Help Establishing a Trading Partner

Locals for locals isn't uncommon in the trade section. Toss one up and keep doing it until you get a bite. Sometimes it's a right place right time thing.

 

Hey, man--

Being in CA, I'm not exactly in your position re: bad distro, but I am someone who's more interested in shelf beers than hard-to-finds. My few pieces of advice: first, definitely go and stock up on those Surly, FFF, etc. I promise you there are people who want them. Next, use ISO:FT and be persistent. All you have to find is one guy (or girl) who wants a steady supply of ZD, etc. Right now, my ZD and Heady come from two traders who happen to want CA shelf beers on a regular basis. Lastly, and this was advice given to me recently that really worked: if you're ISO hoppy/fresh beers, stock up on stouts/barleywines for trade. I've been able to complete those trades much more easily than hoppy-for-hoppy trades.

Good luck,

J.

 

People love trading for New Glarus. That's how I started trading

 

I think you'll have an easier time than you think. You said you don't have a lot of beer to offer but then listed some highly sought after stuff. Many tend to overvalue their local stuff but I think it's just as common for people to undervalue their local stuff. Just because you can get it whenever you want doesn't mean it's not great beer and people aren't looking for it. You can also try trading at http://www.reddit.com/r/beertrade/.

 

I started trading off of Instagram. Not to sound creepy, but it's a bit more reassuring when you can see more than just text. I add them on Facebook and get phone numbers and talk to them on the phone. As far as the beers you can get, people here in Texas would kill for some of that stuff.

 

I'm in WV, so I feel your pain. I buy all of my trade bait in VA and NC, usually breweries that have limited distro.

And despite what is usually on the trade forum, a lot of traders just want to try new things, so you shouldn't have any problems finding someone.

Btw, I'd love to try New Glarus or FFF. Feel free to hit me up

 

feel your pain man

 

I said in another thread that very few of the craft beers in my area have any real trade value, because it's mostly all super readily available stuff like DFH, Rogue, and Sam Adams or shelf turds like Shipyard...but my proximity to DC/Baltimore/Richmond (don't like traveling to NoVA) means I'm not completely out of the loop.

There are many other conspiring factors (like not actually having a huge budget or the time to travel) that keep me from trading. I'd do in a heartbeat otherwise.

 

How About...
Stillwater?
DC Brau?
Burley Oak?
DuClaw(the rarer stuff)?
The Brewers Art?
Tuppers?

 

Trade on Ratebeer, it's easier to negotiate a trade with beers that aren't that rare than to make a straight offer.

 

I like to try stuff from little breweries I've never heard of more than hunting whales. If you'd be interested in anything I can get in Ohio that you can't, I'd be all over it.

 

I'm all about this; posted a couple of those before.

 

You can always order good beer online and have it shipped to your front door.
http://onlinebeerstores.homestead.com/index.html

 

Hey dude, I trade beer and I am in ny. I am always looking for FFF, and surly. I absolutely love their beer. How ever I do not think I would be able to trade with you for another 30 days though. As it is the rules of the trading on this site. I am new to this site myself.

 

start your own brewery!!!

 

Just save up and buy a ton of New Glarus fruit beers whenever you're in Wisconsin. You can trade those for really good locals all day long. Also, like someone else said, find tiny local breweries that nobody's ever heard of. There are plenty of people out there who are always looking to trade for a box of obscure locals they haven't had (myself included).

 

Aside from DuClaw's regulars, none of those are really around my area.

'Course, I DO have a spare Parabola lying around *very shifty eyes*

 

a) get a trade going. blow recipients mind with generosity.
b) ask recipient if they'd like to trade again. they'll likely say yes. blow them out of the water again with extras/generosity. hope there is some reciprocation.
c) if generosity is reciprocated, repeat b) ad nauseum.

 

Another option is buying a box from Être Gourmet and using those as trade bait (and of course to drink)