Highland Park Brewery thread

Guess I shouldn't have passed on that one when they had it on tap at Barbara's, damnit :/

 

The assumption is based on the fact that if you're local, it's highly unlikely you'll need a proxy for a release. What this means is that the chances are high that the person in need of a proxy is from out-of-state, which usually means a trading partner or a potential trading partner and while some folks might help these people for purely altruistic reasons, I'm sure the chances are high that others are proxying for either personal gain or to maintain relationships with trading partners. No one's entitled to anything, not even locals, but when you have a 325 bottle release of a barrel aged fruited sour, it would be nice if folks had some consideration for the local community. The funny thing is, this doesn't even affect me since I'm a Beer Friend, but it's really shitty for folks who aren't.

 

I max my HPB allotments so I don't have to get caught up in the trade game...

 

This is my position as well. I get wanting to spread the word and all that but I do that by sending friends bottles from my own purchases or bringing them when I travel. I've been lucky that I have been able to go to most of the recent releases but this is one that I will miss so getting bottles is a bigger deal to me. It's not the end of the world if I don't get them because there is so much other beer but I've been waiting for this one for awhile.

 

So it's OK for local guys to hoard a local beer so they can "send friends bottles" and "bring them when traveling" but it's not OK for non-local people just to get the beers they want and will actually drink for themselves? Local guys should have the right to force non-local guys to trade if they want the beer?

 

Where in my post did I say what is okay and what is not okay? I'm just saying what I do. I get that you benefit from allowing proxies so you want it to continue. My preference is that they not allow them on releases with such low bottle counts but it's their business, not mine.

 

It depends on the release. This release, in particular, has very low bottle counts, 2 and 1 respectively. There's no hoarding potential.

 

Woodshop is a sort of "underground" pop-up beer fest/bottle-share thing that I have been organizing for each of the past ten years. It's not meant to be secretive or vague in any kind of an exclusionary, elitist way-- it's just not really promoted in the same way that other, corporate beer events typically are, and because it's not tied to a specific date/time or location or anything, it may seem vague, nebulous, or mysterious. It's really "just" a good ol' time spending a long day drinking some awesome berrs with some great people, and kind of a decadent celebration of beer nerdery in many forms. We'll probably do another one (or more) one of these days....

This year, for the 10th anniversary, we did two events (back-to-back days-- It was great fun, sure, but... NEVER. AGAIN.) We had 32+ kegs in San Diego (at Downtown Johnny Brown's). Then we had another 24+ kegs in Los Angeles (at The Hermosillo). Some overlap of about a half-dozen specific things, but a lot of different beers between the two lineups. 50+ beers, in total.

There isn't much more to it than "getting people together and drinking beer and enjoying ourselves while we do it" in terms of "intent"-- like there are no hidden agendas or anything-- but we do go to great lengths to make it as awesome as we possibly can, for the time/money/occasion that it is... So the core tenet in its organization is to try to cultivate the spirits of generosity and quality and sometimes-absurd indulgence that make the beer community so much fun, and that basically means blowing out an awesome, diverse draft lineup; with unlimited pours; in a cool environment; for as long as we can stretch it; and charging as little as possible for the privilege; plus including other fun diversions like beer floats/infusions/blind tastings/etc.... And then, of course, there's the bottle-share-- people typically throw down with some silly extravagance of their own, with vertical tastings, special bottles, and the like, but you're not really "required" to bring anything. I think the idea that pretty much every attendee shares is with so much awesome beer and great people, busting out some choice bottles is a great way to reciprocate and partake in the revelry.

It's fun. Thinking of how to describe it and what it's all about just makes me want to do another one.

 

And maybe that is the correct solution. Yours is a totally valid point, and I agree that those proxy rules seem the most fair for those who are local and support HPB/Hermosillo the most. All I'm saying is that perhaps by changing rules from release to release breweries might be stoking the flames of the debate more than they've intended. It might not be the right decision to allow proxies on a 325 bottle count beer, but ultimately the choice is HPBs and we should respect that.

Much like you, this doesn't affect me as I'm a Beer Friend as well. Except in the sense that as Beer Friends we could also partake in the general sale today (ie. double dipping) if we want. I won't be because as I stated in my first post on this topic, I've already got one beer, why do I need two?

 

Again in San Diego please so I can get the non-noobie nametag this time. =P

Also the uber drivers appreciated it I am sure since I think at the end we reached surge pricing for them.

 

y'all need to stop posting beer friends info and then we wouldn't have 4 pages of bullshit arguing

 

was there last night and tried it. nice and refreshing. every time i go to HPB i'm reminded of how much i love HPB

@SDReaper i see your Alesmith tasting room and raise you an HPB tasting room

 

If they were still at the Cabot location I could fight this (loved the smaller tasting room). All I got is that whenever you hear metal being played at alesmith, odds are I just rolled up and took over the digital jukebox.

 

On a more light-hearted note, I really dug the 90s R&B throwback set they were playing this past Sunday. It's a nice feeling when I can put down a couple pours at my favorite place to some Jodeci.

 

Arguing about proxies has nothing to do with beer friends.

 

The problem with bars switching over to digital jukeboxes is that they won't let me play "I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)" on repeat until someone has to unplug the machine.

 

There is a reason why all Taylor Swift is banned from being played at Alesmith. It is fun to leave and put on some garbage knowing those behind the bar don't all have admin access to skip it.

 

Reading this discussion reminded me how much I enjoy ease of finding and purchasing and belonging to memberships for world class wines. Including ones with low bottle count releases. But there are many more vineyards out there obviously. It's easy to see many of the viewpoints but I have to favor localized practices and economies. Catering to neighborhood first should be a benefit very easily obvious to us and HPB.

Some of this will change with the inevitable expansion but from what we saw in the supposed future, it seems demand will still outweigh the supply handily.

 

I think the guys at HPB can be happy, people are arguing about releases and showing entitlement. This is the final step, they've finally made it!

 

One way around that is to find covers or different versions. My friends have been known to torture bars by playing every possible version of Wagon Wheel. People are generally not as amused as we are