Purchasing Beer Singles

In January, a store owner told me to come back later in the afternoon for the Hopslam release (I didn't even inquire about it). I came back a couple hours later and saw the stash behind the counter. When I asked to purchase some, the other store owner told me I would have to buy a bottle of Bell's wine in order to buy a 6-pack despite me explaining the situation earlier in the afternoon.

I don't make purchases there anymore.

 

There's a place near me that does this with pretty much every limited release. They require you to buy a 4 or 6 pack from that particular brewery in addition to the limited bottle. I guess I get it but it's also kinda weird. I've gone along with it though, since the breweries in question had other good stuff to purchase.

 

Wow, have shopped all over the US and have never heard of that. Limiting the amount of bottles per customer of something rare is one thing...this is quite another. Would definitely get a bad review from me.

 

Saw this recently at a bottle shop I had never been to before, when they get MBC Lunch you have to buy a different MBC product to buy Lunch.

 

When shopping for KBS, one store told me I had to by a 15 pack of All Day to have the privilege of one bottle of KBS

I haven't been back since (nothing against All Day I just dont like being told what to do

 

I had a similar situation at a local store right before KBS launch. Stopped in a newer place to check out the selection. Grabbed some storm king went to the counter and noticed they were having a raffle. I asked for an entry slip and the guy at the counter told me I had to purchase a six pack of founders and for each one I bought I could get a ticket to enter the drawing to PURCHASE 2-4 packs of KBS. WTF? Told him I was there to get the victory and left thinking what an asshole and I haven't been back since.

 

I have heard of things like that happening before. Personally, I think it is unprofessional. We keep certain "hard to find" items in our back room at the store I work at just to make sure our regular customers are taken care of. But id never turn down someone asking for a specific item. You gotta share with everyone!

 

No

 

Sonoma Cellars?? If so, they had to buy 30 units of All Day just to get one case of KBS. Bullshit, yes. I talked my way down to a bomber. I used to be a VERY good customer there, I guess it helped me out that day.

 

Never seen it first hand, but the shops where I'm a regular I do get asked from time to time to 'help the cause' and buy a 'normal' sixer or two to help their volume so they'll keep getting the good stuff. I happily oblige, but again this is in places where I know the owner/beer guy well and am happy to give them my business.

In terms of a straight "to buy this you must buy that", it's an offensive concept and would get under my skin in 2 seconds flat, but on the other hand how hard is it to talk yourself into buying a sixer of Two Hearted?

 

The trouble is, "rare" beer is usually rare because it is not financially feasible to just "make more". Typically these are higher gravity beers, which by definition require significantly more malt (and/or hops) to produce. Then they'll potentially require a longer fermentation time, and commonly an extended aging period, perhaps in expensive barrels that take up considerably more floor space than a single large tank.

Materials + time + real estate = $$$, and as popular as these beers are, they rarely are going to be sold for a high enough price to be profitable. In many cases these beers are made as a thank you to their customers and because the brewers are passionate about making quality products and are willing to take a loss on a limited scale, but to "just make more" would mean further losses that would be detrimental to the business.

 

I wasn't going to out them.....but yeah
place went down hill since Jackie left

 

Stores that make you purchase an extra 4pk/6pk for the opportunity to buy the special release are trying to boost their sales from that brewery so when the next one is released, their allocated amount increases. And with an increased allocation of rare beer, word spreads that your shop has these beers, and that should bring more customers in.

 

So bells oracle is oberon's wingman?

 

Amen brother....AMEN!