Side Project Brewing (2025)

Not sure I have the context on this lol... what are you hoping I could weigh in on? The likelihood of success of a suit based on misleading LC promises?

 

Ok but it is a pretty great bit to increase the LC price this year and then offer almost nothing.

 

I’ll keep it short - litigation sounds ridiculous. I’m not saying everything is nearly perfect, but there’s an exit door headed our way (LC members) very soon. We don’t like it, we leave.

 

I agree, I think it would be silly. The point wasn't whether anyone should (they shouldn't), but whether they are actually culpable. Is LC just complaining, or were we legitimately deceived and harmed? It feels like they would be found liable in court. If this wasn't a small brewery and instead there was a similar act committed by a national company on a national scale, it feels a lot like they'd get sued. Suppose Ford or any other car company allowed you to buy into a membership for the opportunity to buy rare cars that are invite-only and not offered to the public. It doesn't seem far fetched to imagine a case would be brought in court.

@William_Navidson I know you're a lawyer, I figured you'd be able to weigh in on this. I mean, we can all complain, but at the end of the day if they couldn't be found legally liable, we're all complaining when we should know better and shut up about it. Just don't renew. But if they harmed consumers, I honestly don't feel bad about complaining (and if complaining harms SP), and I don't think anyone else should either.

 

Maybe "Door Guy" can chime in as to why SP hates LC members so much

 

They're not liable for anything. Nothing they said in their "membership benefits" was inaccurate - the defense is as simple as "we value the free beers they received, the glass, and the initial access to all beers that were eventually offered to the public, as well as the sunday discount, at or in excess of the membership price."

Done. Over.

 

I’ve already contacted my lawyer. Watch out Cory.

 

Ah, that makes a little more sense thanks — but yeah, this is waaaay outside of my legal expertise. In my casual, layperson opinion I think a suit along these lines -accusing SP of deception- would be pretty tough to pursue successfully, but I’m also not super familiar with the actual promises that SP makes. If it’s nothing more than innuendo about “rare bottles” I think it’d be far-fetched.

I’ve also seen far, far more egregious treatment of “reserve society” memberships where breweries simply don’t follow through on promises (anyone familiar with the Sole/Separatist saga?) that are more worthy of scorn. Unfortunately an industry like craft beer where small operations blow up overnight is ripe for that type of fraud.

 

Nothing is more patriotic than litigation

 

don't forget LC also gets the little booklet with pictures and words

 

What do the rest of you do with that when you get that? Just throw it away with the rest of the junk mail?

 

You have to leave it out for long enough to anger your wife first

 

The fact we are even having crazy conversations like the above tells you just how bad of a year it’s been for the LC. I mean, there is legitimate conversation above of SUING the brewery. Lol.

 

Distribution to Wisconsin coming soon

 

That's the thing - they don't promise anything limited / rare. A lot of the perceived value of LC by consumers is what has been offered to LC in the past, either solely to LC or as a pre-sale to LC prior to a public release.

I'm not sure how you prove or compare that in court, but I'm not remotely close to being a lawyer.

 

DBD Artifact to go Wednesday
DB Generational 2025 to go Thursday
DBD Willett 2025 to go Friday

 

Official coterie membership perks from the sign up email. The litigation discussion is ridiculous

What is included in the 2024 Membership:

• Included Beers (Included Beers are covered in your membership cost and will be available for you to reserve online and claim for $0 throughout the year.)

• First Opportunity on A LOT of Side Project beer (Yes, lots of Stouts and Barleywines!)

• La Coterie Only Beers

• A La Coterie Member Glass

• A La Coterie Member Book

• La Coterie Only Parties

• Vintage Pop-Up Sales and LC branded merch!

• A Virtual Tasting with Cory & Team

• Member Discount on Sundays -15% Off Everything!

 

At first I thought it was them opening a second location in WI, and hoped for a reciprocal agreement with New Glarus.

 

This isn't the end of it either - weekend to-go releases still to be announced, so there's a few more beers coming that LC isn't getting