Some "year-round" beers I've never seen on a shelf

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Immortale25, Aug 9, 2013.

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  1. Immortale25

    Immortale25 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,775) May 13, 2011 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    GD Saint Bridget's Porter
    Southampton IPA (I see the Burton IPA all the time but never the regular)
    North Coast Old Plowshare Stout
    Bell's Oarsman and Pale Ale
    Avery Out of Bounds Stout

    I was going over my wants list wondering why these offerings are year-round yet I've never seen a single one on a shelf or in a bar. I know some breweries like to keep certain beers local or available at the brewery/brewpub only (like Dogfish's Shelter Pale) but, based on the large number of reviews these beers have, you would think I'd see them at some point or another. Does anyone have any insight as to why these particular beers don't get wide distribution? Am I missing out on anything special with these? Are there any beers you've wanted to try that are year-round but you're clueless as to why you can get most of that brewery's beers but not that one? Just to give an idea of what distro areas I've been in, I've resided in Delaware, Miami and now New Orleans.

    Note: I know that Bell's Oarsman and Pale Ale are pretty infamous for being just straight-up not good, but you'd still think if they were gonna keep making it why not distribute it? Plus, I want to make my own assessment on the quality...and get the tick of course.
     
    #1 Immortale25, Aug 9, 2013
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  2. Ljudsignal

    Ljudsignal Initiate (0) Jul 19, 2013 Massachusetts

    We've got OOBS in my store in Massachusetts...mind you, the son of the store's owner runs the distro company that handles Avery, so that might explain it a bit :stuck_out_tongue:

    Regarding that one, though, I honestly don't have any idea. I was under the impression that Avery's core range had a fairly wide distribution, certainly wide enough to reach into Delaware...

    EDIT: Pretty sure we've got the Southampton too, now that I think about it...Bell's not so much, but to my knowledge they don't distribute to MA at all, so there's that.
     
    #2 Ljudsignal, Aug 9, 2013
  3. fredmugs

    fredmugs Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2012 Indiana

    I've never heard of the first 3. I have had both Bell's but I'm a lot closer than you are and I got the Avery when I was in Denver.

    Oarsman isn't worth the tick.
     
    #3 fredmugs, Aug 9, 2013
  4. mverity

    mverity Initiate (0) Oct 6, 2012 Florida

    Heady Topper
     
    #4 mverity, Aug 9, 2013
    GeorgiaBeerGuy and Ljudsignal like this.
  5. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,647) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    Oarsman is more like a 4% Berliner Weisse that some love, including my wife and me - we lived in Germany, so that is going for it.
    Some don't lie it because it is sour.

    The Pale Ale ale is more like ht you get in England, as it is balanced. I like this one sometimes.

    I find it a sign of the times that beers that fit into some classic style classifications are considered straight up not good. Sigh!
     
    #5 hopfenunmaltz, Aug 9, 2013
    wonothesane42 likes this.
  6. Feel_the_Darkness

    Feel_the_Darkness Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2012 Virginia

    Oarsman is good. Other opinions are lies.
     
    #6 Feel_the_Darkness, Aug 9, 2013
    beercanman, RobertColianni, joelwlcx and 3 others like this.
  7. MIbeerGUY

    MIbeerGUY Initiate (0) Sep 18, 2012 Michigan

    Love Oarsman
     
    #7 MIbeerGUY, Aug 9, 2013
    beercanman, RobertColianni, dcs1548 and 1 other person like this.
  8. BlueRogue

    BlueRogue Initiate (0) May 1, 2011 Maine

    I never see Sierra Nevada Kellerweis in Maine anymore. I remember seeing it a couple of years ago but not since.
     
    #8 BlueRogue, Aug 9, 2013
  9. Immortale25

    Immortale25 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,775) May 13, 2011 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Was just going off the BA scores and have heard people bash it before. See, if they're good I wanna try them but why don't they distribute them to Florida where I could get pretty much all other Bell's regularly.
     
    #9 Immortale25, Aug 9, 2013
  10. Kinsman

    Kinsman Maven (1,457) Aug 26, 2009 Nevada

    I know for a fact that some breweries and/or distributors choose not to sell the full year-round lineup in certain markets. In NH for example, we don't get Sierra Nevada Stout, yet we get everything else from them. Stone distributes their flagships, but we don't get other year-rounds like Sublimely Self-Righteaous. Firestone Walker only distributes Union Jack, and their Reserve series but no Pale, DBA, or anything else like that.

    So, depending on where you live, you're up for a mixed bag from any brewery. Every brewery is going to tackle expansion differently, so I've learned to just be thankful for what I do get.
     
    #10 Kinsman, Aug 9, 2013
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  11. Evoforen

    Evoforen Initiate (0) Jun 9, 2013 North Carolina

    I cannot find DFH Shelter Pale Ale where I live. Not sure why.
     
    #11 Evoforen, Aug 9, 2013
  12. AlienSwineFlu

    AlienSwineFlu Savant (1,135) Dec 14, 2012 Ohio

    Agreed with Bell's Oarsman, saw that today for the first time and promptly picked up a bottle. I;ll update as to how it is...
     
    #12 AlienSwineFlu, Aug 9, 2013
  13. NoLeafClover44

    NoLeafClover44 Initiate (0) Feb 24, 2011 Delaware

    They no longer bottle Shelter Pale Ale. It pops up sporadically on tap, frequently at the brewery. BA lists it as retired.
     
    #13 NoLeafClover44, Aug 9, 2013
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  14. Danny1217

    Danny1217 Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2011 Florida

    I don't think Bell's distributes those beers too much. I've never seen them in Florida either.
     
    #14 Danny1217, Aug 9, 2013
  15. Stugotzo

    Stugotzo Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2012 Florida

    Where's all this Westy 12 I heard those Belgian monks were sending our way? :angry:
     
    #15 Stugotzo, Aug 9, 2013
    Roguer likes this.
  16. vince4953529

    vince4953529 Pundit (933) Sep 28, 2006 California

    Never seen Victory St. Boisterous in CA.
     
    #16 vince4953529, Aug 9, 2013
  17. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    I don't think we get every beer Victory makes.
     
    #17 UCLABrewN84, Aug 9, 2013
  18. WYVYRN527

    WYVYRN527 Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2007 Minnesota

    We only get certain Victory releases here in Minnesota as well. Hop Devil, Prima Pils, Storm King, Golden Monkey, and some seasonals.
     
    #18 WYVYRN527, Aug 9, 2013
  19. ThirstyFace

    ThirstyFace Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2013 New York

    Apart from random bombers, Cigar City is almost non existent in NYC these days.
     
    #19 ThirstyFace, Aug 9, 2013
  20. ThirstyFace

    ThirstyFace Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2013 New York

    Used to be like that in NY but Victory is using a new distributor and now we get everything. Can't wait for the new Dirtwolf DIPA and Winter Cheers sixers in the upcoming seasons
     
    #20 ThirstyFace, Aug 9, 2013
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