Heady Topper

basically you have to trade for it...or take a road trip and try and hit any of these locations
http://www.alchemistbeer.com/retail-availability/

small operation with limited distro...we did see a little of it in Philly couple months ago but it went fast, and hasn't been back

 

You don't HAVE to try any one beer. IMO that's the ultimate realization in order to achieve beer nirvana.

That said, Heady Topper is a great beer and well worth trying, but you'd realistically have to get into trading to get some.

 

Yup, get into trading. Here’s a good reference regarding distribution: http://www.seekabrew.com/

Also, be prepared to be frustrated by the ridiculousness of what traders expect to get in return . . . not likely to receive benevolence. Luckily the beer is worth the challenge.

Best of luck!

 

Exactly what is wrong with the movement. If I wanted a challenge, I'll play my video games on the hardest mode possible. I am looking for a quality beer for another quality beer. When I first joined, this wasn't really an issue. Now I can't get anything unless the word Cantillon is involved. Pretty pathetic, actually.

 

Really? Then try a little Heady isn't hard to get for locals, I would recommend trading for La Cumbre Elevated IPA as well. Both can be had for quality locals, I have hadpeople give me Heady and I have done the same even though it isn't distributed here.

 

That is complete BULLSHIT. I trade it all of the time for off the shelf things that I want.

Most of us that can get it easily get labelled as greedy or expecting alot in return and I am getting tired of hearing it. Why should I bother going to the brewery for the freshest Heady possible, ship a package that is heavier (therefore cost me more) than what I receive. Usually the offer is some local that you want to trade that I don't care about.

Vermont has plenty of great IPA's, so offer up things we don't get here or high quality local offerings as you are looking for one of the highest reviewed brews going.

End of Rant!

 

Actually the box size has a lot more to do with the cost than the weight.

But yeah I agree with you. I was able to land Pliny with some off the shelf beers.

 

No idea what you are talking about. Heady Topper is extremely easy to trade for, and tons of people trade it away for almost nothing. That said, you still have to give up something interesting enough to make a person justify taking the effort to ship, pay the shipping cost, etc. Just because someone may have an endless supply of $12 4-packs, it doesn't mean they want to spend $25 on beer/shipping out a 4-pack in exchange for some random-ass 6-pack of shelf beer in another state.

 

Both are highly important factors, and sometimes weight does matter more.

 

Ok, if so easy find me someone to do a trade for New Glarus, or Central Waters, or other good locals for their locals, all interesting enough and I'll even do $1.5:1, maybe even 2:1. Feel free to BM, not trying to hijack, just saying that I haven't found it to be easy with what I consider reasonable.

 

The easiest way I found to obtain HT is to be friends with a fellow local BA that has family in VT and goes to visit them.

 

I think you just kind of missed my point. The cost to trade a single 4-pack of HT is going to be around $25 shipped. That means, somebody needs to feel they are getting $25 worth of beer they actually want in return. A random New Glarus or Central Waters 6-pack might not be that interesting to them, and is probably not worth spending $25 for.

Now, IMO, I'd be very surprised if you couldn't land a 4-pack of HT with 4 bottles of CW Bourbon Barrel Barleywine. But that doesn't mean it's a guarantee, and it's not because anyone is holding HT for ransom. Local traders are burnt out on losing money sharing HT, so you just need to make it more interesting for them.

 

You should be able to land HT for some Head Hunter bottles. I did this trade in July. Just need to find the right person.

 

I think the people who ask a LOT in return for heady are the guys who come up and buy cases of it to trade away. I've traded a bunch of heady toppers and not asked for much in return, and I've also sent out a bunch as extras. Like youbrewidrink and cbeer both said, you just gotta make it interesting. Doesn't need to be a one-off or limited release, but it's gotta be something that competes with heady in terms of quality, because otherwise I'll just (gladly) drink from the can

 

Yeah I have traded Heady for Furious before and I would do it again. Really wanna try some Abrasive though.

 

Yep, I've done heady for furious as well, great trade

 

Sorry OP Steve for what has in fact turned into taking a conversational left turn.

This is what I've been after. We're all fully aware of the market value HT commands, hell it's a damn good beer and deserves all its accolades. And I get that someone has to be motivated, desiring what has been offered within the trade. This is all basic econ in that no one makes a deal unless they're better off than not making the deal. However, for me helping someone out is part of my value calculation and the hype seems to water down reciprocate this generosity. Very much a generality and you're certainly the exception not the rule. On the flip side compared to the masses, I'd be willing to trade someone New Glarus or something I can readily get (my budget allowing), that they're interested but unable to get for themselves for no other reason than to help them out. It wouldn't always matter to me if I was interested in the beer which I'd receive, you trade enough for someone, ever ones happen in the end. I guess another way of putting it, I'd get value on making someone's day which would be a major contributor to the overall value for me in the trade. You as an example reciprocating this sentiment, just doesn't seem common.

 

I've never had a problem trading for Heady, and gotten it as an extra multiple times. I can't remember what I offered up for it, but my overall impression is that trading for it on the open market is hard mostly because not many traders have it. Because of that there are two routes to take: offer up something rare and exciting; be patient and wait for the right person to see a more "reasonable" offer.

I think most trading actually works like that and people are freaking out because they want to to trade quickly and reasonably, but that's neither here nor there.

 

I just put up a HT ISO: had 4 responses
someone ask me for Cantillon, Darkness, BCBS Rare, and then one reasonable guy ask for RR Sours off the shelf...
I went with the RR Sour trade