Bourbon County 2017

Thanks, both of you.

When I said smaller stores, I was really referring to some stores that I have read that open at 7 (like Jewel), where I might be able to get a couple allotments of regular and maybe 1 or 2 variants. I figured none of the Jewel's and such would require that to purchase a Coffee. Seemed like lots of people were able to get a variant at Jewel and such last year.

 

*sigh*

I'm a Lions fan too friend.

Hold me.

 

If you’re after a VR or Prop 14, plan on missing Thanksgiving dinner.

Wish I was kidding.

 

I did talk to some folks that actually got 3 allocations at Binny's 2 years ago when they had tickets left over. Fat chance leftover tickets happens again, so it probably won't be much of an issue moving forward.

 

I can confirm that in 2016 ticket #1100 was given put last year almost exactly at 9:00a.m.

I was the first one without a ticket. Arrived right at 9.

Plenty of people came to the back of the line with tickets saying they picked it up went back home or wherever and then came back. Most of these people had gotten multiple tickets. There was a group of at least 3-5 guys from Michigan who not only gotten multiple tickets but also were driving around hitting up jewel and wherever else they could and stocking up on as much as they could while they waited. They were being as stealth as they could but I definitely heard their conversations and know they got and used multiple tickets at LP binnys. I saw one of their SUV's literally packed with cases of regular bcbs.

I wish it was a wristband or something else because the guy(s) handing out the tickets had no way of knowing who got tickets and came back to the end of line 30 minutes later and gotten another ticket and so on. i waited it out and did end up getting the full allotment as someone strolled up and gave me a ticket saying he couldn't wait any longer. There were probably another 5 people behind me without tickets that were able to get the full allotment.

 

Maybe I’ve had a few too many tonight, but I can’t quite follow this. Are you saying that people that got there early looped back to the end of the line once they got their first ticket...to the get second ticket? I’m also a bit unclear how they were going to Jewel while doing this. Not disputing your story, just trying to get an understanding of how this worked for these people.

 

Sounded like they Entered line at point X. Got a ticket, would get in line again at end, Get Ticket Y. (Perhaps they did this a third time?). Since tickets were handed out before stores opened, they left at some point to get bottles elsewhere, then came back to claim their Binny's before their spot in line was called or...something. Not clear about the last part.

 

Oh, I figured, I'm not (necessarily), but obviously it would be nice.. I just would rather get there and camp/sleep the entire time away as opposed to getting there at 4am after a sleep, like last year, and just sit there and keep myself busy for 5 hours.

 

I feel like maybe because they released so few beers last year (4 total) and it was somewhat of a "recovery" year for them, they wanted to make available a plethora of vintage bottles. I think that's why so many were available.

 

Besides wanting to create more of a draw for the LP spectacle, is there any intel or theories as to why the allocation has increased? Actually decent increases at the other Binny’s too. Not complaining at all, as I usually seek out 8-10 regulars at Jewel, Mariano’s, etc. to last through the year. Just wondering if this means regular (and maybe variants?) will see greater distribution overall this year.

 

I think this is just a result of the larger barrelhouse and InBev investments over time. Last year regular and barelywine were hitting shelves multiple times across the country for weeks afterward. It's still a big event but not necessarily a one-and-done now. Heck, Rare was at Jewel literally sitting on a shelves for days at one point. And I had friends in Maine and Cali finding year-old Regal Rye last year on Black Friday.

I expect to see this repeat again this year, so release day is for getting variants and then just sort of keep an ear to the ground throughout Dec for pickup stragglers of BCBS for year-round drinking.

 

That's interesting, and I agree.. I think the wise plan-of-attack is just to max out on Northwoods, Coffee, Prop and Reserve and not even buy any regular or barleywine.. I think those will be quite abundant throughout the next year.. Or at least that's my plan.

 

Presumably it takes a while for the employees to hand out a ticket to every person in line. So, if you are person 100 in line, and get a ticket handed to you, you could then make your way to the back of the line and get there before the ticket-er does. Thus receiving your number 100 ticket and the end of the line ticket....

I'm just inferring some things having never been to LP on Black Friday.

 

The big question seems to be what time to arrive at LP to be within the #1000 when you don't care about being in the first #500. Given past trends and allocation differences this year it seems like adding 1-2 hours for insurance. Maybe 7AM arrival?

 

I think they were trying to recover from the 2015 infection issues. Plus coffee was clearly not the yield they expected (for whatever reason). So they dipped into the vintage stock more last year. Plus, consider they have a full year (2015) where they can't add to the vintage stock because of the infection. Honestly, 500 vintage options isn't too bad.

Yeah, this would probably work from what I saw last year, but you would be less prone to want to try it if you were up near the front. You are giving up place in line for multiple tickets. If you were person #100 last year - you'd have been giving up a VR. But if you were person #500 and feeling like a shade ball? Sure.

 

I showed up at 6.45AM last year and got VR. I was #404 in line.

 

Lol wut? I showed up at 4:00 a.m. and had #553 ticket. No VR or Prop 14 available. So unless you cut in line some where I don't believe you.

 

You gotta be #$@!ing me! I got in line around 7, was in the mid-600's and only vintage regular and BW were left.

 

This seems weird too. Only 100 people showed up in 3 hours?

I'm really confused now...

 

All of these make me realize I must not be wired to do the shady stuff that people do. My brain hurts just thinking about these things.

I'm now thinking about getting to LP much earlier this year just so I can be out of the store at an earlier time. That will equate to less time away from family, which will earn me some "good dad/husband points".