Aslin Beer Co. (2019)

Crazy people are buying these stouts for 30.00 a bottle......it’s basically a little more than a pint....let alone its 100 degrees outside.

 

I wrote a similar post in the 2018 thread but I’ll do this again since I’m so wowed right now.

I have an awesome trade partner local to aslin who has blessed me with about a dozen boxes in the past 9 months. As I type this, I’m up to 83 rated beers from aslin.

His most recent box included a wide array of beers which hit each of the major styles. Im talking sours, IPAs, DIPAs, TIPAs, stouts and even some of them uber expensive barrel project brews. I’m blown away by the consistent quality they produce across the board. Their “worst” beers are 4.25s and up for me.

I live on Long Island, with easy access to NYC breweries and distro...meaning I have a lot of world class choices. With that being said, aslin is my favorite brewery. (Side note: I think The Answer is my second favorite lol)

Please don’t judge me, but I’m going to steer my 13 year old to go to college in VA to give me a good excuse to make the drive down there a couple of times each year!

 

In terms of their beer quality, I'm on the same page. I think I've noted this before, but they really seem to be hitting their stride in 2019. Everything I've had from them this year has been great. I've had more Aslin than any other brewery this year, and, like you, I think 4.25 has been the worst rating I've given one of their beers.

That being said, for all their brewing talent, these guys have no clue how to run a business. They took a lot of flack a few months ago for how they handled the Luling release. For those unfamiliar with it, they announced a Saturday release at 4 per, but they silently started sales two days early. By the time Saturday rolled around, their inventory was seriously depleted, and, although they dropped the limit to 2 per--which pissed off a lot of people who weren't tipped off about the silent release--they still sold out before they could get through the initial line--which pissed off even more people who lined up before opening but nevertheless struck out.

Apparently, they learned little from that, as yesterday's release showed. There's zero chance they were unaware Harrisonburg would draw huge crowds, not to mention they were releasing three other barrel-aged goodies. Setting the limit at 4 per, and not adjusting that when they saw the enormous opening line, was obviously going to shut out anyone who couldn't be in line for several hours on a 100 degree Saturday morning. I've heard a lot of people speculate Aslin intentionally did that to draw out as many people as possible, both to clear inventory before their move and as a parting "fuck you" to their asshole neighbors, but, to the extent that's accurate, it suggests they were blind to how it would alienate a large number of their local fans.

 

If true, that's pathetic but doesn't surprise me.

Not sure why you're calling the neighbors assholes, I wouldn't be thrilled about having people lined up in front of my business and taking up all the parking spots in the business park if I were trying to run a business. Aslin shouldn't allow their line to basically block the entrance to multiple other businesses either. If anyone's an asshole, it's Aslin.

 

I don't know if it's rumor, speculation, or fact, but I've heard a lot of indications that the neighbors were instrumental in getting Aslin's taproom shut down due to one or more of them having clout with the fire marshal. Along the same lines, I've heard part of the reason it's taking so long to get the second Herndon location up and running is, again, the neighbors fighting against whatever permitting/zoning decisions Aslin needs. I have no way of confirming either of those, so take them with whatever grain of salt you deem appropriate.

But I have heard firsthand accounts of one of the businesses (the dance studio) trying to get cars towed, despite the fact that none of the parking spaces in that strip mall are reserved for any particular business. And I've heard one account of a person getting a tire slashed in front of Complete Kitchen, and, when the person pointed it out to the business owner, the owner's response was "That's my parking spot." Between these issues and my belief that there's probably some truth to the paragraph above, yeah, I think they're assholes.

 

Interesting Twitter traffic over the last 24 hours regarding the Alexandria site. DCBeer tweeted that Alexandria's opening is "Very very close," and Phil Runco of Brightest Young Things posted a screenshot of his RSVP confirmation to some sort of Aslin Friends and Family event. I wouldn't be surprised to see the official announcement in the next few days.

 

Someone hinted at them opening (soft opening?) on Monday

 

If DCBeer's latest tweet is to be believed, the Alexandria taproom will be open no later than next Saturday, 7/13. HOORAY!

 

7/15

 

And the original tweet to that thread with pictures for those who missed clicking through.

 

Their decoration scheme reminds me of the place where my toddler goes for gymnastics. Oh well, I'm not exactly going for the ambiance, and it's not like the old taproom was much to look at.

 

After a few Pew Pew Pew’s the Mind the Hop wall might make you a little dizzy.

 

Has 7/15 been confirmed by anyone at Aslin? Seems odd they wouldn't have posted anything about the opening if it's 4 days out.

 

Nothing yet, but their instagram story just showed the friends and family event

 

Seems kind of weird that they're having the public opening on a Monday and not on the weekend. They'll be selling cans out of the new spot, right?

 

How would it be a soft opening if it were on a weekend?

 

I saw a post on their IG saying they're looking to hire another brewer

Anyone know if this is to supplement the current team or did someone leave?

 

The Alexandria taproom is open.

 

Wow just like that huh. lol

 

For a brewery that's been trying to open a taproom for years and who seems to hype up just about everything they can (nearly 50 IG posts to the 3rd anny party), that was the a pretty low key announcement.