NE IPAs in Ohio?

I've heard a ton of good things from friends who have tried Couch Kush'n.....This brewery is a really cool place I can't wait to get back there!

 

So you guys really think we'll need to get there ahead of time for Masthead next weekend just to get cans?

I went around noon for Citra Vice and there was still plenty left. They're not allowing a beer share or anything, so people would just be standing in line outside. I can't imagine you'd have to be there an hour before opening.

 

I’ll be going after open again. No way I’m standing in line outside and really the only people who do are the 50 that want all the Teku’s and cans to sell/trade.

 

That's good - we're planning on going around 11 or 12 and just want a 4-pack of each beer. I feel like I should be safe.

 

Can anyone fill me in on the Listermann releases (e.g. lines, how early to arrive, parking)? Might be interested in going down for the Feb release.

 

we like to party early in cincinnati. if you don't want to, i wouldn't worry about it though. They haven't sold out of much lately besides DDH Fiona and that still lasted into the afternoon. there's parking all over the side streets and they have a gravel lot next door that is able to be used as well. Usually bottle sharing starts around 7.To reiterate though, they typically don't sell out very quickly. Just one line that starts at the door and wraps around the patio up one of the side streets.

 

Didn't end up making it to the Masthead release as I got the sudden opportunity to go to CA and go to Monkish, Modern Times, etc.

I'm hearing it was an absolute disaster. Anyone go?

 

Probably a lot more people than anyone really expected. Wouldn't call it a disaster though. People were shut out of beers but what else can you do? Allotments could have been smaller, but I think this is part of the expected growing pains - especially because no one else in town is doing this kind of thing. I thought the line moved reasonably quick for only two points of sale.

I'm sure there's plenty of the triple IPA cans left which is pretty good IMO. Won't satiate the haze bois trying to flip cases of it but w/e.

 

Beer was great. As for the release itself, lets just say if people thought a Hoof release was disorganized, this was that X10.

I get that people are trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, but the fact is they knew full well this was coming and chose not to do anything about it. I can only imagine they handled this release like this specifically to pump up the hype... which I can't say I blame them for... cuz it worked.

 

“Absolute disaster” is a gross overstatement. They need to lower allotments or make more beer, and release prices in advance(because the difference between $16 and $20 a four pack is going to destroy me).

Sarcasm aside, it IS typical growing pains. For now, go earlier if you want beer. That simple.

 

If this is actually the case I hope you don't plan on continuing to support them. No one here should be supportive of a brewery that attempts to make up it's own hype. It's not like anyone has a hard time finding a brewery that does a ton of IPA anyway.

 

I thought Mastheads anniversary release was a disaster also. The fact that days (really the entire week) leading up to it people were requesting can prices, details, tap lists, etc on the Facebook event page and they didn't respond to one single post. You had no idea what the cans cost or what was going to be on draft (and when) until they opened the doors. That's ridiculous if you really think about it.

Second off, this place is line cutters galore. All you had to do was bypass the line and say your there for drafts and food only and then you could have gotten can sales sitting at the bar. Once you actually got inside the building while in line, it split off into two separate lines which random people were getting into (essentially cutting 100+ people). It was a very confusing setup inside. You could tell a lot of people didn't know where they were supposed to end up once they got inside the door. The line for drafts was about 20-25 mins long as well in the back corner.

The allotments need drastically reduced. Allowing one case per beer of all three beers for a total of three cases is insane. I was told they only produced approximately 105-110 cases of each beer. If you have 100+ people in line before 11 AM and you only have that many cases then your allotments should have been immediately adjusted. Who in the world needs three cases of beer? What's even worse is that towards the end when all they had left was Juggerhop they decided to change the limit to one four pack per person. So after standing outside in the rain for over an hour watching people leave with three cases you decided to change the allotment for the back end of the line? Why wouldn't you have done this in the first place?

