Darklord Day 2017

So, for the record, I don't think there's much of a problem the way things are currently run. Yes, the line situation can become a cluster (both the line to get in and the mixing of lines to get beers). But I don't think it's terrible. Yet, as people have pointed out, it can be improved.

So here's my suggestion: eliminate the groups entirely and randomly assign the variants. And here's how it could easily work. They integrate variant information (along with everything else) in the bar code that is on your laminated ticket. When you go to pick up your beers, they scan the ticket and it tells them which variant you've been assigned. You are then handed said variant, along with your allotment of diabetic soy sauce. This would allow each attendee to pick up their beers whenever they want throughout the day. If you want them right away for sharing, have at it (but don't complain about there being lines). If you want them when you leave, great. There would be no advantage or disadvantage to lining up at specific times.

I think this solves the clamoring for specific groups when tickets go on sale, the need to line up at designated times, and issues with the lines.

[Disclosure: I recognize that variants used to be randomly assigned through the golden tickets. But that was rife with abuse when people kept on getting back in line just to get the tickets, with some people walking out with 3-4 variants. The scanning would eliminate the potential for skirting the limits.]

Flame away.

 

Hey I'm planning on opening my bourbon dark lord from 2016 this month....does anyone know what barrels they used?

 

Well they weren't actually randomly assigned. Just winners were random. But once you won you could pick your variant.

I am actually ok with a randomly assigned variant. Basically you can keep the groups, but the rush to be in Group A to get Vanilla Bean goes away since you get a random variant. You go through line, they tear off or punch your ticket or whatever and you are handed a bag with 4 dark lord and 1 randomly selected variant. What you get, you get.

If you miss your group time, go through later in the day. Your chance of getting any specific variant is the same.

With nice weather I don't mind it taking a long time to get into the fest because we can just bottle share in line. The issue the past two years has been:

1. Group As want to get in ASAP to get their .rar variant.
2. Non-group A's want to get in a secure a good spot under one of the big tents to be out of the rain.

No rain means you can bottle share anywhere and makes the day much less stressful. Random variants means you can just enjoy the fest without being too worried about time in lines.

Of course I did bottle share in the rain, but it wasn't nearly as relaxed or enjoyable as years past where the 2-3 hour line to get in was actually fun.

 

And they could make this even better if the beer labels of the variants were coded without a description so that you didn't know what kind you got until the next day when they released the codes on-line. "Damn, I got stuck with Tikka Masala Dark Lord..." Would cut down on the people offering mad cash for bottles as people went through the line.

 

Then there were hidden VBDL's then - there was like 2-3 people in front of me for Group B - I got in line at the amusement park gates at least 1 hour prior to my session start. As I was waiting there, they did let some Group A folks bypass us and enter the switchback gates. When I got inside - there was no Handjee - it was a mad house of folks trying to grab FVM which I was able to do.

 

That'd be pretty fun, actually. They've had weird characters on the bottles before, so having to decode them would be pretty dope.

 

Honestly, I like these ideas a lot. My only issue is, if they are going to randomly assign a variant, they need to stick with normal variants, like Vanilla, Bourbon, Brandy, etc. I just don't want to pay all the $$$ and end up with a bottle of Dark Lord aged in Malort barrels.

 

Temeculan 3000 was basically this.

 

*stares at Temeculan in fridge*

Shit.

 

LMFAO!!!! I just had it the other day, I actually wrote a very thorough (scratch that...too thorough) review of it for the wary wanderers out there. If it's any consolation, it seems 1/100 people love it, such as my old lady.

 

My girlfriend picked it out, although I was considering it myself. THIS IS WHY I WISH THEY'D FIGURE OUT THE GROUP A LINE.

Great, I get to drink Dark Lord Indian Food instead of Vanilla.

 

Seriously, some of their variant choices are weird. I had to Google some of the barrels from last year, but they don't have a coconut variant?!

 

Coconut Dark Lord aka Diabeticulan 5000

 

aka Coco Pence Facial

 

Yeah I also kind of like the anonymous bottles idea. Cool artwork with some cryptic text so you don't know what you have until the next day

 

Unless, of course, people actually open them and drink them and decipher the adjuncts...

 

Beer is to be stared at not drank silly!

 

Or whaleztradez bro!

 

Are there a lot of people opening their $50 variant at DLD when they also have bottle share and drink vouchers to use up?

 

No. In fact there are more people dropping their variants to the occasional bursting music of pressurized glass. Then the forlorn shoegazing in disbelief ensues.