Other Half Brewing Thread (March 2016)

Was Greenbacks on tap at OH last year when it was first released, or only at Mission Dolores? Trying to figure out whether I should plan to hit up Mission Dolores on Friday in addition to OH with out-of-town friends.

 

I was told Hop Showers and "something new."

 

If it's Hop Showers, I'm hoping for a little variation on the recipe since I've had it in the cans so many times. A little haze would be a nice surprise.

 

It always been a fairly clear beer so I think with the centrifuge it will be clear as glass.

 

It's hilarious that I'm even complaining about being tired of a world-class beer like Hop Showers. But, here we are.

 

It was on tap at OH. Last release I went to was the first GD release and was able to get a few 32s of G is for Green and Greenbacks.

 

Awesome, thanks. Hopefully the new collab is on this weekend then.

 

Umm why would you leave if you already committed the time to go??? That is 100% your own fault, you would probably have gotten what you wanted had you stayed. Also they had Forever Ever until Sunday, so you could have still grabbed some beer.... Your impatience is what did you in.

 

I went to release on Saturday and it was my first. Also, apparently one of their most crowded. I got there at 8:15 with my buddies and were back around the second corner. We got wrist bands but they ran out about 5 people behind us. It was close but we made it and didnt even show up that early. Showing up less than 2 hours before the release time is not ridiculous at all, and should be expected for a popular brewery releasing a new beer.

The theme of everyone's complains seems to be same "Waahhhhh I didnt want to wake up early enough and I didnt get what I wanted Wahhhh this is so unfair!!"

Seriously, you want the beer, wake your lazy ass up.... Beer lines are always enjoyable sans terrible weather. Talk to people, have coffee, make friends. I always come away meeting some cool people. Now time to leave some and drink some ACE and GD

Tom

 

I dont think the main complaint has anything to do with waking up early at all. The issue is how slow the line moves. Yes, you only got in line 1 hour 45 minutes early but how long did you wait after they opened?

 

Beer in hand by 12:15. So just over two hours for what must have been close to 400 people ahead of me. Using that math its roughly 3 people per minute being processed, not slow at all. Even if there were only 300 (low estimate) thats 2.2 people per minute.

Even as "slow" as 2 people per minute is rather speedy. They had two people taking orders and collecting payment while someone else got the beer ready off the left. Plus some people were deciding on buying glassware and other stuff once you got to the counter. It was quick and efficient.

 

This. The complaints are all about how slow the line is. Some people like to complain about drinking. Nobody really complains about getting up early anymore.

If this is true, the release was their most crowded yet, worse than Street Green. People who showed up for Street Green at 9 still got 2 4-packs, and it sounds like at this release you got shut out of ACE and GD if you got there after 8:30. It's definitely getting rather ridiculous at this point, and I don't think it "should be expected." At every other prior release, other than Street Green, you could show up by 11:00am or so and still get beer.

Also, it's worth noting that you got pretty lucky because the wristband situation was mishandled. I know a guy next to me in line had gone to McDonald's when the wrist bands were handed out, and we didn't realize he didn't have one until we almost got to the garage. Luckily for him, they weren't checking wristbands at all, so he got his allotment anyway. Point being, if a few people had jumped in line in front of you (incredibly common at these releases) you would have been SOL. Not sure why OH handed out wristbands if they didn't even bother checking them at the door this time.

It's definitely closer to 300 if you got a wristband, probably just under since I thought I heard them say they had 300 wristbands. That means it's closer to 2 people a minute, which is 1 minute per person given two terminals. This kind of blows my mind since I timed how long it took me this release - I ordered and was done paying and picking up my beer in about 20 seconds. Not sure why it takes some people so much longer.

 

relax dude. It was a joke on me b/c I waited in line twice and didn't get anything.

 

My last release was SG, and i think we got there at almost 10 and i got my 2 4 packs. This release i decided to eliminate chance, woke up at 545 and made the trek in from LI, arriving at 715. Definitely the way to go.

They also checked and cut off my wristband when i got mine.

I also noticed a couple guys just walk up to the wristband guy and say they went to the bathroom or their car, were given a wristband and then they just walked farther up the line, i assume to a buddy

 

I wish they'd just limit everything to one 4-pack per person from here one out, cut down on the crowds a bit.

 

but it would eliminate the crowds to the point that they would have a ton of beer with no place to store it, as has been covered here before, they don't have room in the fridge for cases and cases of beer after release dates.

 

So then leave it on pallets outside of the fridge, it really wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

I wish everyone with asinine suggestions on how to improve things at OH would stay home every other Saturday. That would really cut down the crowds.

 

Doubtful.