Chicago Stout Releases (2018)

I meant that I'd assume they'd have low stock and most people would think the better bet was Binny's. But it seems like everyone has the same idea ("I'll go to a small local place, since everyone else will go to Binny's!"), and then you get the situation that B&C had.

 

Holy shit dude, let it go.

 

They said they had 2 cases, a couple bottles were opened for tasting (which is one of the reasons B&C will get my support) and a couple bottles were bought by employees, which seems like a fair perk for working there. They said limited, turns out more limited than you expected.

Being there, I felt like the laughs I heard were about how ridiculous the whole situation was. Maybe the employees can be a bit awkward, but I've always felt they've been very kind. Obviously, my experience, I get other people may feel differently.

 

Long time customer, I've never been treated poorly at B&C.

There's one guy that gets a bit exasperated when "hot" releases come out & they get a ton of calls, but I wouldn't say his attitude spills over into rudeness.

 

Let what go? Engaging in a conversation I basically started about it?

 

I agree, though I think price point and size has a lot to do with this though. At $18-$20 in Chicagoland for Lizard of Koz the expectation changes. I think the recent Frootwood was a good example of how Founders got it right - multiple sizes of bottling made the purchase a lot less intimidating. I grabbed a single at Binny's and while I didn't love it, didn't feel burned at all at $5 for the 12oz bottle. If I had paid $20 for it I would have probably had a significantly different opinion.

Which is why I think so much of this distro / liquor shop / hoarding shit is so frustrating. It does suck to race over to a place to drop $25 on a bottle of sugar water and be told "oh sorry, you actually also needed to line up for an hour beforehand too!"

Did Imperial Biscotti Mexican Cake Break ever get released in Chicago?

 

The talk about lines is really starting to get to me. 1) It creeps into every thread. 2) There's not all that much stuff that you NEED to wait in line to get. It's basically just BCBS (and even then it was just for coffee and Prop) and some brewery only stuff.

Plenty of people will get Madagascar without waiting in line or chasing trucks, just like they did for BA Darkness, Parabola, Abraxas and plenty of other stuff.

 

To me that's kinda the point. I've always been perplexed by Half Acre's lines for every big release, when the majority also get pretty wide distribution. Why are people lining up for beers that will be all over the place?

I mentioned this before, but the BA Darkness release was pretty refreshing for me. As someone on the outside looking in (since I had no real desire to grab a bottle), it was nice to see seemingly most people on these threads successfully grab a bottle.

 

I was wondering about this the other day myself

 

I think people line-up for HA goodies out of habit, that is where you used to have to go to get them and maybe they haven't learned what gets distributed where now. I can usually find the BHA and GDDC in stores whereas a couple years back it was get your butt in line for taproom distro only. That being said, Sean, knowing Chicago's feeding frenzy for hot stouts, what are you doing on these boards instead of waiting in line and jonesing for your Coconut Jones Dog?

With the exception of Prop Day, I sat out stout season which was the most amazing Chicago has ever had in terms of releases and availability waiting for that BA Darkness, so I'm happy it was available!

 

Just speculating - and I could be wrong a couple places - but I think we don't get Westbrook releases. And we do get Evil Twin releases. This beer is probably considered a Westbrook beer, so only states they distribute get it. I got a bottle when I was in WI, and I know it says "brewed at Westbrook in Mt. Pleasant, SC" on it.

And thus we won't see it here. I could be wrong - but that's my educated guess.

 

I typically avoid PW stouts nowadays since 1) I got sick of the mad rush for their BA stuff and 2) don't buy that many non-BA stouts anymore in general (too many BA stouts + HAZEJUICE IPAs to drink)! I will say that I'm kind of curious about the Black & Tan release that PW/Marz is doing, though.

I've actually found that this year in particular (and by year I mean "stout season", so like, from November-on), I've been craving heavy beers way less (maybe because Chicago is really stepping up their IPA game). I keep hoarding all my shit but am having trouble figuring out when to drink it all. So maybe your approach was smarter!

I saw this in Wisconsin a week or so back, so if we haven't heard by now, it makes sense that we're not getting it.

 

I definitely don't get some of the Half Acre. Waiting in line for an IPA already makes me feel a little dirty, but an IPA that gets distro?!

 

You mad bro?


In all seriousness. That is how it is. You are absolutley wrong thinking half cases do not get distroed to small shops. Also why should they provide you with the info on how many bottles they have? You sound like you know all about madagasgar so you should also know how fast it sells in chicago. I dont really understand your anger.

 

Either way, their staff needs to show up with a much higher degree of customer service. You simply do not react to anyone like that.

 

I think everyone has been burned at some point in a similar manner so a little sympathy is probably in order. His anger comes from things people complain about all the time in this situation on these forums:

-lack of transparency (How much they were releasing/when it was sold out/etc, and what he was being told kept changing)
-customer service (getting serviced in a manner perceived to be less than professional, i.e. getting laughed at)
-sometime you just want to vent

I too have had great experiences at B&C, so wouldn't throw them out just yet.

 

Have you tried getting a table at FFF on a Saturday after 4pm? The hosts definitely display top-notch customer service, especially if you stand there with the door open...

 

My two thoughts on this: Anytime people with that much leather/piercings/tattoos don't beat your ass for some infraction is a good time.