Where did all the KBS go?

Can someone with more time then I make a meme with Paula Cole asking "where has all the KBS gone?"

 

funny post, I'd be happy to trade 2 with you (if you cant find any). PM me, im sure we can work something out relatively easily.

 

This past Monday I stopped at a store near my office, as I often due, to pick up a can of Diet Vernors (because its awesome) peruse the beer selection and casually inquire about his allocation of KBS. As luck would have it I noticed a gentleman taking careful stock of the craft beer and guessed this was the local craft distribution rep, which turned out correct. So I asked the owner about KBS and since the rep was standing in the store he turned the question over to him. 100% unverified here, so take it for what it's worth, but he said they only received 300+ cases of KBS for SE Michigan this year. I'll spare you the rest of the details, but it ended with the owner of the store basically begging him for more than one case and promising to sell me a 4 pack if he was lucky to get any.

Fast forward to today, and he came through with a 4 pack for me at a fair price, but seemed a little disappointed that he really did end up with only one case. I also purchased another can of Diet Vernors, for anyone that is interested.

Ever since the BPT ticket debacle my beer friends and I have gotten into some heated discussions regarding Founders and their operating practices. The BPT fiasco was honestly not their fault, if you choose to ignore the name on the ticket aspect. I'll probably forever be a Founders fan, Breakfast Stout was my gateway beer, but telling everyone you are going to triple production all while significantly expanding your distribution footprint only serves to supply the additional markets.

With that said, I am of the opinion that Founders owes us nothing. Would I love more KBS? Yes, of course, who the hell wouldn't? But at the end of the day Founders is a business who, as it turns out, enjoys making money as well as world class beers. Their flagship beers are good to great. Their class II and III beers are awesome. Maybe one day production will meet demand, but that's probably a ways off. They are continually expanding the brewery, so maybe its not as far off as we think.

At least I never have to worry about access to Diet Vernors.

 

After reading all the above I consider my self lucky in that my source just called me to tell me he had a single bottle for me. He told me per his distributor, that Texas got the lion share of the product.
Between this and one four pack of Bourbon county and no Blackout Stout, I am ready to give up. There was a shit load of Breakfast Stout this year. Heck I just picked up a case for 6.99 per four pack. Maybe I could do a bourbon boilermaker with it and pine for the good old days.
What I have been turning to that is pretty good is Frog Island's Devil in the Details Bourbon Stout. At 7.99 for a 750 it is pretty good

 

vernors does make the best ginger ale

 

Vernors is barrel-aged, you guys. I hope the next Backstage release is MBS (Michigander Breakfast Stout), a stout aged in emptied Vernors barrels.

 

ISO: Vernor BA Anything FT: My most sincere thanks

 

call me a hot blonde (please!), but perhaps there will be a second wave?

 

Hahahaha....oh wait, you were serious?

 

Here's to what people are referencing to about the X3 production of 2013 KBS.
http://foundersbrewing.com/latest-news/2012/kbs-release-party-update-looking-ahead/

given, this was a year ago.

 

FWIW, several stores I have spoken with haven't even received theirs yet. From what I have gathered, a limited amount of stores have received it (in Chicago). This is based off of checking about 6 stores.

 

I want to try the Vernor's from my youth, when it was (presumably) still barrel-aged (oaked?) and not artificially flavored. (Seems like being a lifelong Vernor's drinker prepared me for beer? A la "this year isn't as good as last year's" comments.)

I'd also like to try some KBS one of these days. As a Michigan expat I'm jealous from afar!

 

Im known for my eternal optimism!

damnit... just sneezed. definitely got swine flu

 

I think that was referring specifically to the brewery sales, not distribution. Which, having gone each of the past two years, I can say without question that this year was a dramatic improvement. No getting in line at 4 a.m., only to find out that we might miss the cut, then finding out that they were halving the allotment and seeing people freak out about it. Just waltzed right up, paid for my beer, and I was on my way.

 

Funny thing is, I actually didn't even try to buy tickets. By chance, a friend who did buy tickets was unable to go, and asked if I wanted them, knowing I planned to head up that way anyway for the event and a bottle share with some friends. Perhaps I was just lucky this year.

 

According to this post, down in the comments the Founders contact says that is not the case and I certainly hope they didn't send it all down to Texas.