I know some people were asking if they could take home a crowler of Flat Earth and / or One Trick Pony once those cans sold out and those requests were denied due to "lack of supply." Yet...later that evening they posted on Facebook that they had enough draft to last the entire week and that crowlers would be filled starting Tuesday. What??? So you didn't have enough on Sunday for the people that waited in line for 90+ minutes in shitty weather but you'll magically have enough a few days later? This also made no sense.

Last complaint.... Not only did they limit Juggerhop to one four pack per person after letting everyone else buy upwards of 72 cans, but it ended up being distributed to stores this week! That's like salt in the wound. I know this is new to them, but some of these would have been easy to address / common sense. Hopefully they learn from it and organize better in the future. I absolutely love the beer they are putting out and they have become my favorite Cleveland brewery but this was a train wreck of a release. A lot of people used to / still rag on Hoof releases and their constant adjustments trying to dial in a system but a Hoof can release compared to this was a night and day difference (and not in a good way for Masthead).

 

^ That is one reason I avoid releases anymore. Too much other good beer to be had without all the hassle of waiting, dealing with idiots and stupid brewery practices. Especially when it is a NE-style IPA and all the bro's are hungry as hell for hoarding it all to trade.

But that sucks, regardless... Appreciate the info, good info to know if the thought ever crosses my mind to go to a release at Masthead... That I shouldn't.

 

I don't get the hoarding, and I really don't understand the guy buying 9 cases. Even if your intent is to trade, who the hell is trading for it?! No one in the world has heard of Masthead besides NE Ohio locals.

 

That confused me as well.

I'm sure they'll dial it in - likely with tickets. Saw they got some additional equipment that should allow for releases twice a month. Can't imagine it will be an ongoing issue.

 

You'd be surprised actually. It's quickly approaching Hoof levels for New England trading and aside from that, it's a LOT of people in Cbus that are trading hoof for Masthead. So Cleveland guy goes to masthead Saturday, brings cases to Hoof sunday for mad tradez.

I've said it before, but I think the Masthead NEIPA's have ranged from above average to fantastic, their stouts actually possible better overall even. With that said, I would echo the reviews above from the release and even add more to it. It was a shit show, which is unfortunate, because they had all the ability in the world to make it not a shit show.

 

I know three guys who got at least a couple cases for themselves and have no experience trading at all. They also are the type to freely give beer out to friends and family. And what if they just want to drink it themselves? If a business makes rules and the customers play by those set rules, those people somehow suck? Why? Because of some unspoken rules about “not hoarding” or “saving some for the rest of us”, that many complainers are hypocritical about themselves? Yes, there are knobs who DO load up for lame trading purposes, but that sure as hell isn't everyone.

Stop. Seriously. Entitlement in craft beer refuses to die and it’s beyond bizarre. Some people are straight out of a JG Wentworth commercial — “It’a MY BEER, and I want it NOW.” You want beer — make the effort to get it if it’s THAT important to you.

And before I’m accused of hoarding, I walked away with four cans of each beer for myself.

 

Stop what? 9 cases is reasonable to you? Not setting limits, expectations, or line rules when there are people lining up around the block in the rain is good business?

A little pushback to the complaints may be warranted, but I think you went a bit far there. Masthead could have easily taken a few simple steps to make this a better experience for all those attending.

Not to mention, some people can't help themselves and have a difficult time making responsible decisions when they see the kind of lunacy surrounding them during a release like this. It's not up to Masthead to make decisions for those kind of grown ass toddlers, but it is up to them to make an on-site packaged release enjoyable and satisfying to as many of those waiting, paying customers as possible.

 

I saw the guy who everyone took pictures of that got “nine cases”. Is he the norm? Are we certain they weren’t his buddies that just stacked all their stuff together? Could he have had people muled stuff for him? Possibly, but I still see people doing that at nearly every single other brewery release, too.

 

One of the most sensible things I've read on here.

It's just a bunch of IPA and freakin NEIPA. Literally the most common styles of beer, craft is quickly phasing out a lot of other styles in favor of juiced IPA and NEIPA. So if this release sucked, or it didn't suck, I don't even see why it matters either way.

Special releases used to be for special beers.