Ballast Point this Summer

That's not fair, Masala Mamma kicks the shit outta everything, regardless of price.

 

I'm contractually obligated to mention saga in every forum and when we say grace

 

Um, because demand is much higher. Seriously, how is this complicated?

BTW I feel compelled to point out that 50% higher is not "nearly twice." Most places have Big Eye at $9.99 & Sculpin at $14.99.

 

Look at it this way; Sculpin is more expensive in CA, where Sculpin (while still great) doesn't stand out that much further alongside the other 50 or so amazing CA IPA's bring brewed. So the theory that demand is the major reason why Sculpin is so expensive pretty much falls flat when you consider it is also more expensive when it is sitting on shelves in San Diego county alongside Alpine, Alesmith, Port Brewing, Kern River, Green Flash, Firestone STone, and on and on, not to mention that Societe is on tap all over SD county. So really, as much as Sculpin may end up standing out in demand in a market like this, it has always been more expensive in its home market where it doesn't have any unusual demand, as it just becomes one of many IPA's all of equal quality.

 

Right; so the lesson here is that we have all done the market research, and have a much keener understanding of the demand for this product than do the people who brew and sell it, and this is why six month old unreasonably priced Sculpin is languishing on shelves throughout their distribution footprint.

Think we should tell them??

 

I think that they probably know. That is an issue for all of the IPA producers, that there is the past date stuff on the shelves. Talk about a real first world problem, but in SoCal, there is just more killer IPA around than can be consumed. In fact, Sculpin is around so much on tap that it was never a matter of me not having it whenever I wanted. I can say for certain, that I have never even bought it in bottles for myself, but only when I was trading out of state and that is when I had to poke around to make sure that I was grabbing fresh stuff.

 

Bought a sixer Sculpin and Victory at Sea and Sea Monster at the Zipp's. Will pop my cherry on Sculpin then go back for other labels. Gonna cellar the bombers til later this fall. Price points aside I am excited this brew is in MN and looking forward to Green Flash joining in October.

 

Too lazy to do any research so I'll just ask...

Why does Sculpin cost 50% more than Big Eye?

 

For those of us that experience the last time Ballast Point was in Minnesota, this is a um, yea, experience. Never tried Sea Monster or Big Eye so I bought those two beers at Blue Max. I doubt I will be buying much Ballast Point in the future.

 

Only elliott1184 has the intellectual prowess to answer that question. The rest of us are obviously fools to question his on-line Associates Degree economics course's first chapter on supply/demand, to think that there is any other force in the universe that affects pricing

 

Sculpin is a Giffen good

 

If there were standardized testing for sarcasm comprehension this site would be Mississippi.

 

Umm, people like the taste (and the price)? I'd argue the same for many of Surly's beers, but I realize that all people don't share the same taste buds or preferences as I do, so I don't question nor give a shit if people like to blow 20 bucks on a bomber of an average Quad just because it's Surly. Let the attack begin...

 

I only ask because every thread about an IPA in this forum leads to the "Saga is better" thread jack. If people like it great, I don't. Start a "Saga is better" post and feed it endlessly, this one is about Ballast Point. And I think Big Eye is a great addition to the IPAs in the market. Haven't tried Sculpin yet.

 

Why would you really care, or take the time (however minute) to do a search on how many times another BA has made posts about a certain beer?

This led me to wonder how many times I've commented on Abrasive.
If anyone really cares, it's been 52 times in the last 9 months (look it up and correct me if I'm wrong). That was about twice as much as I thought it would be - I do get it, I love Abrasive.

Saga...Saga...Saga...Saga!
Just kidding, you're right - lets get back to Ballast Point....

The only time I tried Sculpin, I was not impressed.
However, it was an extra and I have no idea how fresh it was.

I was also not impressed with my first Victory at Sea - I just had a bottle that was 'good by Nov 2013'. The coffee tasted cheap, like old Folgers.
I will admit that it got a little better towards the bottom of the bottle though.
I have a fresher bottle that I'm going to open soon to see if it was just past it's prime or if it's just not a beer I'm going to like.

UnderbellyAles posted earlier this week that New Bohemia has their Ballast Point launch party this Wednesday, 9/11 @ 6:00 pm.
I'm looking forward to trying Sculpin & Big Eye on tap.
They'll also have Calico and Pale Ale - $5 tulip pours (I assume 10 oz?) with 5 oz flights of all 4 for $10.

 

Abrasive is ALWAYS worth talking about!!!

 

I hope we get Dorado. I got it two yrs ago in my first ever shipment of beer with Pliny and other CA IPAs. I also had it on tap in SF at the celebrated City Beer store/bar. It is a big IIPA like Abrasive and I really liked it on tap. I'm more excited about Ballast Pt than I was for Stone. It's nice to have a gold standard West Coast IPA available in Sculpin. I got a 6er last night and my wife is already on her second one today!

Green Flash is on deck and I hope Firestone makes it here someday as well. I heard from two different people that we will get Alpine if/when they contract with Third Street. Any legs to that story?

 

I had some Sculpin on tap earlier this year and it really didn't blow me away. Maybe due to the hype or the fact that I had been sucking down Jai Alai, Hopsecutioner, and various DFH varieties. On my beer run I picked up a sixer of Big Eye and bombers of Sea Monster and Victory at Sea. After trying the Big Eye, I'd get it every time over Sculpin, especially given the price difference (and yes, I do like Saga, and Furious, and Abrasive, and Masala Mama, and...OK, I'm an IPA *****, what can I say).

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Opinions are like assholes, but...I found Sculpin to be over rated and over priced. Got a pint at Grumpy's NE on Saturday myself, and felt it is just another very good IPA. Worth the price of pint, but (outside of locals) I don't think it is any better than plenty of other cheaper options out there.