2014 Bourbon County Brands release - Chicagoland

Thanks for this info! Looks like they did the best they could to spread around what they got. I wasn't sure with the store being so new how their allocation would look or how the crowd would be. I'm glad I didn't need to pick between the 2 bombers at BG as I'm not sure what I'd have done!

 

Went to my local hole in the wall store. Got there at 850, they open at 9. I was in line with 5 people. You got your choice of 2 four pks or 1 4 PK and 1 bomber though they had no prop or vanilla. They had BCS 2012-14, coffee, bw. I chose 4 pack of coffee as well as bomber of 2012 coffee. They also had some older sisters so I grabbed a 2012 Juliet for $16 which was a steal! In and out in 5 minutes. This is why the mom and pop stores should have it and not jewel, Costco, etc. very pleasant, non stressful, buying experience

 

Is it just my phone, or did Bourbon County break Beermenus.com?

 

$39.99 for a 4 pack of BCBS, anyone?

 

Untappd and Beermenus suggest that Prop and Vanilla are on tap at Timothy O'Tooles and Prop at Fatpour Tap Works. Is this still accurate?

 

That was Black Friday event. Doubt they are still flowing.

 

While you might be glad you didn't have to pick at BG, there are others who wish it would have been spread around more. Waited 2.5 hours for a 4pack
Just sayin...

 

I had a friend call the store on Friday morning @ 8:45 and they told him it would be Monday as well. Seems odd that they were then sold out by noon on Friday.

 

So there definitely wasn't "copious" amounts of anything at that Walgreens, including regular bcbs...In fact I went to other Walgreens that had a much better selection and were run better...you also said they would be sold at noon...showed up before 11 and everything was already being sold buy the cashiers...not sure you knew what you were talking about?

 

You'd think, but they were still getting hits earlier today.

 

Me too, Mike. Someone there got tired of the calls and started telling the front desk to take the BCBS calls, and , apparently lie a little. A few of us that called were told Monday, that was such a nice spot to go last year, new beer mgr new release game.

 

We had 50 cases of BCS and 50 cases of variants. Over night, at a store manager got confused and sold through a bunch of the variants when a crowd showed up at midnight (every material we printed or posted said noon and this was well communicated to the staff). They had a couple cases of each left of each variant and about 46 cases of BCS in the morning when I showed up. 200 people in line by 10:30. We sold through what we had left instead of making people wait in the cold. I agree, it could have been handled better. Unfortunate situation. We had BCS leftover when the line was gone, so everybody got something that showed up early.

 

I have a sinking feeling that next year my small local shop will be over run as the demand builds year over year.

As some have noted in prior posts, I think retailers(big and small) are beginning to tire of the hassle that things like BCS etc have become--as one person said, it's possible Jewel just wanted to get the shit out of their store so they let people buy cases at a time. Regarding small stores, I spoke once with the owner of a local shop and he was saying that just to get on the list for distribution he has to sell I believe it was 40+ cases of the breweries other items a week that it's usually not even worth his effort.

 

"Instead of announcing a date" that is what they did, who KNOWS how many they told it was gonna be Monday, just hang on to it and do it when you said, not really complaining, just saying that would really have not been a problem to do, unless.........there is more coming Monday

 

Here's to hoping that once the taproom at the brewery is built next year, they will hold a major (ticketed hopefully) release there. I think most retailers and consumers think this year sucked.

 

I have no idea how that would go, but Jewel has been frustrating this year. I was just shopping at my local one and decided to ask about BCS. Beer guy said it was yesterday, came and went. Understandable. Asked if they just put it out and did first come / first serve (like he told me it would be 3 weeks ago when I asked the first time while shopping).

"No, some people had called in and put their names down, so we gave them a call first."

 

I think it would be super easy, kinda like a dark lord day type event. 4 or 5 time slots where you can pick up your allocation.

I've had several similar instances as you this year. People telling me one thing and doing another. I think most retailers are pretty upset with their allocations this year. It's only gonna get worse. I originally didn't care that much about the ab buyout, but after this nightmare I'm beginning to question if I should even give my financial support to their products.

 

You have to think this is part of the fallout of the AB buyout. I really doubted that the beer itself would ever suffer but it seems like there are some behind the scenes shenanigans. Using BCS allocation as a reward for selling more and more of the year round stuff. Which, hey, that's their prerogative, but it would drive me nuts if I was a liquor store owner.

Then again if I was a liquor store owner I don't know if I'd want anything to do with selling BCS. What an absolute headache it must be.

 

Distributor would probably lose their shit over that. Also, I've never been to DLD, but doesn't the amount of BCBS just dwarf that of DL? Meaning could it actually even occur that way, assuming they wanted it to?

Finally, this would make it tougher for GI to get subsequent year hype material from having a rep with a camera come stand in front of a crowd that has been freezing the past two hours and insult them with "on the count of three, everyone shout BOURBON COUNTY STOUT. WOOOOOO!"

 

They wouldn't have to sell all of their BCBS at an event like that, just a large amount. They could sell several thousand bottles of everything and still have a ton for distribution. GI events are always fun so I'd be down for that.