Distributors That Pawn Off Old Beers.....

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by hophugger, Feb 1, 2015.

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  1. hophugger

    hophugger Grand Pooh-Bah (3,434) Mar 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    I am running into a problem more and more recently. I live in Virginia and the places that I usually buy my beers are Total Wine, World Market, and yes....Farm Fresh. Unfortunately, I am coming across more and more beers that are way too far beyond their optimum drinking times and some past their BB Dates. Are distributors that hard up for money that they cannot pull and get rid of the old beers instead of trying to pawn them off on consumers?? I have seen IPAs that are nearing a year in the bottle and other beers that have past their best by date, etc. Is anyone else having these problems!, Just curious !
     
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  2. Aventinus88

    Aventinus88 Initiate (0) Feb 15, 2014 New Jersey

    I'm sure it's a combination of factors. They either don't care, aren't willing to take a loss, or are just waiting for that uneducated guy who doesn't look at bottling dates. It's a shame,but at least we know to stay away from them.
     
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  3. hophugger

    hophugger Grand Pooh-Bah (3,434) Mar 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    Funny, you are right, I think it is all three of those reasons
     
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  4. bigdaddyjerry

    bigdaddyjerry Initiate (0) May 6, 2013 Maryland

    maybe there just isn't enough craft consumers in that area and they can't move the product...i'm sure a company wouldn't wanna refund the customer if they have cases left over a lot repeatedly that they ordered and can't sell.. or just the store does not take care of the situation there self..
     
  5. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Do you have retailers available to you beyond Total Wine, World Market, and Farm Fresh? Do they have fresher product? If the answers to those two questions are “yes” and “yes” then shop at those other retailers.

    It would also be worthwhile for the overall beer community in your area to have a conversation with the beer managers of the stores you mentioned. ‘Educate’ them about their problems and inform them that you refuse to purchase old product. Feel free to mention you will be spending your money elsewhere (if you feel comfortable making that statement).

    Cheers!
     
  6. hophugger

    hophugger Grand Pooh-Bah (3,434) Mar 5, 2014 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    I have done that and have spoken to several of the breweries about the distributors. I have had positive response but the process is slow and sometimes painful. Overall, The breweries, obviously have done their best to rectify the situations, now to get the Distributors to do so also. Thanks for your input..
     
  7. pagriley

    pagriley Pooh-Bah (2,382) Oct 27, 2014 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    There have been a number of threads on this topic, both regionally and for specific brands, and I think it is because there are too many beers being carried by these distributors, and they aren't managing their stock efficiently.

    I have seen 6 month old Firestone on shelves, pointed it out to the beer manager (Firestone says to report beers over 120 days) and it is still there a month later. The distributors won't take it back, the stores don't want a loss, so it sits there until someone buys it

    There are very few stores big enough the could push a distributor and refuse old beer and demand fresh, and even then, it would take for ever to check every delivery for bottle dates...

    It sucks, but on the bright side I have had some amazing beers by basing my choice on freshness, not ratings or brand. For ipas in particular, I just get whatever is freshest.
     
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  8. Monkeyknife

    Monkeyknife Grand Pooh-Bah (5,873) Jan 8, 2007 Missouri
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm pretty good at holding grudges. If I find way outdated beer somewhere I won't look there for beer a second time.
     
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  9. Travis_Slovacek

    Travis_Slovacek Initiate (0) Sep 29, 2014 Pennsylvania

    Just posted a thread about the same thing happening in my area a few weeks back. I really felt like it was the distributor and not the stores because it was all "new" product to the shelves and wasn't sitting, but was still very old beer! Since then I've stopped going to the places I found it happening most and check bottle dates obsessively.
     
  10. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    The challenge of managing ‘old’ beer was part of the discussion in another recent thread. Below is one comment I made to a retailer (who started the thread):

    “I know that this is not easy to do all of the time but if the wholesale distributor is providing product which is old (e.g., > 3 months from bottling) refuse that beer. Receiving old beer will just result in older beer in your store since many folks won't buy it.”

    Perhaps you can have a conversation with the beer managers of your local beer retailers on this topic and ask them as a customer to have them refuse purchases of ‘old’ beer from their wholesale distributors.

    Here is a link to that thread: http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...lers-tips-complaints-ect.247368/#post-3167506

    Cheers!
     
    drtth likes this.
  11. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Did you have a conversation with the owner/manager of those retailers?

    There may be other ways to 'fix' this problem but all that I can think of is that if the end customer (we beer drinkers) don't force the hand of the retailers then 'old' beer from wholesale distributors will continue to be delivered to retailers and that will be what is available for sale to us.

    Cheers!
     
  12. Buschyfor3

    Buschyfor3 Savant (1,083) Jan 4, 2009 Kentucky

    Welcome to just about every big-name, one-stop-shop liquor/bottle store in the United States. Unless you're shopping in a store that caters specifically to craft beer and craft beer alone, I would be willing to bet my annual salary that you will more likely than not find "old" beer on the shelves every time you walk into the store. It's just a matter of recognizing it, and avoiding those purchases if possible, or in the worst case, taking your business elsewhere (i.e. to bottle shops that cater specifically to craft beer that have better turnover and are thus likely to have relatively "fresher" product on the shelves; or to brewpubs and getting bottles/growlers directly from the source).
     
  13. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well, "demand fresh" is a problem - if the distributor doesn't have it, the retailer isn't going to get it. But lots of small, indie shops refuse delivery of past code beer.

    Wow. If I did that, I'd have to give up buying beer. I don't think I've ever found a store where I couldn't find something out of code in 5 decades of beer shopping.
     
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  14. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,884) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    My local store does that. In fact, they say that they have to be extra careful with certain distributors who are known for delivering out of code beer.
     
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  15. zestd

    zestd Savant (1,071) Jan 18, 2013 Idaho

    Last week i came across a Stone IPA with a best by 11/6/ 2013.

    I did not purchase.
     
  16. sunnrider

    sunnrider Initiate (0) Jul 4, 2013 Spain
    Trader

    Pretty much all of them in Spain. You have to check dates here, it´s so disappointing to find an Alesmith IPA that tastes like malt stew.

    There are a few exceptions, but in most cases I think they just don´t realise that most hoppy beers have a limited shelf life.
     
  17. yemenmocha

    yemenmocha Grand Pooh-Bah (4,116) Jun 18, 2002 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah

    Yes it's a problem here in AZ. recently saw some "new" Fuller's ESB that was best before October 2013.
     
  18. pagriley

    pagriley Pooh-Bah (2,382) Oct 27, 2014 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader



    Good to know. That actually surprises me a bit. At least here in Chicago I have heard of distributors screwing smaller stores out of special releases if they are too picky, and forcing allocations of shelf turds on stores that they have to take if they want to maintain access. The distro in Chicago is very concentrated and politically connected, so they get to abuse their power quite a bit... Especially the big 2 (one has miller, the other AB)
     
  19. Monkeyknife

    Monkeyknife Grand Pooh-Bah (5,873) Jan 8, 2007 Missouri
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Guess I'm fortunate here.:wink: The shops I frequent really watch the codes. Also, I did say "way" outdated. You know, dusty bottles, out-of-season bottles, etc...
     
  20. Vogt52

    Vogt52 Initiate (0) May 25, 2014 Maryland

    This annoys me too. I always check dates before I buy. I used to work at a liquor store part time... Avoid sale items most of them are old beers
     
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