Bruery RS/HS Allocations (2019)

I'll start by saying i am not saying "your beer isn't infected", but I'm a little confused how a beer that was bottled Feb 2018 is just starting to show infection a year later? I have had some infected beers (who hasn't?) but shouldn't it be infected by now, or not? My biggest sample size (the BCBS debacle where I had ~3c of stout and about a case of BW) pretty much was undrinkable in like 2 months. I just started opening them all, and they all smelled exactly the same, terrible (all mine were from bad dates, but I had 3 different bad dates - lucky me). I know not all beers or infections are the same, but that seems odd to me. Again not saying you're wrong, just that I would expect it to be very infected or not at all. Trying to help not give you a hard time.

 

Especially with the higher ABV of WCC, it might take a while for the infecting agent (yeast, bacteria, whatever) to work, since they'd be under considerable stress. So it wouldn't be too surprising for it to be a slower process than might be expected.

FWIW, this forum seems to avoid a lot of the false-infection scares I see in other places. I swear, at least once a month someone on the trading group claims Space Trace is infected since it doesn't taste as coconut-y as it did on release... Sigh...

 

I'm not a scientist, maybe it was as infected as it was going to get. On the scale of full blown rancid/sour, it could have been much worse. It seems over the years, Bruery has really struggled with White Chocolate. Issues didn't take immediate effect but did occur over time and frequently. All I know for certain, is my bottle was no good, nothing like when I had it last year.

 

Right on. It's a bummer to get a bunk bottle, that's for sure.

The Bruery has taken care of me the couple times it's happened, when I had bought the bottle directly, from a store bought bottle they sent me some merch which I guess is all they can do in that case.

You probably already have, but definitely reach out to them. I had some problems with BT Port and they took care of me immediately. They have (IMO at least) the most extensive barrel aging problem in the beer world. I think they have a pretty damn good (amazing even) batting average overall, other than WC variants for whatever reason, considering the amount of barrels they fill with beer.

 

Touché

 

omg, not intended but yes funny!

 

I opened the one bottle of WCC I had a few months ago after the first report of possible infection. While I thought it was a little tangy, it was not infected. YMMV.

 

Can you elaborate the minimum threshold?


1k, 2k, 3k?

I didn't get an email yesterday, surprised.

Did any?

 

In one response he said ‘tomorrow’ and another after that said ‘next week’. I think he forgot yesterday was Friday and meant the next weekday (Monday) in his ‘tomorrow’ response.

 

Got it, thanks.

 

Interesting. Thanks.

 

Boom. And just like that, two more Apfelsap. I think this really proves the point that "saddling" members with a beer they are "meh" on takes it out of the hands of folks who are excited for it. That said, I would not make surprise switches like this the norm. Only as a response to (hopefully very rare) production shortages.

That said, I'm curious what people think: for limited beers that are included with membership (where allocations are only one or two bottles), if you're truly excited about that beer would you rather have it NOT included in membership and have to buy it (but have the option to buy more), or do you prefer mostly just accept included bottles and stick to that.

For example, something like BT Reserve last year where two bottles came with HS membership and we were allowed one bottle for purchase (I'm sure there were beers where RS had similar limitations). Would you have preferred it NOT be included and perhaps have a purchase allocation of 4-5 bottles instead? You'd net out with more bottles of the thing you really wanted, but would spend more and potentially also end up with included bottles you didn't love. Thoughts?

 

Yay, snagged 2 more apfelsap.

Woot!

I am perfectly fine with a bottle NOT included, but an option to buy more instead. i.e. BT reserve 4-5 bottles instead of 2 included , + 1 to buy.

 

Lol I also opened my WCC this past weekend. No issues! although I wasn't a huge fan of it. Not sure why but I like the regular version better.

 

I'd rather settle for just the included bottles. I'm in the camp that's trying to cut back because I have too many bottles already. It's better to have a smaller allocation of an exciting bottle than be saddled with more bottles I don't want. To me that's like those liquor stores that force you to buy 3-4 other items in order to buy a hype bottle.

 

I don't know. I was thinking about it and coming up with solutions but realized every solution would have its portion of contrarians. I wouldn't say those aggrieved wouldn't have legitimate gripes but the bruery probably know they won't be able to make everyone happy, so they (bruery) just go with what's easiest to them.

I think I'd prefer a voucher system and multiple small allocations along with realistic expectations of availability in terms of supply vs limits. For really small supply vs expected demand situations, the method with the Hoarder Special releases could be utilized--though not perfect, it might help get product into hands of those that are most excited.

There could be laws/regulations against this voucher thing, so that might be part of why they don't do it...or that it's just an added headache they can avoid at the cost of online forum griping and email responses. Again, since they can't make everyone happy, they just go with an easier to them solution.

 

Sounds like it’s time to end your membership if you have too many bottles

 

Just like the guys saying they were glad there was absolutely nothing to buy in January. I didn't join the club to not get anything out of it for an entire month.

 

I'm not sure I agree with what you're saying here- how can they Bruery know "which bottles you don't want" even if you think they are planning on "saddling you" with beers you'd never willingly buy? If they didn't think anyone was going to want it, I don't think they'd make it in the first place.

The real question is: should they (1) make the included beers ones that "anyone" would like: BT, GM, OTwC, "the classics", and then make the new unproven stuff add on purchases that you aren't guaranteed. Or (2) make the new, weirder stuff that no one knows if they'll be good and/or popular, the included beers, and not make people who are long time members who already have a storage unit full of BT/GM/OTwC, take more of those as included beers.

You're basically saying I only want the "exciting" (bottles that you personally read the description for and are excited by) to be included, and none of the junk. That's different for every person so you're basically asking them to read your mind and potentially make different packages for every member, which is why option (1) where they include the beers they know people like (even though you may already have), and you add on the ones you may or may not like, is much more reasonable/ easily executed.