Abrasive Availability

How many cases of un-fresh Abrasive do you need?

 

It's been at most places that I've been to. Lunds downtown had 3 cases sitting in the walk in. It's still delicious.

 

You shouldn't have an issue finding it at any place with a halfway decent selection.

 

Zipps on 26th and E Franklin would be my recommendation.

 

Minneapolis Downtown. THough as noted, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding it.

 

Chicago Lake has it.

 

most bottle stores still have it i just had a 01/29 it was still very very good

 

I'll just decipher "un-fresh" as "still kicks ass!".
That is what you meant, right?

 

What was the last canning date?

 

I thought Todd had a post specifically about it, but I can't find it. For some reason 2/24 keeps popping in my head.

I did find on Feb 2nd him saying it was last run next week and on Feb 20th him responding to someone saying it was done.

Edit: Looks like the 24th was the release date of Blakkr.

 

Even though it's not fresh I have been buying a 4/pack or two every week. While it might be slightly better when it is just canned, Abrasive seems to be one of those beers that still tastes great even a couple months after canning -- at least from my experience. I hope people stop buying the older stuff so there is still more for me.

 

I have to believe that now that Surly is using a distributor, the distribution of their beer takes longer due to the middle man and hence we don't see canning dates that are as fresh.

 

I had a 1/29 can last night. Probably the first Abrasive I've had since mid February and it was amazing. I may actually prefer it with a bit of age on it. Seemed a bit sweeter and more drinkable, though it may of been because it was my first Abrasive in awhile and I forgot how good it was

 

I've been drinking a couple 4/packs a week of the 1/29 for what seems like a while. It tastes good as hell. The only problem is that it's hard to trade for other fresh stuff like Heady with that date. I guess I don't care though as I love the stuff. It's pretty easy to trade for Heady. People seem to give their first born. I just don't understand that.

Heading to the fridge to get another. We are lucky.

I think REALLY fresh Abrasive and this years Size 11 were the two best IIPAs I drank in the last half year although Heady (through trade) and Zombie (at Huna) are both amazing. I really think I liked Size 11 the best this year though.

 

It would be nice if we got fresh Surly like we used to when they distributed themselves. Is this a distributor problem?

 

Why would the distrubutor be a problem? The beer on the shelf in stores right now would be the same if Omar had wheeled them in himself.

 

Why don't people understand simple logistics? When there is a middle man it takes more time to get things to the shelves. It also puts the distributors in the middle to figure out who gets more or less beer and don't think they don't dally the freshest beers to their best money making stores. I know this because I have been in the beer scene for a while and have heard owners talk about it. When Surly distributed their own beer it was REALLY fresh when it hit the shelves. Now not so much. I just don't understand what there is to misunderstand. This is business and when there is a middleman there is a price increase as well as time to get things to the shelves. The distributors could care less if you get beer as fresh as it could be as they want to sell more Budweiser and other brands where they make more money from because the profit margin is higher. I really don't understand why people don't have the time to think about how and why things are the way they are. And then those people start talking and acting like they know what is going on. I hope you think about things in a more intellectual way cause this isn't working for you today. I'm sure you're as great person but please think about things before you think you know how things work. It just makes things worse for all of us when people do that.

 

This goes further when a distributor rep that a store has been working for years with ends up getting promoted and then they end up giving a store some person who really has no idea about good beer and doesn't fight for the beer for the stores that they are in charge of. When long term relationships are broken and then some stooge jumps in things get bad. They don't give the stooges to the big stores they let them train with the smaller stores that get screwed over again and again. Man there are so many ways small businesses get screwed over in this industry it's amazing. The big stores get what they want when they want because they sell huge quantity just like walmart. Welcome to the walmart of beer stores because that is going to be what we are going to be dealing with in the future. I hope you are happy with that because that is what is being supported by not helping out the mom and pop shops that know who you are, know what you want, and try to deliver but can't because walmart took over.