Locals for locals. Advice?

Hello Liza,

Below is what I copied directly from the beer *trading rules*

*Be as specific as possible with the title of your post; ISO beer(s) FT: beer(s). Think of your post as a classified ad. The more details you provide, the more likely you'll get some hits*

The reason yours and others are getting deleted for *not being specific* are that posts like these look like *auctions*, whether done intentionally or not from an outsider looking in.

If there are certain breweries you like or are looking to try, look them up and see what style beers they brew and if they are "year round", "seasonal", etc. This site is full of a lot of helpful information.

Cheers,
Dave

 

I have had this trouble before, and I have found that if you pick a state or city and then list the year round / seasonals from the main breweries in those places (and do the same for your own) you should be OK. Make it very clear you are only interested in $4$ the thread will stick.

New Glarus is an awesome local for trading, so if you list the fruits you should be fine (and people want them all over the country). For your wants, try the list of top beers by state (right side of the below):
http://www.beeradvocate.com/lists/top/

Pick a few of the breweries you have heard of, and list 1 or 2 of their everyday beers that have the most 'Hads' (avoiding the whales obviously!). I have found going state by state is a great way to try a lot of new and interesting beers - especially for states that aren't dominated by the super sought after breweries (like Vermont).

Be prepared to be patient and really picky about who you trade with. The trade boards are less and less about local for local trades, and people are much more focused on chasing the latest releases and hyped beers. Last time I tried to post local for locals I had to put together a really top notch list to get anyone to even respond (Zombie Dust, Todd the Axeman, Pseudo Sue, etc...) and left it up to the other guy to send me locals he thought were good, and he sent me 4 month old pretty shitty IPAs... I learned the hard way that you have to be picky who you are trading with and be specific.

 

There are also BIFs you can join the the trading forum.

Some recent ones were specific to new traders.

 

And, I assume you're aware of seekabrew.com?

 

Super useful site!

 

Along with NG fruit, Toppling Goliath hops should get people interested too.

 

Yup. Same with some of the Central Waters stuff - especially the bourbon barrel stuff and their anniversary beers.

 

It can go through times of not getting updated all that often sometimes, but agreed that its really useful!

 

Alot of my locals trades come from viewing the thread what beer are you drinking now, take a look at what people are drinking, if something catches your eye just message and ask if they would be interested in a trade. Most ba's are always willing to try new beer. Alot of my main regular trading partners came about this way. Good luck

 

I have done a lot of Locals for locals trades. I simply post looking for your local (Ipa, stout, Distro) ect.
I have also done say ISO $4$ locals, $50 or so. I have been pretty successful doing it. I would not worry about breaking any rules or pissing anyone off. Its not an auction. You could even post some of the Breweries you have access too.

Good luck.

 

*please read bolded above*

Her post was removed for *breaking the rules*. You may have had success in the past because it was overlooked, as we can't be everywhere all the time to monitor the boards. If people can't abide by the *trading rules*, we have no choice but to delete and warn if necessary. There are plenty of other members on the boards who seem to have read the rules and are abidding accordingly.

Please refer to post #2 for a friendly reminder.

 

what I was talking about with the "bolded Section" was specific to local 4 local or $4$ trades. Alot of that is an open type of request and shouldnt break any rules. I was not making a blanket statement that we dont have to worry about breaking the rules.

 

I would humbly request that a "Locals for Locals" post be allowed as an exception to the normal rules. My first trade ever was locals for locals, it's a great place for a beer trader to start off with. You can add restrictions if you want, like setting a price limit, or a trade size, but I don't see why this couldn't be allowed given all the other rules. Yes, it's pretty open ended. I know you want to restrict posts like "ISO: Big Stouts" but I feel like the locals for locals is kind of a unique thing.

Another option would be to have a new section just for newbie trades. Just thinking out loud here. Beer trading can be real intimidating getting started, and with the all rules with ISO:FT posts, doubly so.

 

Most of the intimidating for newbies, is all the freakin' acronymns you have to learn and decode. Just my 2-cents as a newbie to trading.

 

I think @pagriley makes a good point about using the $4$ detail in a locals for locals post. The point of the rules regarding vague trade posts is twofold: 1) try and prevent people from holding behind-the-scenes auctions, where they are trying to elicit responses from a bunch of different people so that they can complete the trade with the best offer, and 2) help get trades completed by ensuring that people are getting connected with people based on what's being offered/sought.

You can satisfy the rules and still post a locals for locals thread.

First, as noted, specify that you are seeking $4$. This helps signal that you aren't trying to pull of a secret auction because you've posted a de facto ratio for everyone to see.

Second, try to be at least a little specific with your ISO:FT. Even if you don't know what specific beers you want--or maybe if you are open-minded and don't even want specific beers so long as you get beers from a given state/region/city/brewery, specify that. And if you want to make sure the beers your getting distribute exclusively in that designated area, say that too. Something like:

ISO: California-only locals FT: Michigan-only locals

I'm not looking for brewery-only or limited releases, but I don't want anything that I can get on the shelves in Michigan. California-only shelf beers are fine. Style preferences include: IPAs, Barleywines and Stouts.

Not interested in negotiating on specific beers sent or received. Only looking for a "mystery box" sort of approach, where we each send a grab bag of local favorites.

​

I suspect that a post with that level of detail, in spite of not including a single specific beer in the ISO or FT would be allowed to stay. If I'm mistaken, I welcome my public shaming at the hands of the mods in the interest of furthering beer trading education for all of us.

 

If we've lost the ability to do locals for locals, that's kind of a sad day.

 

We have not lost the ability to trade *locals 4 locals*. As a trader and moderator, our rules are not that complicated IMO. People choose to make them complicated or just don't want to follow them. Or in some cases, (not directed at anyone in particular) are just lazy and don't want to do the homework involved in figuring out local beers from different states or regions.

Simply stating FT: locals ISO: Locals....breaks a handful of rules.
- not specific, open ended, auction, vague

There are no *separate* rules just because someone wants to trade local *beer*.

Why should everyone else have to follow *the beer trading rules*, but if your trading *local beer*, you don't have to...Its still beer right?

List your local *beer* you want to trade for local *beer* from another state or region. It seems simple enough to me.

WE should not be hypocritical, and say just because you are trading local *beer* you are exempt from the *beer trading rules*.

These are site rules which we all have to follow, irregardless of how long you've been on the site.

It's not the rules that are preventing people from trading "locals 4 locals" , its the way people are posting in the *trade forums* that's preventing them.

If I wanted to follow the rules and trade my local *beer* for local *beer*....I'd simply post this

FT:locals ISO:locals

Hello everyone,

Looking to trade some local beer $4$

New Glarus- Belgian Red, Raspberry Tart, Serendipity
Central Waters- BA Barelywine
Karben4- Fantasy Factory

ISO- (insert local beers you are looking for)

An example of how we can still trade local beers for local beers by still following the * beer trading rules*