hyping it up too much in order to generate a line. When they announce 5 hours in advance it was worse. I'd speculate that announcing days in advance or having a consistent release day could make that even worse especially if they haven't increased capacity the way TH/Alchemist have.

So - how does a brewery do right by its loyal customers by creating a consistent and fluid process (i.e. pre-announcements, consistent release days) but also avoid "hyping up their beers too much"?

 

I'm sure expanding production is on Henry's mind. They are 3-4 years old and probably signed a 5-year lease so things have to be done in due time.

On top of that, I'm not sure they anticipated they'd be as hot as they are so there will be growing pains for awhile as I think demand for Monkish has increased more than almost any other brewery in the past year.

Ultimately, there are a ton of details that we don't know that will significantly inform Henry's/Monkish's decisions on their future.

 

I like how Trillium does it. It's so easy for me to fly into Boston Logan Airport take the bus over to Trillium beer store. Buy what I want. Load up my carry on and take bus back over to airport for my flight back to LAX. Easier than waiting in line through all the sh!te show at Monks. And probably faster. Lol.

 

Ok, probably a naive question here but...

Is there ever a good time when one is able to simply drop by Monkish and be able to sit and have a few beers in their tasting room? I don't care about picking up cans, bottles or growler fills of the latest and greatest trade bait. Just would like to spend an hour or two there and have a few beers on premises. If this is possible, when's the best time (if any) for something like that, or are those days long gone? Thanks for any insight you can provide.

 

Any day during the work week that there isn't a can release or a new IPA/DIPA on for growler fills shouldn't be too bad. Also, Sunday evenings have been known to be pretty laid back.

If Monkish is crowded, Smog is right around the corner. Phantom Carriage isn't too far either.

 

"Easier"... as annoying as it is, standing is pretty easy. Haha.

Do have to say that Trillium is nice but I think the lack of a taproom at the downtown location helps keep it in control.

At Monkish, people get their cans and then just move over to the taproom and so its a madhouse the entire time. If people just got their beer and left like at Trillium, I think it'd be different.

Never been to the Canton location but someone told me that they limit the number of tasters you can have. Not sure if that is true or not.

 

Henry can be culpable to the ABC for selling to a illegal distributer, i.e the line bro's, who actually legally become one once they make a transaction outside Monkish.

Cheers,

 

Thanks, I appreciate your recommendations!

 

sitting and enjoying a beer in a brewery is so 2015

 

That would surprise me, actually. The ABC traditionally goes after licensees that are operating outside the confines of the law and I thought unlicensed sales was generally left to the ATF. Also, seems it would be difficult to prove that Monkish was aware or a party to the illegal sales in a court of law.

Also, I am not sure how much an issue onsite secondary sales are which is essentially the only place ABC could pin it on Monkish (if at all).

 

I am in LA until Monday. Any locals know if there will be another can release this week? (Not asking for a specific day, which I know is a crapshoot). Thanks

 

Their current set up sucks for anyone who wants to simply drop by Monkish for a pour.Let's be honest, there really isn't a good time anymore to just "drop by" Monkish for a beer. I see this all the time. You wait in line 45 minutes, get a beer, go to the back room to enjoy, go back for a another pour and be told " oh you have to get back in the line for another beer" Of course this is more prevalent when something hot is on for fills.

These are the things Monkish can change immediately and need to address. The haze faze will pass and whats going be left of all the regulars ? Gone as well.

Cheers.

 

Well, "no time" when they are announcing a beer. Don't think its that bad on an off-night.

Like I said, avoid days they are releasing a new beer in cans or for growler fills. I tend to avoid Friday and Saturday as well, though I came through last Friday at 9:30pm for a fill and had 1 person in front of me.

 

You never know when Monks next can release will be. Keep checking their IG post. H says they will shoot for 1-2 release per week. New Years is right around the corner.

 

Per their site, there is only 1 can release this week and it would've been the one from yesterday.

 

check their website, they'll update when the next release will be.

• Week of 12/26-1/1: ONE can release.

 

Oh shit you right, I already forgot about yesterday. lol

 

But thats my point, I don't think there are any off-nights anymore. There was a line at least 50-60 deep even though there were no Monkish IPA/DIPAs available for fills yesterday which are the real sales drivers.

 

Where's that Canadian transplant that said it doesn't take a Mensa member to figure out all the logistics?