2017 Darkness Bottle Hunt

I can't tell if you're serious or not, kemo sabe. If you want to drive down from International Falls or wherever you live for this, I'll kick in a bottle for you. Mostly, I just want someone to cover my back in case one of these characters turns out to be a serial killer.

 

There is just the one quiet little kill room in my house. No need for concern!

My dog refuses to go in to the basement. It may just be haunted. Like, a lot haunted.

 

I am not serious, I do not have any Damien.

Dude, you just need to ask them if they are a serial killer or not. If they say no, you are good.

Speaking of meeting randos from the internet, my favorite experience was when I was apart of a group buy of the Mikkler BA Vanilla Shake. Someone suggested doing a share and pickup of the bottles. I did not tell my wife that I actually didn't know any of these people until we were 5 minutes out from the share location. That is when I sprung on her that I wasn't sure if we would be skinned alive or not. Luckily everyone was super cool and we still do shares every now and then.

@maximum12 If you need someone to have your back, I am in and would bring my own bottle because this sounds awesome. Though I just want to point out, you only met me once in a very public parking lot in Edina for a trade...

 

I'm fairly certain that I know the guy who arranged that Mikkeller event (his first name is Mike - that's what I'll say in a forum) - we actually went to high school together and still drink beer together regularly (I last saw him on Darkness eve - we shared a bottle or two). I haven't murdered him. Yet.

I wish I'd gotten in to that Mikkeller buy/share. I'm still chasing some of the BA Mikkeller beers!

And @nograz you're welcome to join, obviously!

 

You are correct. Damn, he was hanging around us most of the night, wish we had been introduced. Mike is a solid dude!

As far as killing, I don't think serial killers typically go after people they know well, so I am still a bit skeptical...

I will sign up, but with kids (young kids, very dependant on their parents so we can't be killed please), them and finding child care maybe the deciding factor if we can make it.

 

Darkness hit Hudson, River Falls and Prescott today

 

Don’t bother trying to humanize yourself. I completely lack empathy. I’m pleasant in groups though.

 

Damn I would love to get in on a Darkness vertical I could donate a 15-17 and a BA 16. I might be up for the insight gravity well release weekend if this would go down I would love to participate

 

Ha, I was just informed by my buddy that we did technically meet. Apparently you were talking to Mike and Charlie and I came up with the Rum King for Charlie to shutgun. The Rum King he promised earlier in the day to shutgun if someone brought one, but then welched on his deal.

 

No limit at Trader Joe's, $18.99 per

 

Bloomington but I'd assume it's the same at all locations

 

Still plenty of 2017 and second-run 2016 on shelves in Sioux Falls. Did they increase production, or maybe demand is down? Maybe the second-run 2016 hurt 2017 sales?

Hopefully they increase production of BA Darkness.

 

I don't think they made a second run of darkness in 2016. On there website they said something along the lines of - we aged it a year for you, so you're welcome. Date on the bottle is the same as what I got on DD

 

Correct, buddy at artisan said it was in their warehouse.

 

I had mentioned earlier in this thread I was told that is was a second run, but I did preface it with they didn't seem to know too much about craft beer so take it for what it is worth.

However, with the infomation that @SipIt and you provided, along with Bill from Princeton's telling me it was not a second run. I think it is more than safe to say that employee that told me that it was a second run is wrong.

 

Have to wonder if that was intentionally held back for aging, or did someone screw up and it was buried in the warehouse. Or maybe they held it back because it wasn't selling in some markets. Seems to me that releasing a bunch of 2016 shortly before 2017 release was not a great marketing move if intentional. I'd buy the 2016 if I didn't already have some left (see, I held some back too!). I'm only planning to buy BA 2017.

 

I have no clue on that one. I understand holding back a limited amount of certain beer, but not truck loads (not saying I didn't purchase a couple more bottles myself). Btw, from what I've been told they made a substantially larger amount this year than in the past.

 

One theory was it being held back for the Brewer's Table.

 

Goose Island started holding back large amounts BCBS variants a few years ago. It limits the initial release to build hype that year and then they release it at a later date with the same hype because everyone remembers how limited it was before. Both ‘15 Rare and VR were at least $20 more expensive when they released extra bottles. They have pallets of the other variants in their barrel warehouse.