Stone Enjoy by IPA: 12.21.12 coming to MA

I really enjoyed this while I was in CO, so I'm really looking forward to it. I didn't get to try it in a bottle, so I'm hoping to grab at least a sixer of these when they get here. I was hoping for one of these threads so I can get an update whenever it hits anywhere in MA. Is there an expected date for it to hit yet?

 

According to the Stone FB page "Stone Enjoy By 12.21.12 IPA will be bottled, loaded and shipped on Friday, November 16."

So knowing how things work in our lovely Commonwealth....we should see it on shelves right around 12/22...

 

One more reason why I'm glad I live 45 minutes from the Massachusetts border. Is it being distributed anywhere else other than Massachusetts?

 

Whoa.

 

This will really be a test for distributors and stores. I know they will probably treat this differently but I'll be surprised if they handle this as intended. Unless it's super limited, in which case it shouldn't be that difficult to get it out and sold by 12/21. We shall see.

 

I wish I knew how much of this would be around. I'm not gonna run around like crazy looking for it, but if I see it, I'll most certainly try it. But heck, just found fresh MBC Lunch, so I'm fine with missing it if it comes down to that.

 

Not too much insider knowledge, but I'd look for it at the same places that got Lucky Bastard and the Stone Mint Chocolate collab, and probably in similar amounts (based on what stores in other areas got in previous batches).

 

Maybe BA Grover (Stone New England Rep) can chime in re. locations? I'd like to try this but I'm not driving all over Eastern MA.

 

It will arrive the week of Thanksgiving... Check out www.stonebrew.com/enjoyby to see the map of where it will be....and remember when you find it tweet about it using #Enjoyby #MA

Cheers,
Jeff Nelson
Stone Brewing Co.
New England Sales rep.

 

Public allocations? The wave of the future? That map is pretty sweet.

 

If you're on the South Shore, I'd say Granite Liquors in Weymouth would be a great bet to find it.

 

OK. Now I know exactly who'll have it...now I need to find out the exact DAY it'll show up for sale. The shop near me who is getting it is sometimes a little cute about when they get something vs. when they will actually sell it. I would hope something like this goes straight up for sale the day they get it. Sometimes they hold stuff in the back and refuse to sell it until the "official" for sale date begins. "Oh yeah - we have that," they'll say. "But it isn't going on the shelves until next week. It's not in the system yet." I have heard that one several times. I guess things like this happen with the bigger chains sometimes. Hopefully this case is different.

 

Aren't stores supposed to keep it held back until the official release date set by the brewery? Or am I misreading/misinterpreting your post?

 

Yes. You are misreading my post. I sometimes go to a store, and they sometimes tell me they have an item in the back. I ask for some. They sometimes tell me that said item won't be entered into their computer system for another week. I don't like it. I sometimes drive to another store that same day where I find the same item I went looking for. The item is prominently available on shelves. I buy some. The same day. I was talking about the store's release date. Not the brewery's. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Gotcha. Yeh that would bug me too.

 

Unless you know for sure the store is being "cute" about not putting it out, I would guess they physically can't sell it to you until the proper manager/owner whatever adds the item to the software, sets the price, and links it to the UPC. The ability to add and remove items from inventory is generally reserved for people fairly high up in the employee chain.

 

Yeah, that's exactly my problem. That's exactly what I mean about being "cute". I have no problem with the kid who can't sell it, but I do with his boss.They have inventory sitting in the back that can be sold immediately, but the people "fairly high up the food chain" would rather not put it out just yet for various reasons. I have a basic understanding of how retail sales work. As you say, they "physically can't sell it until the proper manger/store owner whatever adds the item to the softwar, sets the price, and links it to the UPC". I get it. Obviously. But any store that needs a week to "physically" put the item into the system is a bit detached from what some of their customers actually want, especially high demand items. If, for example, they get a giant pallet of SA Boston Lager, I can see them taking a week to move it out front, as they probably already have stock on the floor to sell. But if, for example, a Stone or Founders or what-have-you limited release sits in the back, then I think they are making a mistake. Customers, myself included, just get it somewhere else. Some well-run stores understand this and get the high demand items out for sale quickly despite having to enter UPC codes. That's my point. Some stores, particlarly the large chain stores, aren't always aware of what some of their customers want. Big stores with large "food chains" are sometimes very inefficient.

 

There's usually a 24 hour turnaround period for me when I get in a new product that isn't in the system. I can't fill out a product creation sheet with just one new product at a time (unless there's only one new product in that week) so I end up having to wait for all the trucks to come in. Once I get the sheet filled out and faxed to the main offices the product is usually in the system by the end of the following day. Usually. It can get a little frustrating since I have extremely limited space designated for beer in the back.