Other Half December 2018

This shop up in Rockland called Seven Lakes Station. They've never sold stuff that they shouldn't have like that shop in LI being talked about, so I'm assuming they got them through their distributor. FWIW, I didn't see it in any of the other shops I usually visit, but I also wasn't exactly looking out for it either. I was only turned onto the quality of Finback's stouts pretty recently.

I tried reading this post last night, but I was like 4 beers in and there were too many parenthesis to figure out what was going on. Now that it's Monday morning and I'm stuck at work on NYE, I'm down to talk beer ethics though. Sorry to people who find this boring.

If Joe 4 really wanted the beer, he should have gotten there earlier. Billy and his bros are operating within the limits imposed by the brewery. Joe 4 would probably be mad to learn that Billy and co are reselling the beer, but would he be just as mad if they were just going to drink the beer? What about if they planned to fill a tub with their cases and bathe in it and post pictures to the 'gram #beerbath?

Equilibrium's release sold out within 3 hours which is faster than usual. A bunch of people got shut out. A guy recently posted a video to the FB group where he used some dC/dt to braise some onions and there was some very very mild memey outrage. Should Joe 4 be mad that this guy is choosing to cook with the beer instead of drinking it?

I completely agree that trading beer doesn't make you Mother Theresa or anything, but there is usually personal gain on both sides. You could probably use trading beer in an Economics textbook to illustrate the concept of gains from trade.

Say you and I got together after work one day. You bring some Hop Showers because that's what you're supposed to drink after a day of chopping wood out in the forest in below freezing weather. I could bring Hop Showers as well, but I think we can all agree that it's better to bring different beers to a share so I bring some dC/dt because I'm tired of braising onions. Suddenly you get a call that your wife is in labor and you need to leave right now. If I say take this can of dC/dt and you flip me a can of Hop Showers, have we suddenly crossed some moral line and now need to apologize to Joe 4?

 

Hahaha solid use of #hopshowers

And I’m not ready for talks about wives going into labor - my second kid is 4 months old. Everything still waaaay too fresh in my memory.

I agree with everything you’re saying. All I’m trying to say is that often on here (like most things on the internet) stuff gets portrayed as black and white. [caveman voice] - “trading good, reselling bad”. But to me all this stuff sits on a scale. And you either have to take the stance that it’s tough shit for Joe 4 in all instances and he should get there earlier, or it’s poor Joe 4 who’s missing out because people are buying beer for purposes other than drinking it / drinking it with friends.

Cos the thing that doesn’t sit right with me is the trading = spreading wealth, while reselling = screwing over locals. Cos both don’t benefit the locals, both involve personal gain, and both could arguably be said to be spreading the wealth, even though the latter involves a greater degree / more clear cut level of personal gain. For example I’m a sole bread winning father of two. I have barely any time to do beer stuff these days. Fortunately for me I live less than a mile from OH. But if I lived 2-3 hours away in eastern LI, or NJ etc, it would make WAY more sense to pay cost + shipping + $10 to one of those mule guys for a 4 pack, or pay a marked up price from a dodgy store, than it would to spend the time/money effort in procuring local beer that would be capable of landing OH, setting up a trade, and packing it up and shipping it out. Or making the 5 hour round trip drive.

 

I usually try to avoid the railing against the resellers discussions as I know where it leads. But you present a very balanced argument. I agree, trading does take the beer out of the hands of locals, same as reselling. But the scale analogy is a good one, to me some trading on small scaleis nowhere near as bad a a licensed business breaking the law by reselling out of market beers.

BTW, did you miss me in this thread ! While I am at it, are people really paying $27 for a bottle of OH sour? Is that a 16.9 bottle? Good thing about Other Half is they are so diverse in what they do, there is an experience for everyone. I couldn't care less about their hyped collabs, overpriced stouts and sours, but can still get all the straight up IPAs and ignore everything else.

 

They blocked me for this exchange:



Amazing

 

I honestly don't give a shit about muling, no one is going to be making a fortune muling OH at $10 a 4 pack, and supply and demand has changed drastically over the past year. Plus, there's at least some level of transparency with muling - you know what you're going to be paying, and there's a good amount of community backlash if they're price gouging.

However, illegally reselling at a bottle shop is a dick move. You're essentially telling other local bottle shops that they need to play by your illegal tactics or lose out on a good chunk of the market. Plus, these guys have shown their true colors after being called out by several breweries.

 

It's actually not an OH sour, OH just brought up some J.Wakefield bottles. Apparently, they're only a few bucks more than what they were at the brewery.

 

Also, pizza tekus.

 

I'd be lying if I said I didn't want that teku

 

Might be my first teku purchase...

However, just got here 11:15 and they only have about 15 wristbands left for bottles of cuvée.

 

Jokes on me for assuming I'd roll up and grab a 4-pack with no line.

 

Other Half really knows how to stir up demand!

...for glassware and beer from other breweries lol

 

JWB is a brewery I really don’t get. I’d been before and my wife and I went the other night after dinner nearby. Their beer is solid but nothing special. But then what I’ve had isn’t their rar stuff so maybe that’s why [winky face]. If they were in NYC I doubt I would go much.

 

Fuck the teku, that Becher glass is smoking.

 

above it said the wristbands were for the bottles. they still have cans left or will they all be gone once the line is done?

 

Unsure. Didnt want to wait; schlepped my ass over to Threes.

 

Good amount left for both cans, plus all glassware. No line. Glassware looks better in person.

 

No line and plenty of cans, but I think all the J Wakefield is gone?

 

Super happy with this release. Pilsner is very dry but solid execution. Feel like it’s a brewer’s brew (even though I don’t brew). Had a little bit of time to kill so I lined up for the j Wakefield bottles. Dollar slice is a little harsh but will round out nicely in a week or two. Glad to have the classic other half hop assault with no lactose.