Beer Trading & Beer Karma

i feel like 1700 is a nice round number.

 

So long as the number actually means something, I'm cool with it.

edit: by this I mean it's not arbitrary

 

Possibly, but not necessarily.

 

I don't like the idea, based on how karma points are earned right now. I've been on BA since 2009 and have been fairly active, 50+ successful trades, have participated in and run multiple LIFs and BIFs, but only have 322 karma points. Someone who has been on here for a year or less, but uses the site heavily to document full reviews and has tried beer from all over (points for beers and places per state/country) could easily have a lot more karma than I have. However, they would have zero credibility in the forums.

Nothing is foolproof, but I'd suggest a minimum number of karma points with at least half of those points coming from forum posts and also a minimum amount of time on the site.

Ex. Min. 6 months on site, 100 karma points with min. 50 points from posts.

Building a reputation in the forums would help much more in this case than beer reviews.

 

Yep, and make it high. I think a minimum time on the site is important too.

 

I agree, I have followed the site for a long time, but only recently became a member. I have also been wanting to get into the trading game as there are a few beers that I can't get that I would like to try. But if I have to jump through hoops just to do it, it just seems like too much of a hassle for me. However, I feel others would just B.S. their way through the karma, just to get trading status. This seems like it wouldn't solve anything, unless people are getting ripped off left and right while trading and I'm not seeing it. And if that's the case, do it, no one needs to get ripped off.

 

Anyone recommending really high karma points (I'm sure some are being sarcastic), take a look at your karma, the karma points for some of your trading partners and other BA's who come to mind when you think of good traders. I bet some of them don't meet your criteria. In the end, 2,500 reviews doesn't make a potentially good trader.

 

People don't need to create fake/shitty reviews to get karma. They get karma for every post they make. That's the easiest way to get karma, and the forums are full of posts which are no more useful (or measureably less shitty) than these fake/shitty reviews you're worried about.

 

I disagree. When you create a shitty/fake review of a beer to just get karma, it affects a lot of things (beer trade value, reputation of brewery, and reputation of said beer). When you create a fake/shitty post, that's all there is to it.

 

How do you determine what constitutes a fake/shitty review? When you read one, do you report it?

 

I know that i for one am not happy that it might be a number higher than 100. I'm not a ticker or a place reviewer. I like drinking the same great beers that I like...i don't tend to go out and try a lot of new beer. I do post on here periodically, but I don't chatter for the sake of chatter. I'd like to believe that my posts do contribute. I've shared beers with a hundred+ BA's and sent out over a thousand crooked stave beers to trustee members on here. I've attended EBF & NotF twice and gotten my picture taken with the Bro's at GABF while wearing a thong on my head. And, I do trade. I'd hate to lose that privilege after 6 years because of a number.

 

Wouldn't this inhibit potential new traders from figuring how that forum works as well as what's a fair trade? Plus, a lot of people probably come on just to look at that forum. I think it would only cut down on traffic to your site and encourage new users to use the other site and familiarize themselves with that system instead.

 

Doesn't stop you from not knowing what a fair trade is...

 

All I'm saying is instead of long thought out reviews like there currently are, someone trying to get whatever status he needs will not be so descriptive. I like hearing about how something tastes like "horse blanket". I have no idea what a horse's blanket tastes like, nor do I ever want it in my mouth. Do you really think someone trying to get to a certain level is going to go all out?

 

I for one browsed the trade forums for months before I even signed up for BA to make sure I didn't make a fool of myself when I finally jumped into the trading game. I may be an exception but for those out there like myself, it would really suck to not have a point of reference when learning the ins and outs of beer trading.