Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye returns (CA / NC online only)

Apparently this was even more popular. I see the bock and the ruthless are still available onsite at their gift shop, but that’s inaccessible to most.

 

I work for one of the large shippers and right now Costs are going up because of the pandemic. Which has driven a huge influx in the business to consumer market. UPS, FDX and usps are all at full capacity or more. It’s like Christmas everyday. Many businesses weren’t open or people didn’t want to go out due to risk so everyone is shipping their purchases. Also, the highest cost is business to consumer and also there is a $4+ for getting a signature because it takes the delivery driver more time to check ID and signature.

but breweries could be charing extra and using it as a small revenue stream.

 

While I agree with your observations, my experience with shipping costs was pre-pandemic. They were already pretty shocking.

 

I think this is a product of the market we've helped to create... so if there's blame, we can't exclude ourselves from the picture. Consider how much more local beer folks collectively drink at the moment compared to the recent past. While a few consumers might feel like they are being increasingly ignored by Sierra Nevada, surely SN might feel like they are being increasingly ignored by consumers buying a lot of their beer from brewers in their own state.

Yeah. And they even installed a new pilot canning line for this venture. They might be doing one release per month or so. Made me wonder if the bigger goal behind it is something more intangible than whatever profit it directly provides (which obviously won't be much of anything in the big picture). I wonder if they are hoping that it adds a little something to their brand value in the long run (but it sure seems to be backfiring in that regard when it comes to the BA forums).

 

I really don't understand these trends. A huge, independent brewery expands and then shortly after the expansion this happens. Oskar Blues does it too. I know there are others as well, but I can't remember exactly which ones.

 

A

oh I’m definitely part of the problem because I buy local the majority of the times. I still do buy SN enough that I wouldn’t say I ignore them. I buy Oktoberfest and Celebration every year. I’ve bought variety packs just to get certain styles, I’ve bought pale ale cans for parties.
Sad (or funny) enough if they put this up for $18 a 4-pack (I would hope maybe $16) in my local, I’d buy it without thinking about it. And, yes rest of the country, that’s what it’s like to live in the NYC metro area. That’s what I’d expect to pay even for SN.

 

So I bought a six-pack of Summer Break today -- partly because I wanted to try it for my own knowledge, partly because of this thread.

It's definitely a beer for the IPA crowd; piny and citrusy all over, but only vaguely bitter. The lightest amount of sweet malts balance the hop flavors well, but really? It's nothing terribly special.

Sales metrics (especially compared to Summerfest) will be interesting to see -- very telling of the market, I'm sure.

 

Lots of prices are spiking. Shipping has always been a big piece of beer pricing, through every tier of distribution. Look for price increases everywhere.

 

Oh yeah, that's an understatement -- if you're the household grocery shopper you've seen it over the last 6 months.

But again, my observation on shipping costs was from experiences almost 2 years ago -- well before COVID.

 

Oh yeah. So many grocery essentials continue to creep upward in price. With beer, shipping costs were really so fickle years ago that is was difficult to keep consistent margins, not knowing what the bill may end up being. It was a battle then and I suppose it is no less so now......

 

This is a bummer. I can't believe that Ruthless wouldn't sell well in national distribution. Where's the hesitancy SN?

 

Oh man, I never had this but it sounds great. I love rye being applied in pretty much any beer style, and I can only imagine that SN does a superb job of it. A damn shame it won't hit anywhere close to me

 

No shit. I have been waiting to see this beer show up maybe in one of their fall samplers or something. I'm gonna go pout now.

 

SN does not do seasonal samplers now, only variety packs (i.e. 3 IPAs and Pale).

 

*shakes fist at the sky* is my only response.

 

And I'd have zero problem paying $5.50 a pint at a pub or taproom.