KBS Statement from Founders

Infinite KBS wouldn't be enough.

 

Founders does have some of the nicest bartenders and customers any business could hope for. I got to meet a lot of really cool people and had a great time for the most part.

I put a lot of time, money, and planning into getting this beer for my friends and family. The day of the event was not the time to change the allotment, it is just plain wrong to do to people.

 

Yea, and you can't get Hunahpu in distribution either

If driving hours and hours to go to a release JUST for the stuff on draft and the social tasting atmosphere isn't enough then I think that you have the wrong hobby...

 

thank you founders is rated 2nd best brewery in us should be worth the 3 hour drive to have some beers in the pub plus grand rap has a shit ton of other breweries

 

I can safely answer ... No.

 

If they really wanted to "please everyone," why wasn't the allotment reduced to 6 or 8 beers? 1 or 2? At what point does it become rediculous?

I don't think some people understand the "first come, first served" idea. Just because you came at a certain time last year doesn't mean that you can come around that time this year and then be pissed you didn't get any. All of the "cutoff times" being talked about are purely speculation at how many people will be in line.

I waited 10 hours for KBS because I wanted to ensure that I got a case. I knew if I came back the next morning, there would be no way I would be one of the first 300, especially after you factor in the line cutters. I am in no way saying that I am unappreciative of what I received or that I regret going because I "only got half a case".

The only thing that I ask is that Founders keeps true to their word in the future. I do believe that there was enough forethought here that people could have been warned at least slightly ahead of time (630 pre-printed numbers; 100 people lined up by midnight the night before, etc). I probably would have tried to sleep at least an hour or two if I had known that I could be 500 people back and still get some.

Other than being slightly dissappointed at my unneeded lack of sleep, I had a great time with some great people. I would love to hang out with a lot of you guys again; I just don't know if I will go on a 36 hour bender again just to ensure I get some limited-release beer.

I will say that I am slightly apprehensive about going to this event again though. I mean, who's to say that this won't happen again? And at what point would it not be worth it between the lack of sleep/gas money/travel time/etc? I might just stick to local tastings if I want to hang out with like minded people without investing too much time and money.

 

I'm pretty sure they had the capability to print more tickets if they needed them. They didn't exactly look professionally made.

I for one decided not to wear my tinfoil hat and believe that this was a decision made that morning, not a premeditated attempt to mislead their loyal followers.

 

Yeah, I don't feel "betrayed" or "stabbed in the back" or anything like a few of the people on here. I do believe that they had good intentions for what they did and in the end, 300 people will more than likely quit their whinning and keep buying Founders soon.
I'm just saying that a little bit of advanced notice would have been a much more ideal situation. I just don't want to invest in a situation where the end result could still be uncertain.
Even if it was anounced ahead of time that it was a limit of 6 beers, I probably would have gone anyway. Would I have gotten in line at 1 am? Hell no.

 

You sound sensible sir, and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

I agree, if they would have cut the allotment a week ahead of time I'm sure it would have alleviated alot of the headaches with everyone getting there so early in the morning.

 

There is literally nothing I can add to this post at this point, all great points on both sides. From a personal standpoint, I arrived precisely at 6 a.m., met some awesome people, shared some awesome beers and thank god Founders accounted for the people who couldn't waste a day or more of their lives to fucking camp out in the freezing weather for some beer (somebody cue the beating the dead horse animation) IT'S JUST BEER!!! From what I was told b/c my amazing wife was standing in the taproom line starting about 10, she said all of the people in those Bears tents who had gotten there at 4 p.m. on Friday were all drinking Coors light...hmmm, that's a head scratcher. Oh wait, no it isn't. But seriously, for those who camped out b/c they do love KBS and were looking to drink/share/trade, I understand that would be frustrating to all of a sudden get your allotment slashed after freezing your rear ends off for most of the night. Summary = fucking great time, cheers!

 

Sensible? I did attend WMU....

 

Then I may have to revoke my previous claim

 

Has anyone heard from Kzoobrew?

 

I can safely report that the Mayor of Michigan is alive and well, and hopefully recovered from Friday / Saturday.

Nothing to really add at this point (YeahNateNelson summed up my thoughts much more eloquently than I could have), but I did enjoy meeting some great people (Decadence, Kzoobrew, the IL crew standing next to us in line (numbers 305-310 or so), drinking some great beers, and having some great food (huge thanks to SolarMikey for the amazing cupcakes, and the great guys who were about #350 with the griddle making French toast and sausages).

Highlight of the day might have been stopping near the IN border with Imperialking to share a Captain Fantasy / Big John while watching the waves from Lake Michigan break over the beach.

Not the perfect day, but I certainly don't regret going and enjoying everyone's company. Hopefully my requests to have the campers start condensing the line, and politely asking folks to keep an eye out for line cutters did some good.

Cheers!

 

Just a couple more comments:

When did cutting the line become acceptable?

Where are all the people from that are saying how freezing it was outside??? Shit, it felt like summer to me out there!

 

Read over most of this thread, sounds like there was fun to be had before, and after, the opening of the release party. It also sounds like there was an equal amount of childish behavior, although people do tend to talk more about the negative....so, I guess it realistically was 2/3 good, 1/3 shit (and I am sure I know where a majority of those people came from, I live in WI).

So, I guess there is only one thing I don't understand. A 12 pk of beer is the difference between someone loving & someone hating a brewery?

 

So what if Founder's said that next year, nobody in line will be allowed to drink in an effort to reduce the campers? (Since I believe it is technically against the law anyway, I may be wrong.)
Some people are quick to say "eff Founders," but realize that this whole thing is quite a privilege.

 

That is what I am trying to understand. How is it that people are cutting in-line? What excuse are they using, or are they simply doing it assuming no one will stand-up to them? If so, that is just a situation waiting to come to an ugly end when you mix tired people, alcohol, and anger.

 

Founders has really blundered their last few releases, and I say that as someone who didn't waste time in the freezing cold waiting for their loaf of bread.

If they cared about their real fans, they would hold off distribution and wait until they sold every last drop at the brewhouse before sending any to the other corners of the US.

That's just smart business. They had 1000 people in line, that means they could have sold 1000 or MORE cases (I'm sure some people would have happily bought more than a case!)

Instead, they kept 315 cases for themselves and sent thousands of cases outside of the state at a lower profit margin than the ones they could sell themselves.

WTF are they smoking?