Side Project Brewing (2024)

I've learned a lot from the LC's who've had the memberships for a while. Since the local LC's can be in person for the parties and discounts the advantage definitely lies with being local VS being 800+ miles away. That probably goes without saying, though.

 

You're right

 

Oooh, I'm sorry for misinterpreting.

I think it's worthwhile to mention what's offered, just for potential future members. And to be clear, I've enjoyed being a member. I don't think it's been everything it was chalked up to be, but that's also probably a function of the general changes in the craft beer world. My hope is SP is aware of some general discontentment and is willing and interested in continuing to improve LC. But if they drop the 3-4 bottle packages down to 2 bottle malt focused packages like BBT this year, that may fulfill everything I want out of SP and trump paying a no-package fee for future solo bottles by being a member.

 

Memberships do tend to really favor locals, which is fine, and what I want out of my local membership. I try not to factor that into my expectations of LC. I just want damn good malty beers in solo bottles, not packages. Though, Alma Mader's membership fulfills that without putting another box of sours in my basement

 

Private Press I think meets that criteria exactly for me. I don't think they'll drop any cucumber, watermelon sours on us anytime soon

 

Just to add to this, they could have offered some of the to-go beers without offering all of them. I accept they might not have enough of 'For the Cellar' to do this, although it seems antithetical to SP storage practices for them to not have another 20 or 50 cases in storage. Regardless, they could have certainly given LC the barleywine, and hypothetically potentially others. They could have also let members buy up to 2 bottles of the 4 varieties, but let it be FCFS in terms of what sells out first in the LC store (i.e. pick any 2, but not more than 2 or your order gets cancelled, fcfs). Surely people would have preferred something to nothing.

There's no defense for SP not giving the BW to LC imo. They deserve the complaints for that one.

It feels ass-backwards that LC - described as rewarding the most local, not just a "mug club" - was not given anything for the anniversary. Not one beer. Anniversary's are usually the most rewarding times for memberships, because by celebrating the brewery you are celebrating your patrons. But, apparently not your "most local".

Life will go on, it's just beer. But, in terms of voicing these complaints, it feels really bizarre. To me, it feels like we aren't valued enough to be given anything, but somehow it was OK to give people more than 1pp. Instead, LC can't even get public bottles.

 

Not just public bottles, but unbundled public bottles.

LC gets to buy one solo bottle of a lot of stuff. It's a definite perk of the membership. But seeing the public get 4pp unbundled of other, high-demand stuff just doesn't feel great.

Lots of those buyers are going to buy onsite bottles and pours after they line up, absolutely. But much of LC is also there regularly doing the same thing.

 

I'm just glad this thread is single-handedly keeping the midwest forum going.

 

I appreciate all of the dialog. I specifically subscribed to this thread to learn about LC to decide if it's right for me. I think I know my answer...

 

But Private Press doesn't feature textured labels and cereal milk flavors with a baby food consistency.

 

With the membership fee that is basically just buying white labels, we're ultimately just pre-paying for a couple packages during the single bottle sales. Haven't done the math or anything, as I'm sure the single bottle purchases + white label membership fee are lower than buying all the different packages during public sale. But it still cuts into the "benefit".

 

It should be it's own Forum

 

Because I have good friends, I was fortunate enough to try TreeSide on Saturday. I'm usually not a huge fan of TH stouts, but man, it held it's own. Thought it was a worthy BA stout - nice char on the end, which I enjoy. Because I'M also a good friend, we tried it back to back with BBT2022 - BBT was better, but it sure as hell didn't embarrass itself. It was a good night.

 

Ambiente and Horchata cans up in the LC Shop.

I still have nightmares about that Horchata parfait.

 

Once BBT24 is available for pickup, it will be the first allocated BA beer LC will be able to pickup since RBBT24. So nearly 3 months without an allocated BA bottle for pickup.

 

What’s with the weak ABV on these ones??

 

I honestly don’t remember the original one. But for the price I bought it. When has a 16oz SP can been $10?

 

Did notice that and just assumed cause they weren’t BA? But was wondering the same.

 

Just noticed that too. With previous batches being ~13-14% this is concerning to see.

 

When the non-BA was still in 750s they'd usually go for anywhere between 25 and 35, so the price on these cans seems to be in line.