Buying privilege. Come on, man.

Total Wine had it in abundance, buy as much as you want. I think the problem lies with distribution. TW is going to get the lion's share of all these products, and then the smaller bottle shops have to figure out some kind of way to make it "fair"

However, I also heard that a local bottle shop got Rare, as did a couple of others within a 45 minutes drive, and the one place was charging $100 for it!!! Sometimes, small bottle shops are their own worst enemies

 

OP, I don't think I would do this for any beer. Though, that's easy to say while I'm sitting on my ass sipping a good beer. IDK...I think I'd be thinking....hey...what a great time to start thinking about doing trades.

 

I'm 97.3% sure that was me.

We had no problems, and everyone was happy. I don't see a problem with this (of course, I'm on the other side of the fence), but I could understand a gripe from hunters/regulars about it, especially if you buy GI on the reg' (which your store should notice). Our VIP's didn't have such a rule, and rightfully so. Once we told our distro' we planned on doing this, we got a good deal on our GI and had a sale on all of our GI products(6.99 a six'er, as opposed to the normal 8.99). So to say that the distro' doesn't encourage this move.. Is a bit of a stretch. They even threw a GI rack in as a bonus, with a nice *SALE* poster.

All in all, don't be shocked if your local shop starts doing this. It helps them get more, or in our case, any BC!

According to our rep, every GI case purchased AFTER your shipment(s) of BC counts for next years allotment. To be honest.. GI six'ers have never moved faster.

They help the distro', the distro' helps us, we help you, you help us. Rinse and repeat.

 

This is bullshit. Just say no, as one BA above said. I don't care for other GI products so this one is a non-starter for me. If you want BCBS just do your homework before Black Friday next year; if it's more you're looking for then just keep looking ....

PS, thanks for the heads up on the store. I'll be sure to avoid.

 

There's a bunch at the Whole Foods in El Segundo.

No strings attached.

 

The take away message here is that beer allocation sucks. Unfortunately it's a necessary evil for things like BA beers and some sours.

However... I find it pretty unacceptable in just about any other situation. Prime example around here is Maine Beer Co. They make it so you have to regularly purchase cases of all their beers (which are like $7 per liter bottle) to be eligible to occasionally receive a case of one of their IPAs. Stores are left with three options: 1) Order a ton of beer (that will probably shelf turd and lose you money) in order to lure new customers with the opportunity to score a single bottle of IPA, 2) Force people to buy another bottle with their IPA, 3) Not make the allocation list and abandon all hope of ever seeing Lunch. So yeah, just a shitty situation all around. The stores are not guilt free, but just as much grief should be directed at the breweries and distributors in situations like this.

 

Happens every time in shitty bottleshops in South San Diego...

 

If that is the only way to buy any of the Bourbon County offerings that is really horrible practice. So if you have a lot of disposable income you get a horde of stuff, but if you only have a little to spend your out of luck completely. Really bad practice IMO.

 

store near my work in CT did the same thing, laughed in the dudes face and walked out without acknowledging him any further. scum bags.

 

Everywhere I go this year (in Massachusetts) I see BCBS turning up the shelves. If they can't sell it on it's own why piggyback it?

 

I have definitely heard of this happening quite frequently and have seen it at a couple places over the past couple years. The shop I frequent doesn't pull any of these shenanigans and it is safe to say that if they did I would take my business elsewhere.

I will say that I make it a point to buy core beers made by breweries that I hope to acquire special releases from at my go to shop. I don't mind putting down a couple of Double Jacks or Pivo Pils throughout the year to be able to acquire that Stickee Monkey or Parabola when those beers are released.

 

Thought that methodology was illegal.

 

It is illegal in many states. It's called "tied sales". Not sure where the OP is from but in NJ it is 100 percent illegal

 

It's standard business practice. It boils down to - The more you sell of our regular stuff, the more we'll send you of our really good stuff. What happens to retail price and practices beyond delivery is the retailer's responsibility - not the brewer.

 

This happened to me with a new store in town that I was giving a try. Wanted a bottle of Founders Blushing Monk and was told that I had to buy a Founders 6 pk to buy the Monk. I told him that was stupid and walked out. Then I emailed Founders about it and they quickly responded top me that this was certainly not their approved practice and they had immediately contacted the store to cease this type of selling. Did anyone contact Goose Island or ABInbev? Not a fan of the mega beer company but until you know for sure that they are doing it....blame the store.

 

Apparently only illegal where the seller can be shown to have market power over the product. The store is not in that position. Other stores can also sell the same product.

http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/T/TiedSelling.aspx

 

But alcoholic beverage laws are usually stricter:

 

Went to a bottle shop that I go to- not all the time but at least once a month on wednesdays when I'm in the area at the end of my work day. I had gotten some regular but was looking for variants. When I do go I generally lay down a decent chunk of change. The owner was the only one around that day(which was weird for Black Friday)- normally she's not there or handling a delivery On the days I go there so she doesn't know me. I asked if she had variants and she said, "only for my regular customers". I replied that while I don't come every week I do come about once a month and the last few months I'd spent several hundred bucks at her store. She said, she'd only seen me once and she'd sell me a regular for $17 if I also bought two dogfish head bombers. I replied that now she's seen me twice but won't have to worry about seeing me a third time.