Bruery RS/HS Allocations (2019)

Great idea, hoarders only.

I was surprised with the limit of MW. Last year, limits on the weekday were 12 or more. Maybe smaller batches, more variants? Makes sense. Next release, hump day (50% more of adjuncts?)

 

This

 

More Room for More was awesome, exceeded my expectations and was my personal favorite from this months beers.

New SMM format is much better - more opportunity to interact with the brewing and production staff which is cool. Looking forward to the different topics they'll be discussing throughout the year. Glad to see they are continuing to evolve that benefit and moving away from Flok for participation tracking.

 

I too was expecting a 4-pack of Wee, but if allocating 2 vs. 4 avoids extreme shortage and crying and spreads it around, then good choice. Plus, if 750s are coming would hope for a shot at more.

I'm okay with MW at 4 too. It starts to diminish after a year and with all the other variants and choices that's about what I'll get in for a year. I realize I'm likely in the minority, but 12 seemed insane. I wonder if we're going to see smaller allocations this year in an effort to reduce unsold stock.

Kudos to marketing for the WC case discount. I'd likely have only grabbed 3 or 4 (and waited for Chunk and w/Cherries to max), but couldn't pass up the bargain!

 

More room for more - is better than last year's version? Room for more.

I hated flok. I think i used it one time to check in. Otherwise completely useless.

 

Only thing that sucks about losing Flok, is had I known they were doing away with it, I would have redeemed my 50% off growler fill for having 10 fills.

 

S'mores BBLs started off great but the tartness completely washes out the flavors. Skipping those.

Stream Crossing was disappointing, lacked flavor. I had a Bouffon right after and that one tasted more like what I expected from the saison.

Mocha Wednesday has a ton of coffee but it always does...coffee eventually balances out.

Didn't try the fig brew, although the brewer who described it as 'fig newton' flavor profile intrigued me. I ran out of time and didn't get to taste it.

Last Slice is officially trash whereas Meringue My Bell is drinkable.

Handel's ice cream is the best.

 

Great, I haven't even opened my Last Slice. Not sure I want to now.

Meringue My Bell is delicious, opened a bottle last weekend and it reminded be of Sourrento b2.

 

Meringue My Bell was a bit over the top with the lime. A taster was sufficient, I wouldn't be able to solo a 375ml , but that's me.

Sourrento b1 & b2, on the other hand - so precious. Vanilla & Lemon. Maybe new batch this year?! I can hope.

 

That probably means more if you live CA and pick up your beers and try stuff on tap. In DC, the stuff I ordered yesterday will probably be in my hands in mid-March, there's never a chance to buy-try-rebuy for us, unless it happens to make it on the shelf at DC and you make a second trip to the store after bringing home your allocation purchase. Or they made so much they put it back on allocations again (which at that point is it really an allocation since they are having trouble getting rid of it?).

It is hard to know if the allocation choices are based on "we don't have enough to go around" or "we are worried we are not going to be able to sell all of this" or a little of both (or they don't know til the allocations go live). It doesn't seem like they are intentionally holding back product (they'd prefer to sell it all at once), but then again maybe the cellar sales were just stuff they had tried to sell several times, took a break, and then gave it another go once there was a new pool of newbs (people who hadn't been memebers when they initially tried to sell it).

This whole model is predicated on more people being in RS and HS, and buying up the leftovers from the year before when you join a new level. Not a bad thing, just an observation. Last Jan I spent a bunch of money, but it was all redos on stuff from 2017, which were new to me, but everyone who was RS for 2017 was probably rolling their eyes at the same old stuff being on allocation, just like I did this Jan. Circular, this is.

 

It’s good to be back in Reserve after a year off to shrink my cellar. Took it down from 11 cases of Bruery 750s to about five.

Went to SMM yesterday. Favorite was Brazo Brazo. Well, actually my favorite was The Flanders Giant that they were pouring free tasters of. Didn’t care for the Poached Fig one bit. That saved me the price of buying a couple of bottles. Actually left some of that. S’more BBLs was okay. It’s following in some big footsteps, IMO, and it didn’t meet my hopes. I’ll still buy two and let them sit for a while. Liked the Stream Crossing. Will buy four of those if they let us.

Happy to be back, and happy as hell they are letting you try before you buy now.

 

That is surprising considering Flanders giant wasn’t well received in 2015 or 16 when it came out.

 

Eh, could be me. I’m a big Flanders fan. Tasted kind of like a rich Oude Tart. I was reserve in 16 and 17 and this is the first I’ve seen of it. Would buy in bottles if available.

 

I think Flanders Giant was a Hoarders only release when it came out.

 

It was not just you. I was pretty into it back then and bought several bottles. Glad to see them bring it back out. I missed the pour of it. At least I still have some somewhere that I can look forward to opening soon. Appreciate the comment on it!

 

Can anyone else who attended SMM weigh in re: Poached Fig?

 

Wasn’t there, but will be out Saturday to try it. Will post then.

 

I got a notification near midnight last night, Bruesicle Mango Charms is available on draft.

Blueberry charms was one of my favorites of bruesicles. Mango Charms might even top it. I will take some crowlers of them if I make it this weekend!

 

Finally opened my bottle of Double Chocolate Sprinkles... It's great! I wasn't expecting much because I figured it would be the same base as Bakery and I'm kinda meh on that one.

 

I have 3 bottles left to ship from RS membership....didn’t renew. If I buy 3 bottles and get a 6 bottle shipper, they’ll all ship together?