2015 Michigan BCBS & Black Friday Thread

I think a big part of the complaining isn't merely that it's limited, but that it seems so unevenly limited. KBS is limited too, but you don't hear about cases of KBS sitting on shelves in California/New York for 8 months. With BCBS you do, implying that there is a misallocation of supply, which should be a fixable issue. That's why people complain, I think (it's certainly why I complain, anyway.)

 

Lansing/East Lansing/Okemos has a decent amount of stores that seem to get a fair shake of BCBS.

I don't think anyone comes to Lansing for Black Friday and, I would guess, a decent proportion of the population might hit the road for the Holiday weekend (students and whatnot).

That being said, the limited releases have been a little crazier this year than last. Places that do first-come-first serve are usually sold out by the time I'm off work. Most lists are getting so long that there is only one bottle per person. Though it's open market on the bottles that don't get picked up within 48 hours. And getting on a list is not hard work (just call the shop).

And, again, with the bottle format change, the area might get the same allotment of ounces of BCBS, which would mean less bottles to go around. I do expect this year to be different.

 

Unfortunately, I feel like the consensus opinion is that there isn't gonna be one.

 

Our store is going to get some BC this year(W.Michigan). No telling how much(I doubt more than two cases) or which kinds yet. No midnight release for sure tho.. But I can guarantee it will all get reserved within an hour of us posting it on facebook.

Will most likely be a one bottle limit, for sure no more than two. We try to give out more than our competitors in our area.

 

well you clearly don't work at Drakes. It was all reserved within 4 seconds last year, no embellishing either.

 

I'm not even going to try this year. Store I go to just got told they weren't getting any this year. Goose switched distributors and they're doing allocations differently this year. Needless to say he put his Goose Island shelf on discount immediately!

 

I feel like a Michigan based BCBS event would amount to $5 raffle tickets for a chance to buy a $5 wrist band to stand in line to look at a bottle...touching the bottle is an additional $5.

 

Hahahahahahaha

 

Last year I was living in Mt. Pleasant and was able to get a 4 pack each of reg, BW, coffee, and a bottle of VR. I don't live there anymore so I will say call K&S Liquor on Blue Grass and Old Mission Party Store on S. Mission and ask them about details and possible lists.

The release was a little weird. I got regular from K&S and it came out on Wednesday, two days before Black Friday. Since I was a regular the beer guy there said he was saving one of two bottles of VR that they were getting. I picked VR up on Black Friday, way before almost everywhere else in the state. Then they got coffee about a week or so after Black Friday. For BW I stopped into Old Mission on Black Friday and they had a few cases of regular and BW and a case of VR. Strangely, even though I asked in the past, there turned out to be a list and I couldn't buy any regular or VR because I wasn't on it. But the BW was unexpected so I got a four pack. To summarize, K&S had a list in a way. If you call and ask they should put you on a list to call when stuff arrives. Old Mission did have a list that I was never told about. Oh, and prices were good too. All the packs were $24 and VR was $26.

In addition, "The Store" (yes, that's it's name, good luck finding it, it is listed here on BA though), got regular but when I went in the owner was keeping it at his house. I have no idea if this was true or not as when I asked for some he said he would bring it in and call me when he had it in store. Never heard and asked about it in store and was told he never did that and he didn't appreciate me lying to him. If you happen to have the pleasure of speaking to the owners yourself, watch out, this craft beer boom has made them very bitter store owners. Any mention of a list will result in being hung up on.

 

So you live in Kzoo, that makes sense

 

Im not following, did you have a bad experience there?

 

The anger

 

so people from kalamazoo are angry? still not computing, sorry.

edit: im sure you are interpreting me calling you out for asking dumb questions all the time as anger, but really im just a smartass and anyone who knows me in person knows im about as chill as it gets.

anyway, yeah, bourbon county in sw mich is scarce and ihs does a poor job at being prepared for the release(i.e. shops not getting allotments until after Friday morning by hours/days)

 

Yeah, I ask a ton of dumbass questions on here, I apologize. You just seem like a very angry dude, I feel bad for you man.

 

I was able to get two bottles at my local grocery store last year. I am hoping thats the case this year as well. They sell a ton of Honkers Ale.

 

Apparently all lips are currently sealed as to quantity and which variants are coming, no info just yet

 

First year looking for BCBS, I've purchased lots of beer from you guys so far this year, how do you guys handle the release? Do you have a list? Wait in line - first come first serve?

 

Well, I'm gonna go out on a limb as say that's either really bad news or really good news. Leaning towards the former.

 

I will announce the release on our social media page a week or so prior, with a set time, pricing and limits. The line will be extensive and some will leave with nothing.