Holy Mountain Midnight Still

Yeah written too quickly, you "got me". Obviously the purpose of the forum is to talk about beer in all its aspects, but that would include bottle releases.

It's just really elitist to me. Let the information roll. Let the people who aren't "cool" know. You will still get all the great beer you need. Whatever.

 

OK, shit, shut the forum down. Someone in California disapproves.

 

Wait, folks coming from far distances, then standing in line for hours before the beer is put on sale isn't elitist?

 

People from CA aren't welcome to share an opinion here? (I'm actually from up there where all my family still is and visit very regularly...but anyways...)

I really really don't think you can say I was advocating showing up early and waiting in line based on what I posted. I just get a gross feeling when people are saying "kill this thread" (etc) because... we are here to talk about beer. Drinking it. Making it. Buying it. Whatever. I had my fill of secrets and cool kid clubs working in record stores and playing in bands for 20 years. Don't like it, and hoped to leave it behind.

To be honest, I think you will find it will backfire. Trying to keep a secret is going to generate way more buzz than just talking about stuff like it's no big deal. Just my prediction. Maybe I am wrong. I am a piece of shit in California after all.

Well this is a crappy feeling. Three BAs who I admire deeply are putting me on the ropes for my opinion. I was hoping the winking face would soften the criticism and not incite insults. I'm not a last word freak so feel free to take your parting shots. Gonna show myself the door.

Ill buy anyone of you a drink next time i'm at HM to make up for the insult.

 

That's not what I said. In any case, if you honestly believe a stranger can show up out of the blue and criticize a group of people who are very familiar with one another and not be challenged for it ... well, you must be drinking some strong stuff this morning. It isn't like you showed up and said your favorite color is magenta and we had you flogged for it. No, you showed up and said we were "lame". You're surprised we weren't thrilled with that?

 

Yup

 

I don't know if you've read this whole thread or not. If you have, you'll understand why some of us were happy that it had faded away. Then it was given CPR, and here we are. Everything that can be said on this topic has been said, repeatedly. There's no new ground to cover, that's why some of us wouldn't mind seeing it locked.

 

Nah. I'm not even at this one. Family obligations were planned way ahead of the announcement two days ago.

Pics of the line I saw looked crazy, and a bottle share starting before 10am in the heat doesn't sound like a good idea. Hopefully everyone was safe.

 

Ha Distantmantra, the bottle sharing started between 6:45-7 am. Full blown bottle sharing with some high quality stuff.

Freaking guy showed with a box of BCBS RARE!!!!!!!!! I kid you not. Later saw him running to his car with box in hand. Not sure if the bottle was inside or not. Why in the hell would he show up simply to show everyone the lovely bottle of Rare? So I have to assume he shared it.

Line moved really fast. People still showing up at 2:00 pm and getting the full 7 bottle allotment.

Both variations were delicious in tap room. Very surprised how good the Cherry Rye was!

Fluorescent green wrist bands were handed out, then eventually stooped towards 2pm. Maybe Holy Mountain was positive at that point there was enough for everyone.

Noticed a little hoarding, but not much. Again, appears everyone was able to get their allotment as of 2pm. Standing ovation to Holy Mountain. Everything was handled great. They even provided free water bottles to all their customers standing outside. Holy Mountain was very gracious and thanked everyone for coming out.

 

This thread is a parody of itself

 

there was a bottle release today?

 

I can't understand Holy Mountain's decision not to keg more of this beer for the taproom. The Cherry/Rye ran out in less than 2 hours, while people were still in line buying bottles. Why not hold back enough beer for the taproom that it can be available for 2 weeks, or even just the weekend?

Holy Mountain is catering specifically to people available and willing to stand in line for hours on a specific day to buy beer. Sure you can enter straight into the taproom (as I did after seeing the line), but you need to be there in that short window of time when parking is the worst and the taproom is absolutely packed (and may be over capacity). It all seems like a well-engineered marketing strategy to create demand for their beer within trading circles and turn these into midwest-style beer releases.

Why not cater more to locals and regulars? I'd love to be able to show up a day or two after a beer release and know I can order it on tap. In the end, I would spend more money at Holy Mountain by making more total visits. I wish they would take a page from Russian River and save a bit more for their taproom.

 

Ok, I'll bite on this one.

Do you have any clue how much beer we go through in two weeks? How many times have you been into our tap room on say, a Tuesday? Chatted with our locals and regulars when we decide to put up a special keg of something and not announce it? Or silently throw some bottles on the back counter for sale? Our locals and regulars are awesome, and we take care of them.

This Stout is something that isn't made in large amounts. There were 4 rye barrels of Cherry Midnight Still and 6 bourbon barrels of Coffee/Vanilla. That's an insanely small amount of beer once it's all said and done. But that's what we decided for the blend, and they were all perfect at this time for these beers. This isn't going to change in the future. This beer isn't going to leave the brewery except for special events, as we're capping the amount of it we make. Our decision to release it in the format that we did, well, it's our decision and there's nothing to really understand. We want to get the beer out in a format we think is best for the beer. There's no "well engineered marketing strategy", and I think that's a pretty ridiculous statement considering we were waxing bottles and boxing them while doing all of the other million things in a small brewery the day before.

A page from the gigantic (but awesome) Russian River? That brewpub is a machine. We're nowhere like that or close to them in the amount of volume we can do.


What I'm wondering is what happened to the bus of the Merry Prankster Hobos from up north? Did their fleet of VW buses break down? Did they run out of gas? Don't know. Kind of bummed our hobos didn't get to meet them. Maybe next time.

 

Up here in Whatcom County we drive American. We can deliver hobos in 4wd diesels "Rolling Smoke" so thick that even The Bone will say "Stop the trucks, trucks and so fucking many trucks!"

 

I think the proper terminology is "Rolling Coal".

 

Nah, what happened was the motorcade kept crashing into all the other outstanding breweries and taphouses along the way. The drivers were licensed (and sober), but there were simply too many, and they couldn't be avoided. There was some discussion about walking or hitch-hiking the rest of the way when the vehicles finally failed, but any determination to complete the mission quickly lost out to just grabbing a pint at wherever they found themselves, cavorting, and basking in the glorious day. I heard everyone, everywhere, went home happy.

 

Is the trading circle segment so large that it makes any kind of business sense for Holy Mountain to dedicate time and resources towards marketing specifically to them? I find that difficult to believe, but would be interested in hearing your argument.

(Or do I need to reboot my sarcasm detector this morning?)

 

If you don't like it start your own brewery, or just complain on the Internet.

 

I'm not the biggest fan of waiting in lines, but I honestly don't think Holy Mountain did anything to create this hype. The hype and fervor was already there and they're also the first brewery in Seattle that does what they do.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. And I think they've handled all of this really well.

Cause honestly, people will complain no matter what. Wait in line? Stupid. Online sales? I got shut out by out of towners! Quiet release? I don't use social media! Etc. etc.