My local shop posted that they were going to get Bramble Rye BCS today and it would be first come first served. When I got there it wasn't in yet, but they said they'd take my name and hold a bottle for me. I got a call a couple hours later that they'd hold my bottle tonight but would sell it tomorrow if I didn't pick it up tonight. I showed up a few minutes before closing and they said they were out. I explained that no, they could sell me my bottle because I was on the list. He said there were only 5 on the list and everyone had picked theirs up. I said I was on the list and hadn't. So we pieced together that someone showed up, there was one bottle left, they told him it was reserved, and he lied and said that he had called ahead and reserved it and they sold my bottle to him. At first I started to say I was surprised that someone would do that, but then, midway through my sentence I realized I wasn't actually all that shocked. Things like this are all too common these days in chasing rare beers. So that this isn't just self-indulgent whining I'll throw this out there: What's your worst near-miss with scoring a great beer?
I'm not terribly surprised. What surprises me most is that people are still going nuts for it even after everyone figured out it doesn't really taste that great. Trade value and whatnot. Distributed with 10,000+ bottles and not very tasty, yet to trade for it you better lube up now.
Yeah, I had heard it wasn't great but the reviews left me curious and I just decided if it was under $20 I'd give it a shot.
If your name is on the list they should just ask for the name and maybe even ask for and ID. That's naive on their part. Unless, since the store was almost closing, the clerk thought you'd not show up anymore and sold it to whomever tried to buy it and then just invented the story so you wouldn't be so angry.
I am torn on lists. On the one hand, it can be seen as some sort of guarantee that you won't have to run around like crazy to get something that is limited. On the other hand, it is not really a guarantee because shady business like this can/will go down.
A respectable store with a list would check the ID's of the purchasers with the names on the list, check them off as the beer is purchased and not sell all their bottles if a name remains. I'm not crazy about the Reserve List method, but it's not a particularly hard one to manage.
This is why I have people ask to be on a list IN PERSON. I handle all of the special releases myself so I'll see customers at least twice in the process.
I don't mind lists at all, really, how hard is it to match your name to your merchandise when you come in?
OK, so you missed out on a bottle of beer. I'll bet that the sky was not falling when you walked out of the bottle shop. And so it goes...
Oh yeah, I know it shouldn't be hard. I just don't like the practice, & hope it never wends its way up to Minnesota. Hearing stories about beers that "sell out" via list the moment they're announced, months before they're released, just seems silly!
Not a dig at you OP, as for all I know you frequent that store often. But.... I purposefully don't get on "lists" at places where I don't already spend my beer budget on other things. For instance, I'll get on the "list" at the place where I pickup fresh Dreadnaught as extras, or where I buy my case(s) of Hopslam, or where I talk to the managers about beer/wine/bourbon for a while, or places where I help the manager out with trades or stuff like a bottle of Pliny or Heady Topper that they want to try, etc. I only get on "lists" at places that actually know me and know that I spend what little non-trading beer money I have at their location. Bottles that are held for me either upon my request or due to the kindness of the manager aren't sold to others because I know the people at my local shops. I can't imagine the managers are thrilled when they only see a person when CBS or BCBS are released.
What kind of wacky store is this?! I'm picturing..... Guy: I'm here to pick up my bottle. Clerk: Are you on the list? Guy: Sure. Clerk: What is your name? Guy: What name is on the list? Clerk: J Aramini Guy: Yup, that's me. Clerk: Ok Mr. Aramini, here you go. Have a great day.
The store in question announced on Monday that the Bramble Rye would be sold Wednesday at Noon. There were only 12 bottles, so it would be first come first served. JAramini probably showed up around 12:00 (as I did) and was told that the delivery truck was delayed. In my case, the store owner took down my name and phone number and said that he would call me when it arrived. However, the owner also told me that they don't reserve bottles for people. So once they called, I still needed to get there ASAP before they were sold out. It sucks if one of the employees specifically stated that they would hold a bottle for you. It just seems like a big miscommunication.
