Chasing Beer

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by fitrock2112, Apr 7, 2014.

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  1. fitrock2112

    fitrock2112 Initiate (0) Aug 28, 2012 Ohio

    Well, well, what do we have here? KBS, Pliny the Elder, Heady Topper, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. I am officially done with the chase. That is the beer chase. Let me start by saying that I am still very new to the craft beer scene. It all started about three to three and half years ago when my brother introduced Bourbon County By Goose Island to me. I couldn't drink it. It was too thick, syrupy, bitter, sweet. After trying several other craft beers like pale ales, marzens, old ales, hefeweizens, I decided to give the Bourbon County another shot about a year later. You know the rest, pure heaven. When I first had KBS which was sometime in early March 2011 I thought it was the best beer I've ever had. Funny thing, It still might be. We started chasing the KBS and had to run around town and see who had it and how much we could get. That first year I was able to retrieve three four packs. I thought that was bad. It got worse. Second year chasing the KBS got me one four pack and the wife got one four pack for me. Yippee, I got eight beers here. Fast forward , ok forward to this year. Two bottles of the KBS. One for me and the wife got me one. The other stores were sold out the day they received shipment and one bottle limit per person. I know what your saying if you live in Mississippi or some other place that doesn't distribute the KBS. What is he crying about? The main reason though I'm not Chasing Beer is that I'm doing more research and I live in the town where our sports teams are one game and done, Cincinnati, Ohio. We have a lot of good craft breweries around here. Mt. Carmel, Rhinegeist, Fifty West, Blank Slate, Mad Tree, Triple Digit, Rivertown, Moerlein, and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone, but these breweries are all making fantastic beers. I am drinking the local guys, its fresh, the growlers are nice, and what a way to meet the other folks that enjoy beer and enjoy making it. Yeah, I wish I could get KBS, but I ain't chasing it anymore. Too much good stuff out there. Cheers!
     
    #1 fitrock2112, Apr 7, 2014
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  2. jlordi12

    jlordi12 Pooh-Bah (1,856) Jun 8, 2011 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    I don't think trying to track a beer down is a big concern (within reason). Some people take it to a whole other level and have some serious sickness. Drink what you enjoy and don't sweat the small stuff.
     
    #2 jlordi12, Apr 7, 2014
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  3. jklecko2

    jklecko2 Initiate (0) Oct 30, 2012 California

    In the last 5 years, I have not been able to get an entire four pack of KBS from anywhere. Only singles. If that makes you feel better.

    Drink local. I do not think there is a craft bubble that is going to burst. I just think the bubble will divide out into smaller bubbles with local scenes continuing to grow everywhere.
     
    #3 jklecko2, Apr 7, 2014
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  4. tkdchampxi

    tkdchampxi Pooh-Bah (2,473) Oct 19, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    Drink Local! Drink Fresh! Drink Better!
     
    #4 tkdchampxi, Apr 7, 2014
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  5. DrinkAnchorSteam

    DrinkAnchorSteam Zealot (558) Jan 23, 2014 Pennsylvania

    I don't chase beer. I'll email a store and if they can put one aside, great. I'm not spending more in gas money than the beer costs. And I don't wait in lines.
     
    #5 DrinkAnchorSteam, Apr 7, 2014
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  6. miketd

    miketd Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2006 Ohio

    Welcome to the club, dude.
     
    #6 miketd, Apr 7, 2014
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  7. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,191) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Don't beat yourself up over beer, there's no reason to.
     
    #7 Smakawhat, Apr 7, 2014
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  8. willbm3

    willbm3 Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2010 Massachusetts

    I'm tired of the chase, but we all have different definitions of what "chasing" means. If I hear that a store got a highly sought after beer, I'll stop by to hopefully grab one. Better yet, if possible I'll try to reserve over the phone/Facebook (which I was fortunately able to do for KBS this year). What I won't do is skip work/take time off, run all over the place to multiple stores, camp out/wait in lines, or otherwise spend an inordinate amount of my free time running around to different shops. I don't need 12 bottles of KBS, I'll get by just fine with 1 or 2. There's a lot of good beer out there - it's too bad more people weren't satisfied getting a taste of something rather than getting ALL THE BEERZ
     
    #8 willbm3, Apr 7, 2014
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  9. Djpillowtalk

    Djpillowtalk Initiate (0) Nov 18, 2013 Oklahoma

    one down.
     
