Aslin Beer Co. (2020)

PSA for anyone still hanging on to bottles of San Diego, Untappd reviews suggest that beer has some infection issues (example 1, example 2, example 3, example 4, example 5, example 6, example 7, example 8, example 9, example 10, example 11, example 12). For what it's worth, they fully refunded my remaining bottles. I'm glad to see they stand behind their product, especially when they're charging quite a premium for it.

 

Did you specifically reach out to someone at Aslin or just go in with bottles and discuss on-site?

 

I sent a message to the email address listed on their site, and they got back to me pretty quickly. They asked me to bring in the unopened bottles but took my word (well, my word and a photo) on the two I dumped.

 

I don't have any experience with infected beers but does that mean the entire batch/barrel is infected or can the infection be limited to just a handful of bottles? If it's a known issue, why isn't the brewery recalling the bottles?

 

I would hope that it is specific bottles and not all but who knows given it’s been 6 months, most of the bottles may have been drank. And Untapped isn’t exactly a great resource - people rate things as they see it previous rated and might not know a beer is sour.

More observation but it seems breweries are reactive to the volume of complaints e.g. Goose Island when admitting infection issues.

 

My coworker was mentioning some brouhaha on Facebook about case counts and mug club members - something along the lines that mug club members were allowed in before 11 this past Saturday to drink/buy bottles. Anyone know anything about this?

 

I don't think it's a coincidence that the FB group was squashed shortly after last weekend's release.

It's my understanding that mug club members can pick up bottles a few days before the release but if they can't make it then members are allowed in early on release day to buy their allotment. Don't know anything about opening bottles on-site though.

 

This is correct. Mug Club gets early access to releases using an online pre-order system. If they haven't ordered the Mug Club limit by the pre-order deadline, they can show up 30 minutes before opening to buy up to that limit (less any they already reserved via pre-order). A bunch of Mug Club members showed up early on Saturday to buy their remaining limit, and that threw the case count off, meaning about 10 or so people who thought they lined up in time and just made the cut-off based on their ticket number got a nasty surprise.

As for the Facebook group getting shut down, Facebook has been closing alcohol-related groups left and right. I suspect the spike in traffic had more to do with them noticing/shuttering that one than the content of the discussion.

 

People still use Facebook?

 

I use (well, used, now that all the beer trading groups are getting 86ed) it solely for beer trading. Honestly, I've had much more success on that platform than on this site.

 

Instagram for the win?

 

Any updates on the Herndon taproom? They had started to build but seems to have slowed and doesn't look like much progress has been made in the last month or two.

 

In the words of the maegi: "When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then will the Herndon taproom open, and not before."

 

Instagram is the wild west.

 

I realize I'm harsher towards Aslin than most, but that seems more like a bar problem than an Aslin problem.

 

I haven't had it so I'll take your word on the quality. That pricing is comical and out of whack. I realize it might be hard for some bars to get Aslin kegs and I don't know what the pricing is on these kegs, but I don't see the wisdom in pricing a 5% IPA at that point. It's exploitive of customers and probably will result in a very slow moving keg. I don't know who does Aslin's distro but I imagine they want retailers/bars that move product.

 

$7 for a pint of Grovestand or Master of Oranges at Whole Foods in DC.

 

Hop and Wine is their distributor in Northern VA (per Aslin's website). I would guess that the kegs are expensive, which is probably why I rarely see Aslin beers on tap yet I see beers from other locals on tap just about everywhere. I don't think it's a supply issue anymore based on the to go options at the brewery.