Help! KBS in/around Troy, MI?

Pretty much everywhere around here sells out right after they get it. It looks like it's on tap at Vinsetta Garage (in Berkley/Royal Oak on Woodward), a place with great burgers.

If you want something similar you could go to Griffin Claw in Birmingham and get their bourbon aged stout with coffee on tap. It's one of the breweries in the area I would recommend visiting, their food is pretty good too.

 

Unfortunately, you're probably out of luck looking for this beer in SE Michigan. KBS went on sale around here several weeks ago so it is more than likely gone And the only places that will have it will charge you 10/bucks a bottle. Many places will have it on tap.

Your best bet might be stopping into a Meijer or Kroger and ask their beer person if they have any left.

 

According to a recent post in the NoRules thread, if you can trek out to AnnArbor, the Meijers has bombers in the back. You have to ask for it.

 

I understand this is completely unsolicated since my region is technically the Southwest. But Im originally from Michigan and my brother is as much a beer enthusiast as I am (he lives in Grand Rapids where thy Founder's floweth over).

Anyway - in short - go to the Meijer near Coolidge & Maple. If its not that exact intersection, its close to it. That would likely be your only hope for KBS. You many have to ask someone who has "knowledgable employee" written on their forehead.

Completely unrelated, but the southeast-Michigan craft-bottle shop scene is total bullshit. Its run by the Middle East (yes, that Middle East) and they all price-gouge and hoard products like KBS & BCBS "in the back". Additionally, there isnt any Binny's (Chicago) or Spec's (Texas) -type place. Its all a bunch of crappy little "party" stores with varying degress of selection.

Detroit area - worst place to have to hunt for beer.

 

Lmao, how long has it been since you've ventured around the metro Detroit area....for beer? It's not nearly as bad as you describe it. There are two very popular stores, within 10-15 minutes of the Meijer you mentioned, where you can find a huge selection of craft, obtain hard to find bottles when they come out and not get gouged in the process. And neither are shitty party stores

Now, it used to be like that but things have improved the last few years. The gougers are still there but there are other options now, too.

 

Please share these places you're describing - I'd love to visit them next time Im home!

Recently on a trip home, I went to this place in Ferndale called 'Plato's 50-Degrees'...or something close to that name. It was ok. Staff there was great but the selection was just alright. Prices we pretty good. I guess my issue with them as a "KBS-destination" is that they seem to be the type of place that would "only get one case and its 1 bottle/person". Call me out if Im wrong.

The other place that Ill go through is Red Wagon. Which (for Detroit) is great, but comparatively nationwide, kinda sucks. Staff there doesnt know much about beer and they seem like the type of biz that would "hoard in the back".

One funny Red Wagon story - I called them ISO a specific beer during the holidays. Was told they dont have it. Couple days later I swung through anyway.....and low-and-behold the beer I called about was sitting right there.

 

8 Degrees Plato is one of them. When they received KBS 4 packs a few weeks ago, they announced the timed release and the limit was two 4 packs per customer. They did a separate KBS bomber release....think that was one per customer.

Holiday Market in Royal Oak is the other place to check out. Large craft selection and knowledgeable staff.

I avoid Red Wagon at all costs.....they are a joke.

 

Wow! Color me impressed - two 4-pack/customer and announced. Good for them - and, good for craft fans in Detroit.

Holiday Market - Ill have to check that out. I know it operates more as a grocery store, which is likely why I never paid it much attention.

My bro & I find Red Wagon painful to deal with. Our parents live in Rochester so the Auburn & Roch. Rd is the one we regularly go into during the holidays. Drives us mad.

Thanks @red94tt

 

Opinionated much? You don't live here, yet you think you know what the heck you're talking about? I'm calling bullshit. Maybe it's you. You're shopping at the wrong stores. 8 Degrees Plato, Holiday Market, Fairway Sav-Mor are just to name a few quality stores that are fair and support SE Michigan beer enthusiasts. You're wrong.

 

Ok.

 

Don't let the grocery store fool you. IMO it is the best place to buy beer in Metro-Detroit and the wine and spirits selection are top notch as well

 

He is right and wrong. Sure there are great stores in the area but the majority charge way too much or make you buy other beer for the right to buy things like KBS/BCBS. Comparing the Detroit area to other areas where great beer can be found is night and day. Once you have shopped for beer around the country or lived somewhere else then you get a chance to see that SE Michigan is hurting in the supply vs demand department and most store owners take advantage of that. Again, there are good options, Holiday is great for instance, but stores like that are very few and far between. When I lived there, it was cheaper for me to buy a ticket to Founders for the release than it was to hunt for it locally. I paid less and got more beer. Driving all over the 4 different counties to find the few stores that would sell me maybe 2 bottles each at a fair-ish price wasn't worth it. $10, $15, and even $20 per bottle for things like KBS are not uncommon in that area.

 

I've heard of the whole "buy a 6-pack of All Day IPA and we'll sell you two KBS bottles" happening in the Detroit area. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion @strohme2 , but I'd hope anyone would agree that that practice is complete Bullshit (capital B).

That said, I really haven't heard of that practice happening anywhere other then MoTown. And, this is by no-means a "bash Detroit" post. I love Detroit and all things Michigan. To me its home. But the craft business there is a little behind the times.

Also - I can never figure out why Detroit (or even Michigan) hasn't had a Binny's or Spec's-style establishment take off. Is this an alcohol legislation issue?

 

Probably a lot of us have also wondered why. I can't recall that your question ever came up in this forum, so maybe you've started something. I'm curious.

 

The bundling practice definitely occurs other places, even if it isn't legal.

As far as the Binny's/Spec's type of store, it could have something to do with the economy there being in the crapper for so long...in particular while the growth of craft beer/"fine" wine has been going on. That's just pure speculation on my part, and I don't think it has anything to do with legislation.

 

Hey Tex, I'm painting my garage in a few months. Can I borrow your brush? I figure yours is so broad that I could get the job done in a few swipes...lol.

 

It's the strangest thing but I swear your posts are the first time that I've heard a forum post yell

Yes it is but I understand why stores do it

This practice happens in many states with Illinois & California being two of the biggest and worse than Michigan

In SW MI we have Mega Bev doing well in Kzoo x2 & Battle Creek plus I believe they are opening 2 more locations. They are a Total Wine type of store

 

The problem is that in MI KBS went on sale & sold out almost everywhere 3+ weeks ago, it was available in the rest of Founders distro area starting 4/1