Should Bottle Shops Allow Holds?

Technically, the practice you're describing is a form of "first come, first served"...

If the shop only gets one case of something very limited all the bottles end up grabbed by people who went to the store first and leaves nothing to those of us who don't have time to go to the store in the middle of the day. Whatever happened to dibs?

See what I mean?

This is a great point. The way things seem to be going, distro is becoming more and more flush with beers that, just a year ago, were considered hard to get and people would expend a great deal of effort into chasing. It seems that the new trend is for the highly-sought stuff to come directly out of breweries and tap rooms.

You know it has to be taproom only to be rare when Boulevard, of all places, is doing taproom-only releases.

 

Perrin No Rules used to hit distro, then they decided they wanted top tier hype and now its brewery only. Great way to amp up hype and piss off retailers at the same time.

 

I don't see why they shouldn't. If they hold rare or limited beers for their most valuable customers, that's their choice. Those customers are the ones keeping them in business.

If you don't like it, don't spend your money there.

 

I run a bottle shoppe and the system I use is essentially 2/3 of the allocated or rare stuff I get goes into the general limit pool depending on stock but usually one or two of a specific type of beer per person, but I do keep the other 1/3 on the side to quietly sell to my regulars who couldn't make the initial sale. after about a week of the release I take off all limits and send it out into the ether. This is usually for most stouts and "cellarable" items I can afford to sit on for longer periods where theres no rush but for the sake of freshness I don"t usually do any of that or holds for IPAs and lighter beers and prefer to get them out of the doors faster so that the customer has the best experience, usually limit to one 4 or 6 pack instead of by the can.

 

I live in Connecticut, and the practice of holding the highly sought after beers in the back room or behind the counter seems to have ended. I haven't noticed it in any of my stores in at least a year, probably because there are so many brews now a days.

 

These folks liked you as a customer. There is no mistake about how this happens. You spend money and are personable. This is how business has always worked.

 

Haha just sipping my last beer of the night and reminded while reading this thread of a long time ago when one of the finer of the beer stores here was at one location of a small, family run chain of gourmet grocery stores, in Ardsley NY. The store crammed the fine beer section into a tight space next to the cheese dept., and left this cool metal head/beer nerd named Alex in charge of it. He was a beer encyclopedia and maniacal about getting great beer into the store. The space was so tight that much of the beer had to be asked for and retrieved "from the back" where it was stored. Not sure if I was a regular or not, or if Alex treated me, or anyone, better or worse, since even the non crazy beers often had to be requested due to space considerations.

Turns out, over the years Alex had been stashing/saving beer to buy "later" for himself back there too. Lots of it in fact, And even though they loved him, the owners finally gave him an ultimatum to buy what he wanted immediately and they would put all the rest of it on the shelf.

Of course, there was no room on the shelf in Ardsley. But at that point they had opened a huge new store, complete with in-store pub (that I still love) in a location closer to me. Designed with LOTS of shelf space for beer. One day I walked in and on the shelves was an amazing collection of vintage bottles spread out over two aisles. My jaw dropped as I walked past them all. Spent a lot of cash, but I wish I had had a lot more money, I would have backed up the van to the front door and loaded it with a hand truck.

It was later, over a pint with one of the store owners, that I found out the above.

 

how on earth is this thread still going?

 

Apparently someone resurected the thread on 3 December. The last post was, apparently, mine from January. Surprised me to get a notification when I was quoted above!

 

@TurkeysDrinkBeer started a new thread. Apparently, the mods combined his thread with this older one on the same topic. His original post is now here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...-shops-allow-holds.553596/page-4#post-6290103

 

This is correct, I started a new thread. Newer BeerAdvocate member here so for all the dinosaurs of the site complaining keep in mind not everyone here was aware that you had discussed the matter ages ago. Before creating the tread I looked through a few pages of posts and saw nothing in regard to the topic and wanted some outside opinions on the subject which have conveniently been taken in the wrong context. Maybe I should have worded my question differently as many have thought my question was whether or not a bottle shop should hold beer for regulars. That was never my question. My question and problem was whether or not bottle shops should hold beers for randoms requesting on social media posts. I have no issue with a bottle shop holding limited releases in the back for regulars as long as their entire shipment isn't treated this way. Absolutely hold some for your loyal customers but put half of your shipment on the shelf for your walkin customers. My local bottle shop will hold a bottle for anyone commenting on a social media post and as of recently I have seen entire shipments of limited releases held within minutes of a post. This screws walkin customers and even screws over any regular who didn't see the post in time.

 

It is generally not a good idea to enter a discussion forum as a newby with all guns blazing. Also, to translate for all you other dinosaurs, "ages ago" = 11 months.

Us dinosaurs have discovered the "search" function. Most discussion boards have them, you know. If you could holster your attitude, maybe someone will help you find it, too. (Hint: it's hidden behind the magnifying glass icon...)

 

Well aware of the search button as about 99% of websites have the feature. It was used and turned up nothing. If the additional post somehow ruffled your panties simply keep it moving and don't stop by to read the new comments. Pretty simple concept to understand and saves those of us still discussing the matter from having to skip over your complaints and wade through the tears.

 

I see you haven't holstered your attitude. Name-calling is more reflective back on you than on your target.

I just did test a search. Found this tread right away.

 

Expect that type of response when you come at me with a smug ass attitude yourself homie. Here's a round of applause that you found it with the search feature. Clap* Clap* Clap* I didn't find anything when I searched for it. Again, if you don't wanna read the comments or contribute to the discussion you can simply keep it moving, your crying comments add no value to the discussion and you are achieving absolutely nothing with them. Also, please point out in the comment of mine that you quoted where I called you any sort of name because I don't see it.

 

I challenge you to find any mention by me of your lack of using search prior to your name-calling post a couple of posts above.

You have clearly demonstrated to all here who you are and what you bring to any discussion.

 

Again, where in any of my comments did I call you a name? If you are speaking on my original post talking about the dinosaurs of the site you sir should change your tampon. Hardly name-calling. The dinosaur remark was to imply those that have been members of the site for a long time unlike myself who has been a member for a few months. Not a derogatory remark towards anyones age. Other than that no names were called but a special one comes to mind for those so easily offended and it begins with a "p" and ends with a "y". Also brings up the point I have made several times with you, if you don't have anything to add to the discussion don't comment or read those from others and don't engage with others in a condescending manner if you can't handle the response it draws. Crawl back into your mothers basement and wash down those crayons with another budlight.

 

Yawn... and on and on and on... more and more personal attacks and name-calling with no actual content. Kind of defines you, doesn't it? I suppose that is why this site has an "ignore" feature.

 

1. Guy doesn't see thread so starts new one. Happens all the time.
2. Threads get merged as duplicates. Happens all the time.
3. Guy who started new thread throws name-calling tantrum and has public melt down on thread when this is pointed out to him.
4. Both threads ruined.

Great work!

 

So, yea bottle shoppes should allow holds but fairly and reasonably and they also should not hike the price of a beer simply because it's out of production or supposedly "rare." We are supposed to be a hub for quality beers from wherever we can get it and get it to our customers as freshly as possible for a fair price. Not all stores will follow this model and there's nothing saying that they have to so obviously, find the ones that work best for you. Happy hunting!