Great Notion

"We simply don't feel that they're ability to craft a good rendition of the style makes them the greatest thing since sliced bread."

I understand that, but as we've discussed they're not a one trick pony when it comes to beer styles. They've brewed very good beers of a considerable amount of beer styles and done so in a very short time. That will set them apart from a lot of breweries in the PNW.

 

"The one thing I guess I don't understand in your post, is how/why you feel this will set them apart from other breweries in the PNW."

The ingredients for most of their beers alone set them apart from most of the breweries in the PNW. Most will call their beers gimmicky, but I call them delicious.

I also want to touch on the pricing of their beers compared to other breweries in the PNW. Go look at the reviews of their beers and you'll see people from NY to Pennsylvania to North Carolina to San Francisco have said they can't believe the price of let's say Double Stack compared to beers that are on the same level as let's say Mornin' Delight by Toppling Goliath. That beer is incredibly difficult to get and very expensive yet GN put out a beer that's considered by many in the country to be on the same level and is much easier to obtain and much cheaper.

As far as their pricing of their beer to go and beer in house goes compared to other breweries I'll use this example.

Cellarmaker knows there are breweries in SF who charge more for their beers whether they be to go or in house, but that doesn't mean they're going to immediately change their prices because of it. That's the individual breweries decision. They are their own man so to speak. I find it ridiculous when I read people are pissed at GN and blaming them for potentially driving up the prices in the PNW or more specifically the Portland area. That's NOT GN fault. That's the other breweries making THEIR own decision.

 

"My problem is that I don't see any justification for their prices in this market."

The rest of the country seems to disagree or at least the people who have reviewed their beers. I just hated seeing someone criticize a single brewery for potentially driving up the beer prices in Portland. That as I said is absolutely ridiculous.

 

That really is sad. I take the opinion of, if you can make a damn good beer, then who cares where it's made.

Very curious on the marshmallow stout as well. I feel like that type of adjunct has so much potential.

 

Sometimes, folks do identical jobs, for different employers. Sometimes, there is a significant difference in the wages paid. If the lower paid worker is happy, he may consider the other worker overpaid. The worker making more, likely considers the other underpaid.

Maybe our prices aren't too low, maybe the prices elsewhere are too high.

 

I think it's either people in Portland don't realize how good they have it price wise compared to the rest of the country or desperately to a fault want to keep it that way.

I'm very surprised at how serious people take their beer in Portland based on this site because every visit I've experienced in Portland I've found everyone to be extremely laid back and go with the flow, but that is certainly not what I've found interacting with people on here who live in the area.

GN, if and when you read this by all means bring your beers and prices to SF or the bay area and we'll welcome you with open arms.

 

I personally really like Great Notion and don't have a huge issue with their pricing. However, I do think that for the most part we know how good we have things price-wise here in the area and I don't know why anybody would want that to change. I can find absolutely no fault in someone with this mindset. I'm curious why you would think otherwise?

 

"I'm curious why you would think otherwise?"

When people start blaming a single brewery for potentially "ruining" prices in Portland then yeah that's wanting something to stay the same to a fault and that's my point.

 

Or going back to something else that was said earlier, maybe people in other places don't know how much their being fucked?

I don't know if I'd agree with being passionate about something being the opposite about laid back.

Also this is a forum for the exclusive reason to talk about beer, so I feel if people on here weren't a little bit serious this site wouldn't be much of a success.

 

i thought whoever said it would ruin prices in Portland was from out of state. I don't see many locals making that complaint but i could be wrong. We have a lot of local breweries and get a crazy amount of out of state breweries so it's easy to pass up Great Notion for something else that may be cheaper.

I like Great Notion and go there a few times a month but I've never bought a crowler cuz there's cheaper options that please me the same. I'll be there tomorrow to try that Marshmallow stout though.

 

@John_M

"I've had two different batches of the orange creamsicle. The first one was one of the most incredible and unusual IPA's I've ever had the pleasure to drink (I literally begged the bartender to please sell me a crowler - but she wouldn't do it)."

Haven't had two batches, but did exactly this on the one chance I've had Orange Creamsicle. Cheers

 

To quote from the movie The Right Stuff: Fucking A Bubba.

 

I think your confusing the entire city of Portland and its beer culture with the couple dozen folks who are really active on this forum.

 

I lived in the bay area most of my life (and I'm not young) and let's face it, the cost of living is greater there. Of course you'd take our beer prices if you could. I'm sure you also wouldn't mind having our gas prices and the fact that we can renew our car registrations without getting rolled by the borderline criminal smogging process. The list goes on. I think most of us know we have it good here in Portland - for now at least - as far as prices of many consumer products, but it doesn't mean it logically follows that we can't question rising prices just because other parts of the country are more expensive. It's a faulty argument.

Another faulty argument - on which I agree with you - is that GN's prices are driving beer prices up. I don't think there was ever any proof of that and I Don't think that many people in this forum ever agreed with the argument. Perhaps it is true, but I've never seen proof of it.

I like Great Notion. I go there when I want to and enjoy their beers. I also patronize other breweries. Most of the anti-GN's on this thread are Washingtonians - many of whom admittedly hadn't been to GN. I think there are way less GN haters among Portland residents than you think. That's why I'm replying here. It's like an argument that doesn't have to happen.

 

Same. Both have an excellent nose. The S&C delivered a bit more than the marshmallow stout on the taste. Both were very solid. Wouldn't fan-boy out over either one or buy a $15 crowler but I enjoyed a glass of each quite a bit.