Maine Dinner Release

Dinner Pours > Case

I remember my first ever craft beer day involved a line to Dinner + Coolship Resurgam 4pp limit. My how times have changed, but somehow MBC hasn't evolved Dinner's availability.

 

They haven't evolved anything...

 

This is true.

As a "once-in-awhile" consumer it's odd to read how horrible even something as small as their interviewing process is. They're starting to appear antiquated to me on all fronts.

Lets hope this expansion increases availability of everything (i.e. cans).

 

So antiquated. And, to me, they're quite pretentious.. add $6 bottles and I'm a pretty infrequent customer.

 

There is definitely some elitism there which I'm surprised hasn't cooled off some now that they're not the only big fish in Maine any more. But I've read that they never plan on canning. Ever. I mean... why? And their bottles are overpriced. There's no reason I should have to pay twice as much for Dinner as Swish or any DIPA from TH.

I trade or gift the majority of my Dinner bottles now. If people agree on an even dollar-for-dollar trade I can get 2 cans of something great for 1 bottle Dinner.

 

Yeah I've never really understood Maine's packaging and pricing in today's environment. I say this as someone who absolutely loves MO and I would buy it very regularly if it were in a standard 6 pack of 12oz bottles or cans at a reasonable price point ($10-$13 or so).

 

Facts. The elitism is definitely present each time I walk in and try to talk with the Tasting Room Staff.

 

I want to like MBC, I really do. I like their beer. I like their contributions to non-profits. But everything else about them... woof.

 

My bad, was not trying to compare Swish line to Dinner. More indicating my tolerance for waiting in any line for 12 beers these days..I will get there later in the season I am sure.

 

Pretty sure I partook in this day as well. Managed to get beers from BB and Foundation that day as well.

 

They still sell out, but the masses are starting to understand that they stink?

How do you not know where you stand with the ticketing system?

This sounds like you've made up your mind and to hell with the sizeable number of facts that point to you being dead wrong.

I have friends all over the country who ask me when the next time I'm getting dinner is. The masses still love Dinner and most other MBC beers. If you've moved on to hazy NE IPAs, that's fine. It doesn't mean everyone has.

 

Why oh why didn't I keep this Saturday free!? I'd be driving up there Fri from NY! What I wouldn't do for a couple MBC Dinners!

Who is hero enough to be ticketed and going up Sat? Anyone driving long distances?

 

Driving up from southeastern MA, about 2.5-3 hours. Might be heading to Portland Friday night to break up the trip a bit, as I have to drive down to CT after picking up Dinner Saturday. Pretty stoked.

 

Question for regulars-How long does Dinner usually last on tap at the brewery after a release?

 

Having done the line thing and today the ticket thing, I sure like the ticket thing a lot better. Took less than 5 minutes to get in and out. We also hung around town in order to get some pours at 11:30 and Dinner was tasting excellent. Also, plenty of cases left over (about 100 they said) for anyone who walked in at 11:30, so even those that didn't get tickets had a good opportunity to get some. They also said next batch on the new system should be double this one, so around 1400 cases...

 

Nice George! Glad you got to enjoy that great beer. Is 100 leftover cases a “record”? Never heard of that much left over beyond draft.

 

I have no idea as this is the first ticketed release I have gone to. I was at one of the line releases in the colder months where people were easily circling back in with minimal wait for a second case but those weren't technically "left over" I guess......But today you literally could go inside, have a pour of it then go out back and buy a case if you liked it.

 

It’s a pretty special beer. Enjoy your time in Maine!

 

my experience was great, but damn Maine beer is expensive. $6 for a pint bottle of MO at the brewery itself is pretty steep. But yes, in and out in 5 minutes with a case of Dinner and a mixed case of MO and Tom.

All in all great experience in Portland. Wont' go into great detail, but on Friday stopped at allagash, got a flight, and awesome customer service. I picked up a bottle of Hibernal Fluxus to share at christmas, the woman's card reader was acting up and they were about to close so the flight and bottle were on the house. I tipped which I guess all goes to charity. I do have one gripe with Allagash, though. Their brewery-only House beer is AMAZING, but they only sell it in this crummy crate format. Like I'm lugging around a 6x4 wooden bottle holder to get this one beer. Very silly, legit don't get what they're thinking here.

Then got a flight at Foundation and got a mixed case to go between Foundation and Austin St. Checked into a beautiful airbnb near the promenade, got some dinner and a couple more drinks. Saturday in and out at Maine, then waited 30ish minutes for Bissell to open and grabbed Recip and Substance. Now I just need to find enough people to share this beer with. I'm overstocked.

Stand out beers I had while there:
Allgash: House, Interlude
Foundation: Epiphany (wow!)
Austin St.: Six Grain (milk stout). Don't think I could drink this on the reg but somehow they made a rich, creamy, chocolatey dessert stout in a 6.4% format.

 

Any know what the bottling date of this dinner batch is?