Recently completed a trade and I'm not sure what to do. I didn't take initiative and make the trade official, which I feel is on me even though I was approached, but I learned my lesson there. Feedback looked decent but not perfect. I sent a package with some pretty tough to get beers, almost 20 hours of driving and standing in line represented. Shipped so that most of the beer was about a week old on arrival, minus one which was a month due to release schedule. I shipped February 1st, and just got my box today. A couple weeks doesn't really bother me, life happens, things get lost in the shuffle. What really burns me is that most of the beer is IPA's pushing 6 months old. The freshest one being 12/22/16 and the oldest 9/13/16. A lot of it is standard shelf beers, which is fine, I don't get them here and I'd love to try them, and value wise it's probably comparable. But a bunch of IPA's pushing the limit when the trader posts about drinking fresh releases recently gets to me. Kinda feel like the fridge got a cleaning and I got a box. I mean if it's all on me for not making it official then hey, lesson learned.
You never asked how old the IPAs were? Seems like a reasonable question. Seems like you are too trusting. Lesson learned. Sorry to hear though.
Sad but I guess I'll have to start checking. I've traded several times here and through other avenues and never had a problem. I don't need it to be a day old, overnighted, but I also don't want the clearance rack. I also pointed out several area beers that I would like to try that should be easy to get at a bottle shop but only got 2 cans of the several requested (some of which I checked online and were recently canned/distributed), which are ones I tried before via a friend who knows nothing about beer and they were only 2 weeks old compared to 4 months. In fact, I think they may have been the same canning. Would you write the trader and say hey what's up with this or cut you're losses?
Based on what you say I would probably write him and let him know that you started this thread, you think you got a sucky box, and that if anyone private messages you about who he is you are going to tell them. Other than that I would take it as a lesson learned and move on. There is definitely nothing wrong with find out dates on every beer you trade for.
Did the other person have much trade history/experience on BA? Was the trade for specific brews on your side for random stuff on their side? Or just "locals for locals". I'm sorry you got a bad deal, but now you know to keep it in the system! You never know, inexperience on their side could mean they didn't even think about dates, or could have been shady from the start and trying to get something for nothing.
When trading for IPAs, you definitely need to be very explicit about requiring a certain date. I would mention this to your trading partner and see what they say. What were the beers? Where are the dates on them? PS. Always use the trading system, there is no accountability to other trader other than common decency when you don't use it.
I feel you OP, I (and I'm sure many others) learned the same lesson the hard way a few years back. I had to ask about dates going forward or at worst if I am not specific, I try to be clear via communication about reasonable freshness expectations.
I think you have to EXPECT to cut your losses. I dont see anything wrong with educating the other trader by sending a message like the following: "FYI, IPAs are generally considered best when fresh and while there is no guiding rule, it is generally frowned upon to send IPAs that are older than a few months, especially 6 months old)." But I wouldnt be demanding. If its in his heart, he will do something to make it right. You shouldnt expect that the other trader will take any corrective action. This raises the question of what is fresh. Some people say that fresh is only 1 week old. I think the best answer is that if someone wants a "fresh" IPA they have to define "fresh" in the trade (i.e., i only want IPAs that are less than 2 weeks old). But that issue really only applies if its only 2-3 months old.
OP, while I'm sympathetic to the issue, you've only served to reinforce my continual amazement that people forgo the use of the trading system here on the site. It takes seconds to set it up, and, while not perfect, helps to mitigate this exact sort of issue.
I agree with the others in that one needs to be explicit when it comes to freshness expectations when discussing a trade as everyone has their own opinion as to what they consider fresh or more importantly, not fresh. Fortunately most IPAs are dated these days so it's fairly easy to confirm upon receipt. Good luck with your next trade, OP. Cheers.
That sucks, but live and learn. One of my first trades was for an IPA and the one I got was a few months old. I didn't think to ask about dates then either. Now I know better.
I would call him out sending a 6 month old IPA is like saying #### you if he is an experienced beer trader. I've gotten a few old 6 month iPas as extras and that's bad enough, rather have nothing.