    #9 Djpillowtalk, Apr 7, 2014
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  10. Matthew1788

    Matthew1788 Initiate (0) Feb 23, 2013 Ohio

    Yea I would of been happy with one bottle of KBS, but it wasn't meant to be. O well, way to many good beers out there for me to beat myself up. I will sit back with my Founders Impy stout and enjoy the hell out of it. For the life of me I don't know how people end up with cases of beers like KBS and Blacknote. Just one F****** bottle would make me happy!
     
    #10 Matthew1788, Apr 7, 2014
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  11. RblWthACoz

    RblWthACoz Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2006 Pennsylvania

    I stopped the frenetic hunting of beers a long time ago and nothing has changed. I still randomly come across unbelievably good beers. The only difference is that now I have the added bonus of surprise, which makes the tick all the more sweeter...er...bitter, citrus-y-er... You know what I mean.
     
    #11 RblWthACoz, Apr 7, 2014
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  12. Rob315

    Rob315 Initiate (0) Mar 20, 2010 Kentucky

    Completely agree with the OP about breweries in Cincy, especially Rhinegeist and Mad Tree. This year getting a hold of KBS was about as much as I'm willing to do in terms of chasing a beer, which was prettty much calling around and standing in line at a local shop. I got two bottles and I'm happy but if its any harder to find next year I doubt if I'll bother.
     
    #12 Rob315, Apr 7, 2014
  13. BradStokley

    BradStokley Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2013 Maryland

    Save yourself the hassle, just trade for it.
     
    #13 BradStokley, Apr 7, 2014
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  14. imbrue001

    imbrue001 Zealot (673) Aug 6, 2010 Pennsylvania

    Around these parts we had people who lined up two hours before the store opened Saturday morning so that they could buy 1 overpriced KBS bottle. If this is you, sorry but yer dumb.. you just are. Get a girlfriend or something.
     
    #14 imbrue001, Apr 7, 2014
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  15. tjensen3618

    tjensen3618 Maven (1,391) Mar 23, 2008 California

    With all these guys giving up chasing, hoarding, and cellaring lately, I should be able to find the Bourbon County on the shelf easily this year.
     
    #15 tjensen3618, Apr 7, 2014
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  16. Shroud0fdoom

    Shroud0fdoom Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2013 Maryland

    FIS does shit on the rest. Hype goes a long way though.
     
    #16 Shroud0fdoom, Apr 7, 2014
  17. HopBomb515

    HopBomb515 Pooh-Bah (2,277) Jun 15, 2013 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I'm with ya. I'm also done with giving a pass to the breweries that feed into this, I'm looking at you Founders. Come close to meeting demand or don't do it. Thanks for having shops, "take care of their regulars." I got 1 bottle this year and got bent over the table on price.

    I know what some will say to this, vote with your wallet, stop whining etc. My wallet is going to stop voting for breweries who can't meet demand.
     
    #17 HopBomb515, Apr 7, 2014
  18. socon67

    socon67 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,895) Jun 18, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    The chase is sometimes better than the beer (within reason). Making a trip or plan that involves trying that elusive beer can be lots of fun. Being a truck chaser, not so much.
     
    #18 socon67, Apr 7, 2014
  19. ParkbrauFan

    ParkbrauFan Pundit (829) Feb 8, 2014 Iowa

    This was my first year chasing KBS and I got lucky with a 4 pack. Ironically it was from a very small liquor store. The big stores were all sold out instantly with their two bottle limit. Then I look at all the big stores. They have hundreds of high quality craft beers and I have a great brewery that I can go to 5 days a week and drink about 8 taps of highly tasty fresh brews. I have to admit though it is fun traveling out of state and catching beers I can't find at home...I'll be getting my first Surlys in 2 weeks and I can't wait.
     
    #19 ParkbrauFan, Apr 7, 2014
  20. philsunset

    philsunset Initiate (0) Oct 3, 2013 Michigan

    Being a "good customer" at one place I had 1 bottle of KBS ($8) waiting for me behind the counter. I did some chasing at other stores but got none. The chase isn't worth it and I'm done. I'm fine with my 1 bottle.
     
    #20 philsunset, Apr 7, 2014
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