Dark Lord Day (2020)

There used to be tons of Facebook groups with names like Chicago Beer ISO FT, Chicago Beer Trade etc.. in the titles. And you could easily search for those. But Facebook cracked down, many still survive but most changed their names to make them less obvious. Some are secret so search won't pull them up and you need to get invited.

They are mostly active with people who were already in these groups when the crackdown started.

 

I've been to mybeercollectables, there are so many beers that aren't on there or are sales from 3 years ago when the market was way different. The trade forums are filled with references to secondary and I feel like I'm missing something.

 

You’re not missing anything. Just ignore the people who reference secondary values in trades.

 

There is a Facebook group dedicated to discussing secondary value on beers. Secondary Beer Value Guild (SBVG) if you are curious.

Its kind of lame to see a bunch of beer nerds arguing over secondary values, but it is a good place to just get an idea on what beers have gone for recently.

 

Oh how I hate facebook and all these secondary markets for literally everything.

 

When you realize that this is where the hoarders and truck chasers go to make their profits, it is nice to see what it has become. I’m hoping these two breeds are soon to die off completely.

 

Good to know. I'm fully in the "I have good beer, you have good beer, let's try each others good beer" camp.

 

Yeah sadly that kind of trading is very rare now. Most people trade based on values from secondary sales. I’ve seen multiple times people actually get angry at someone for offering too good of a deal and “hurting the trade value” of the beer.

 

Oh yeah, that's definitely a thing. It seems like it's getting a little less common in the last year or two, and I'm starting to see more "nice offer" compliments when someone isn't trying to extract every last penny of trade value they can. The complainers are definitely still out there though.

 

I mean you are basically using secondary value with that... people mistake secondary value usage as max profitz but it’s mostly about knowing what you can fetch with your bottle if you are seeking another beer. If I got a CTM and wanted a BBT3, I can’t just say “I have good beer, you have good beer, let’s trade”.

Any trade done on this site is based on secondary values, regardless of them saying it or not. Nobody is trading a BBT for a BA Abraxas despite them being the exact same price.

 

This is absolutely false. I have multiple repeat traders that I trade with $4$ with limited beers, and have for years now. That said, I also know I'm not landing a highly sought after beer like BBT in $4$ so I adjust accordingly in those situations.

 

This is true. There are people out there like that, and I’ve met a couple of them. One guy was my OH connect and now he’s one of my best friends. We just send boxes to each other and eventually the $4$ evens out (even though we stopped keeping track like 2 years ago).

Hes hooked me up with some pretty hard to come by OH barrel aged bottles, and I’ve sent him things like VSOJ, Henna, Prop etc.

 

I trade with a friend in FL and we've never compared receipts. We just like to get stuff we don't have access to. We try to be fair, of course, but mostly we try to have fun!!

 

I have a similar experience with a friend in Connecticut. It initially started as trading a few years ago, but we became good enough friends where he's visited me in Chicago and I visited him in Connecticut, multiple times. Shit, he was at my bachelor party at DLD last year!

But we've entered that next phase after sending boxes back and forth a bunch, never comparing receipts: we got too lazy to even pack boxes. Now we just chat about beer, and since work takes me near his home about half a dozen times a year (not this year!) and he comes to Chicago another couple times a year, we just grab drinks at interesting spots or drink beer we saved for meet up.

There's good people in this hobby. We just got to navigate our way through shitlords and max profiteers first.

 

Sounds like the previous 4 posters were unconcerned with making money off their unfortunate bottles of GTM.

I have traded back-and-forth with the guy in Georgia for about five years. No receipts. Also started trading with a guy in California about a year ago. No receipts. Both sent me tons of unbelievable stuff. The key is being a good trader and not being out to screw everybody or win the trade. You will make friends.

 

Yeah but your $4$ is for a beer with a similar secondary. You aren’t trading the worst dark lord bottle for the best one just because you paid the same.

 

I’m not sure if that was a dig at me but I sold mine below cost with no effort to make more...

I think it’s funny how people in this thread are trying to shame me selling off two of a terrible beer for less than cost, as if that implies I would have sold a handjee if I got it...

Regarding trade partners I have that relationship with a couple people but we are ignoring the point that you are trading for secondary values over time. If my guy sends me a rarer bottle, say worth 150 secondary but 25 cost, I am expected to make that up with a great beer myself. If I send him a 25 dollar shelfie, I likely won’t be seeing good stuff from him again.

basing your trades off secondary isn’t some terrible thing. Everyone does it even if they aren’t putting an exact value on it.

now, if your friend sends you a nice bottle and you send him back something that is like 20 bucks below secondary on his and he complains... then it’s a bit shitlordy

 

Did you miss the previous 4 posts? I will give you an example. ... My California friend just sent me a few cans of Pliny for President. He did not tell me he was sending them. He does not expect anything it return. He is my friend. Friends share beer without worrying about cost.

 

Sometimes, sometimes not. I honestly don't know because outside of very few high level trades where I purposefully educated myself on secondary values, I typically could care less. If I'm getting exactly what I'm looking for and they are getting something they are happy about in return, or vice versa, and we spent relatively the same amount. Everyone's happy. Then I crush them with extras.

Correct. Because I would know better than to offer shit beer to somebody for a highly sought after beer. Just like any trader does (should?).

 

You know what’s great? Having a friend in Vermont, that’s great.
I love that man.