RIP Summerfest

They already do that with a number of SN beers - Southern Gothic in the southeast, Old Chico Wheat in northern CA- but how does that help the many (but shrinking number) of Summerfest fans all over the US?

But, it won't shut-up the CC's (aka "craft crybabies" - me, included ).

"Oh, damn, I can no longer buy one of my favorite summer seasonal beers but thank goodness it still exists somewhere, brewed in small quantities, consumed by some lucky f*ckers who probably don't even know how good they got it..."

I don't recall that sentiment here on the forums recently when FW did a similar move with Pivo Pils...

 

That does seem to be something like what they're thinking

I don't know what the availability of these small batches is, maybe brewery only?

 

I randomly came upon Old Chico once and snapped it up. I thought it was just OK. That's the only time I saw it around 200 miles south of the SN Chico brewery.

 

I discussed the ‘option’ of Pivo Pils being a limited distribution produce with Bulletrain76 (an employee of Firestone Walker):

“My recollection is that you brew for Firestone Walker. Can you please relate to us why it was decided to no longer produce Pivo Pils as a packaged (e.g., canned) year-round beer? Is it due to lack of sales? If so, was there ever a consideration to perhaps just limit distribution to certain states where sales were good? For example, beers like 805 have non-nationwide distribution.”

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...t-of-beeradvocate-styles.655882/#post-7206204

And the response (with emphasis in bold by me):

“Sales just haven't supported package distro anymore, and the material constraints of package-line capacity over the past year accelerated that. It just doesn't make sense to keep doing it even for select areas where if might hang on a bit longer.”

Cheers!

 

Well, I just grabbed a 6 pack of dankful canned 2/21 for $5! I officially can't complain about Sierra Nevada for at least a few days

 

Sacrificing cherished products at the alter of haze-chasing is not the same thing as 'not being able to make it work,' as you put it. We've got no reason to think that the brands they've cut weren't profitable. What Sierra Terence made clear is that they weren't profitable enough to please the people calling the shots.

I prefer brands that prioritize their history, identity, and longtime customers above chasing profits with the latest fad. SN was such a brand for a long time, but it appears they are not one any longer.

 

I definitely get your sentiment - though personally I'm sadder about Nooner than Summerfest - but SN made their name and nationwide expansion on hops. I'm more impressed that they can still maintain said national distribution at all given that ever corner of the country now has several dozen small breweries fighting for the attention of customers.

The ability to sell Summerfest nationwide likely rested largely on the fact that relatively few other craft breweries made pilsners until recently. They have cache when it comes to hop forward beers though, so I don't find it that surprising that that's the arena within which they've been able to continue to compete. Hopefully that can last.......

 

Nice. I saw some the other day on a shelf after it'd been missing for awhile. Checked the box - December canning date, so I passed on it having another IPA with a better date in my hand already.

Wha? Were 3 of the cans missing?

 

Wish I knew the secret. I shoulda gone back and bought a case but I was headed out to work for the weekend and was in a hurry. I did look at the receipt and it rang up as "SN seasonal 6pk" 4.79 + 6pk CRV 0.30.

They also don't sell singles so for whatever reason its in their system as 4.79 per 6 pack. Rest assured I'll be picking up a 6 pack on Monday and possibly a case if the price hasn't changed. Also, for my money I was enjoying the November canning just 2 or 3 weeks ago, it definitely combines those very pine heavy west coast IPA notes with that very high level SN packaging quality

 

I live in the East Bay area in Northern California. Over the last year or two I’ve noticed in my local branch of Safeway (the dominant supermarket chain) that the craft beer section has been shrinking. The main replacements seem to be hard seltzer, macro beers and some cider. A couple years ago they started to replace bombers with stovepipe cans and there was a choice of maybe six or seven, now there are two: HLT and a pilsner by a localish brewery named Drakes.
I wonder if it’s a case that if third party distribution reliant breweries are doomed to be trend chasers.

 

Probably (at least) another batch will make it ur way, grabbed 6er dated 3/16/21 tonight at Raley's. Mine wasn't $5 though...happily paid $11.

Such a pleasant contrast in both packaging appearance and taste to the plethora of Sierra Nevada ... Hazy .... options that were on the shelves. Didn't check dates on Pale Ale or Torpedo (or any of the Hazy BS) since Dankful was fresh and on sale, wishing now though I'd checked dates on Summer Break.

 

Lucky you!

I had a six-pack of Dankful in my hands earlier today at my local supermarket and after seeing the November 2020 packaging date I promptly put it back on the shelf. I bought a six-pack of Fathead's Head Hunter IPA packaged on 4/5/21 instead.

Maybe I will once again see a fresh Dankful again in my area but frankly I am not counting on it.

Cheers!

 

Head Hunter that fresh has me drooling!

 

I had one can last evening and it was indeed drool-worthy.

Cheers!

 

Knowing how SN and Pennsylvania get along, I predict you guys will receive all the November canning dates that get pulled from stores in other parts of the country

 

That would explain the supposed higher prices, too - somebody's gotta pay for all that extra handling and fuel cost for double shipping!

 

You have finally 'cracked the code'!!

Cheers to you!

P.S. If I ever see a six-pack of SN beer that is priced at 5 bucks I will be sure to let you know.

 

I don't care for IPAs as much these days so SN hardly gets my money anymore when they used to get a lot of it. I know I am just one tiny drop within a large sea but I can't imagine over time there won't be more like me.

 

Other than the PA, I've moved on over to Anchor for my old time brewing pleasure.

 

I will buy the Oktoberfest and Celebration because I enjoy them every year...I will miss the Summerfest for sure.. they didn't ask me but...it sucks that all of their new drops are way too late to the game hazies...makes me sad...