The Important Bourbon County Question

You know what? This is the important question. The stock-outs and two-hour lines say that the price isn't high enough. There is also clearly a distribution problem. I hear about too many people that aren't able to buy it, and too many more people with local shops where it sits on shelves. I'm pretty sure I know of at least one store where it will sit for months.

 

I ended up paying $7 a bottle for 3 regular and 1 BW this year- many shops in the area were splitting packs because they didn't get many cases. So I was stuck paying above the $20-22 4-pack price.

I'm one of the rare BA's who just doesn't like BCBS. I won't knock it's quality. I just don't find it very drinkable. I'd much rather have a Big Bad Baptist (non-BA) or Central Waters BBS. CW 4-packs are $13 this year, so almost half the price. It's a thinner, lower abv beer, but I can actually enjoy a whole bottle and not feel like I just drank 8 cans of coke and then ate a piece of triple chocolate cake.

BCBS started a revolution in releasing specialty beers. Originally, it was one-of-a-kind and relatively rare. Now, it's everywhere (to the point where perceived rareness is achieved by sending huge allotments to some corners of distribution and hardly any to others). And while some of the price gouging is the fault of shop owners, GI is literally raking in money around Black Friday. People are willing to pay it, so I can't say that they are over-charging, but from a traditional beer pricing perspective, I would say that they are gaining 50% additional profit margin on GI. Given that it's a more expensive beer to make, that is a shrewd business move.

I'll continue to buy a 4-pack and possibly a BW every year, and I'll probably have a glass or two on tap. That'll be it for me and I'll escape BCBS for somewhere around $50 total.

 

I think the answer is no.

But I still bought a bunch.

So the answer is apparently yes.

 

They rotate where this happens. One year, a market will get flooded and it will sit. The next year, that market might see markedly less and people will go crazy for it.

 

I'm ten miles from GI. I have to pay $35-40 a bomber/4 pack or $10 a bottle. While in Kentucky, Massachusetts, and AZ people pay 25-30.

Skip it, seek out Central waters BA stuff. It's less expensive and no headaches. Also the money stays in USA and not Belgium.

 

One should only overpay and wait in line for Heady Topper.

 

Thought this thread would be about how Goose Island 'supposedly' lowered the ABV because of cold temperatures during the brewing process...but in reality, it was so they could water it down slightly and create more and distribute to more markets. I think it's worth the price either way.

 

This is done intentionally? What sane businessperson would do this?

 

You can easily pay 5-6 bucks for a draft beer of similar strength that is not a 1/4th as good.

 

We're all slaves, may as well be to beer

 

A huge point that people always "skip" when talking about BCBS. I know it's a legendary beer, it's ridiculously well made, and many of us have an attachment to it. But when you buy it, you are supporting big beer. And not just big beer- you're supporting the big beer takeover of a popular regional brewery.

 

Except for this one and the BCBS ISO you posted right?

 

Don't mind me. I'm just an old curmudgeon ticker is all. I am glad that people are excited about finding this one and trying it or enjoying it again. I just hope people don't miss out on all the other really great stuff out there because they are so obsessed with one specific beer.

 

Ha- but no one has to overpay for HT. Because it's fairly priced by the brewery.

 

I called around a few places and was able to score a couple 4-packs of BCBS at two different stores on Black Friday and individual bottles of BCBS and BCBW separately on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. So in total I think I spent around $60 for 10 bottles total. That's $6 a piece for some of the best beer I've ever tasted for fairly minimum hassle - no long lines or lost sleep. I'd say that was close to the maximum money and time I would consider spending to obtain any beer. I've also paid a lot more for beer that I do not consider to be nearly as good. I could have had a shot at some vanilla but that would have required waiting in line at 5:30 on Thanksgiving morning. So I guess that's where I drew my line.

 

Not to derail this thread but Heady is very reasonably priced.

BCBS is fine when it's at a normal price, but when stores gouge customers that can only find supply through them is the problem.

 

The proof is in the pudding. Nobody mention Bill Cosby please

 

I certainly agree with the sentiment, but Seekabrew tells me that Central Waters is distributed to like 5 states. I bought my first bottles of BCBS and BW this year. I assume they will be my last, but you never know!

 

This is a question relevant to all beer, not just BCBS. And my answer is always the same:

Beer costs what it costs. Either pay what is asked, or don't--It's up to the individual to determine its worth to him or her.

 

There are two things going on w/ GI distribution. First, they do take into account the amount of 4-and 6-packs of GI products that have been sold in each region. I think that has a small affect on where they send BCBS.

Second, I'm sure they look at last years sales- how long did it take to sell out? Areas where it sat won't get as much as a natural reaction to what seems to be less demand. But that means they'll also get fewer variants (which, lets face it, really drives the market in the first place).

So, that city will see a rush on variants that inevitably will include a rush on 4-packs of regular because who wants to go home empty handed? That's how a region that was flooded the previous year (like Milwaukee) suddenly seems to have dried up.

Some of it is natural market-driven supply and demand, but we're talking big, big business here- they will tweak it to milk every penny out of every region.