Is $4$ is broken?

I feel like $4$ should be more of a guide rather than a hard and fast rule. This works real well with loose trades (with someone you're comfortable with) where you just agree to send a $40 box or something along those lines.

Another example would be for bottles with a much higher price point (ie - Stille Nacht Riserva '10, Rare, new DDG batch, etc). I would expect to give up a relatively equal cost, unless we're talking vintage or rarer beers where $ value means nothing.

Finally, the last trade I did, neither of us mentioned anything about the money and just traded 3 bottles and 1 glass each straight up, no questions asked. No stress, no nonsense.

 

It's not broken, some people are.

Gas, time,shipping cost, and temperature are NOT factors. Age, retired status, and bottle count/limits could POSSIBLY be factored. People bitch about $4$ all the time, but some beers (especially retired or brewery only) can and will go either above $4$ OR for another retired or brewery only, or both. If I'd be willing to spend the money on it....for example: SH Peconic is retired and a low bottle count. So it may have cost $15ish at release, but I was more than willing to way over $4$ in that case. I see nothing wrong with that.

Now, when there is a brand new release, unproven taste, and multiples available...that can get tricky. I just try to ignore the douche nozzles that try to exort everything they can form a semi limited or rareish beer. Shame on you douche nozzles, you know who you are.....

 

I use it (like xnicknj said) more of a guideline. I try to keep it close, but only if it is shelf beer. If it is something a little more rare, then I don't really pay attention to it. I just like to make sure both sides are happy with the deal. If someone is expecting me to match exactly, even with my rarer beers, then I usually find someone else to trade with.

 

I hear you on that. If I buy beers at one shop, I know it will be a couple bucks more than another. I go there because it is close to my work and I can easily hit it up on my way home. I take that extra off when I am talking about the price. That being said, I rarely remember what I actually spent and often have to look it up if someone asks.

 

$4$ works fine for some trades and doesn't for others, but I've nearly always found it useful.

 

If somebody suggests this, you tell them "no thanks, that's not how this community works". People will only try that if other people agree to it, and those that agree to it are fools who deserve what they get. Not to mention, this is a giant warning sign that you're going to get zero/shitty extras, and not somebody you're going to want to form a trading relationship with. So you run away.

As for "overpaid", it's much more of a gray area. I think it really depends on the beer. KBS is an odd duck because 4-pack prices really do regularly run the gamut from $20-$40. So while I wouldn't go $40 there, I might go $25-$30. Somebody trying to get $30 on a BCBS variant because their local store marked it up so much? No thank you to that - go find somebody else to screw over.

 

i use $4$ for a guideline, then factor in rarity, etc. for instance, i'm currently looking for an Armand & Tommy and have had several offers because i'm offering a new Block 15 release that holds 400 and 800 bottle counts. these bottles go for $7 and $8 each with a limit of 4/person. people are asking me for upwards of 4 each ($60 value) for their $35 bottle with a ~3000 bottle count. is it just me, or is that too high of a request? i have been actively offering two bottles of each + solid locals that would add up to almost $60. i'm more than willing to go over in value, but not quantity of such low price/low availability bottles.

 

I don't really pay much attention to $4$. I'm happy to go way over if I'm getting something I really want, and going over tends to get the trade done quickly without much negotiating hassle, e.g. I recently sent $65 of limited release bombers in exchange for a limited release 4-pack that cost roughly $25. I was very happy to get what I wanted, and my trade partner was equally happy with what I sent to him. Also, I usually state in my ISOs that I don't care about $4$ - that way, anyone looking at the trade proposition knows that I'm aware of being over and that they have know obligation to make up the differential (because I'm completely okay with it).

 

I think with this one you are in a sticky spot because I would guess very few people offering it to you got it at a cost of $35. I may be wrong, but I don't think any bottles hit US distribution.

 

agreed. i think a decent amount of it is from the big load that hit Canada a while back. maybe those who were able to literally buy cases of the stuff are either hoarding it or inflating the value, which in turn makes for a more inflated value when retrading. I have had offers from people in Canada, but the international shipping makes it a waste to only get one or two bottles in return. I am working out a few IP trades for when i visit Belgium that will land me one or two at close to cost, so i will probably hold out for a few months. just wanting to make sure i'm not giving the impression i'm trying to "win" or lowball someone on the perceived value of the bottle.

 

I use it because a lot of the times I'm looking for multiple items that can come in many different combinations. If I don't state that I'm looking for $4$ I expect accusations of auctioning. If I state $4$ no one can say it's an auction style IOS:FT.

 

I just traded a case of bcbs that cost me $160 for a beer with an original retail of $30. I thought I came out just fine. It all depends and each trade is different.

 

Shelf beers are obviously $4$, as are special releases that aren't particularly limited. Limited releases depending on what it is and who your dealing with varies. How bad do you or he want something?

 

$4$ is a flawed system. For example: BA Behemoth = $40 brewery only, and limited. Compared to Moas $20 brewery only, and somewhat limited (I think). Personally, assuming the ratings are close, these beers should trade 1:1. I can't help that 3 floyds screws people on price. That's not my fault...both beers are great, limited, barrel aged, etc just one brewery decided to srew someone and the other didn't...this premise keeps me thinking that $4$ is flawed.

 

exactly. so with that mentality this is a fair trade, and that's why $4$ is flawed.

 

This is a poor comparison. Pelican shipped a case of MOAS to my door. They would have shipped more if I wanted it. That shit should trade like those Bruery reserve society turds.

And BA Behemoth is brewed by Nick Floyd, bro! The only man alive who can turn soy sauce into liquid white whale oil by putting it into a barrel. When he puts a decent base beer into a barrel you gotta give up whales, man.

But really, you're talking about trading a way less limited beer for way more limited beer that costs twice as much. If it was the other way around and MOAS was way more limited than BA Behemoth, you might have an argument. In this case, you don't. If you think the beer is too expensive, don't trade for it.