Ballast Point this Summer

I don't disagree. Statement made mostly because of the quick 180 on Avery for a new brewery when it seemed people genuinely enjoyed their beer. Just don't want craft beer to turn into the hipster music scene where everyone is chasing the next great band every few months

 

Here's hoping we eventually get Tongue Buckler on the shelves here.

 

Yeah, our lives would really start to suck if Toppling Goliath came to MN.

 

So then I'm assuming its safe to say Hype Brewery x>Toppling Goliath>Ballast Point>Avery with the progression of breweries everyone wants to see coming here. It's great to see everyone wants to enjoy great beer but that was the point I was trying to make. Every month it seems like its always "If only so & so brewery came to MN we'd be set" thread. I don't mind that they do come to MN but like I said its so easy for some to dismiss a brewery they were lamenting over (in this case Avery) to chase another beer truck around town to get beer from another brewery. As I said fine, great come to MN but I'm sticking to the guys that have already been making great beer for us here.

 

You're the only one I see trying to rank them in some way... I read the Avery comments more like "See, screw 'em we don't need 'em". Nothing wrong with that mentality I don't think.

 

I wasn't trying to rank the breweries. As far as I'm concerned they are interchangeable as how they were listed. It was more so to illustrate how easy it is to bring another brewery into the discussion. Hopefully everyone gets to enjoy these beers. I guess I'm just more reluctant to give love to another new brewery entering MN when I really enjoy a lot of the breweries in our state. I know the argument is you can always enjoy both but my preference is to enjoy the MN breweries so as to help them grow. Yeah skipping a Steel Toe to try a Ballast probably won't cause much harm but if the majority of craft lovers are doing the same thing as a collective that's a fair amount of beer not being poured at Steel Toe.

 

Agreed. I certainly buy way more volume of MN beers than non-MN beers, but I enjoy the fact that craft-centric MN is attracting more world-class craft distribution. Increased selection is good for consumers and helps encourage quality output from local breweries. I know it's been said many times over, but with such a quality local market in MN, new breweries can't survive here if they don't put out an excellent product. Win-win.

 

Why wait, head on down to Hastings and you can get some Ballast Point right now!

Avery is temporarily leaving Minnesota due to capacity issues, not due to lagging sales (although I'm sure that if we were one of their stronger markets we would not be getting cut). They are pulling out of several states until their new brewery expansion is complete. Is it possible that they don't come back? Yes. Probable? No. Avery has been around for a while, they grew their brand organically, they never really "blew up" until recently. Their "Annual Barrel Series" has garnered them attention from Uber geeks anew.

 

If you want more Steel Toe poured then they need to move to a 12oz format to bring the price down. I see that as a much bigger limiting factor than a new brewery coming to town.

 

I'll agree with you on that. That would be great news for everyone!

 

More variety is good. If a new brewery comes to town, (or starts up in town) and it sucks. It won't sell, and it'll fade away. So bring the beers. Bring ALL the beers. Let the chips fall where they may.

 

I was thinking about Stone recently. Was totally jazzed about getting Stone here, because I no longer had to trade for Stone. But it occurred to me that I don't buy much Stone anymore, and I probably wouldn't really miss them if they left. Hell, I'll miss Avery even less. But I'm glad they came, so we could try them.

 

The key difference here is that Avery has never brewed anything on par with Sculpin.

 

Glad you brought this up because its exactly what I'm talking about. Everyone was jacked about Stone coming and we all agreed how much we'd be enjoying it & I can't even remember the last time I bought one either. Stone is making beers at the next level and I'd be curious how sales are now. What's to say that Toppling Goliath comes to MN & the same thing won't happen with them. Everyone forgets about it after 18 months & the next "great" brewery comes. Cue the DFH coming to MN thread.

 

Arrrrgghhhhhhh! Bring on the Victory At Sea!!

 

BA is the only place where I've ever seen enthusiasts of a product complain about more choices in said product and easier acquisition of said product (Sunday sales).

 

Pretty sure that pale ale is suffering a bit as the hops might have faded some.

 

Just pretend it made the journey around the horn of Africa like a classic IPA... Ten times over.

 

I never lamented over losing Avery. However, I love me some Victory at Sea.