Bruery 2016 RS/HS Allocations

Let's do the math...

If you were to buy 8 bottles of M&V (max allocation) it would cost you $147.12 with an HS discount. Retail price is $22.99, but let's assume $25 which is more of what it would probably be after getting to the east coast. Buying 8 bottles at $25 would be $200. If shipping 8 bottles costs you $52.88, you're using the wrong shipper dude.

 

Mash & Vanilla as was Melange 15 a Society Release not Society Exclusive.

Now how many "Exclusive" beers actually stay exclusive is a whole other story.

 

Society release means that we (society) gets first crack. Society Exclusive usually means only to society members, which, this year has grown to include access to PS members in small quantities. However we have seen a great increase in their brewing capacity (notice reserve/hoarders limits going from 3/6 to 4/8 and whale beers getting thru to second chance sales).

That being said I think they are in an adjustment phase with the new brew house dramatically increasing the quantity of beer they have on hand. I think it might lead to some storage issues since they are now brewing so much beer. I haven't been behind the scenes at their climate controlled storage facility, but those wine bottles will take up a lot space and doing what they can to free up space by pushing stuff into Distribution. That's why we are seeing some society beers being sold on premises in tasting rooms, just as a way of draining inventory to more manageable levels. This is doubly important in light of how prolific they are in terms of brewing new beers almost every month. Melanges, Blue BBLs, Sans Pagaie are just a few examples of previous small quantity beers being more available than in previous releases.

Personally I don't mind it. Let the good news spread because it will only increase their reputation. I pay a premium to get a right of first refusal on all their RS releases. That's good enough for me being from the East Coast. Where I am (Albany, NY) the only 'new' national stuff I've seen in the last year is SHIT, humulus Terreux, and Ton Rue. We still seen a bottle of hottenroth under the new Terreux label. No Melanges in NY yet, but it's early.

Far be it for me to deny people Bruery goodness.

Shipping to the east coast for a 12 bottle shipper is about $40, or about $3.33 a bottle. The box costs $12, so that's about $4.50 in shipping costs per bottle. Considering Poterie is $25.50 with my discount, after shipping my $30 price is still less than the $33-$36 at my local beer store. The same pricing is not applicable for national release (seasonals, Christmas beers, etc), so I wait for distro on those.

 

I vote they dump L'Deracola into Costco just to eliminate it as a purchase option on their website. I'm sick of seeing it not sell!

 

I just thought I'd jump in and give a shoutout to The Bruery Terreux tasting room staff! The new space is awesome and the tap list is excellent (even for someone like me who likes clean beers). If you haven't been already, check it out!

 

oh man with Costco and m15 hitting distro, the bruery needs to make it up to us, by bottling and releasing Cherry Chocolate Rain

Costco executive card member only


seriously though when will we see cherry chocolate rain again

 

That's my thinking. Two breweries operating full steam, they're producing a LOT more beer now. While I'm surprised to see stuff make it to distro that never would have before, it does sting a bit because I can make in store purchases on said bottles for far less and get it quicker (Mash & Vanilla lands tomorrow in our store, my bottles won't be here until next week), but I also understand growth means more product overall. I haven't quite figured out how The Bruery decides on distro beers, as this new drop in GA also included Hottenroth which we should have already seen by now. I'm guessing it's based on what's available and what's selected to go out, so some stuff sits in wait until there's enough product to ship out. I'd also be lying if I didn't say that part of being a hoarder means I feel entitled to stuff that should never see distro, so I can't brag about it if lowly 'customers' can buy it too. Price isn't much of an issue here as our retailers aren't gouging anyone, so there will never be a bottle of Poterie going for $30+ anywhere and I don't have a problem with paying a bit more for the shipping.

I've talked to a few locals who are in PS or RS, and they share a lot of the same sentiments. Especially for PS, as most of the stuff they want isn't available online but is now showing up in retail. I can see how that would be annoying.

 

I like math, so I will make it easier for you.

Through Hoarders:
22.99 Retail less 20% = 18.39xTax =19.86x12 =238.32
Shippers through Uhaul are $10 a piece =238.32+10 =248.32
Shipment from California to NC = ~$50-52: 248.32+50 =298.32
298.32/12= 24.86 a bottle

Through Retail in NC:
22.99xTax=24.71 a bottle
Not to mention any case discount that could be applied.

So I save 0.15$ a bottle and don't have to waste my trustee's time going to the Bruery, pickup, drive back, and then ship this 4 to 5 days across the United States.

 

Wait, so you're telling me that the distributor and the retail establishment doesn't go above MSRP? I doubt that entirely.

 

There are some places that charge higher than MSRP but there are plenty here that charge the exact price each and every time. Actually S.H.I.T was cheaper than MSRP at a couple of the stores local.

 

Rarely do they go above MSRP, at least in GA. Our retail for Sour in the Rye in store is $18.99. Other chain retailers get $17.99, and if you pay cash as low as $16.99. Of course chain retailers are buying way more in bulk, and they also have higher margins on other products, like wine, so beer doesn't need to be marked up that much, whereas our store is beer only and we buy 1-2 cases max of most beers so we have a slightly higher margin to compensate for. Wicked Weed's retail prices at the brewery are typically $1 more than we sell it for in store too. I've only found a few breweries throughout my touring the Southeast that charge less (French Broad out of Asheville for one, they get $4/bomber, where retail stores get $4.99-$5.49).

 

Well, I guess I was wrong. I'm so used to being price gouged by the places out here in Oregon I suppose.

 

Yes, they were listed as Society Release. I am sure that is what they are doing but it would still be nice to have it clearly defined. Especially since you can see a Pre-public Release in the same e-mail thread as the Society Release.

 

From my experience with NC beer prices (my parents live there), they're much more fair than most places on the West Coast. So yeah, I could see how selling barely above MSRP happens often. I think out here, we're just far too used to getting price-gouged on just about everything.

 

@BruerJoel Stop selling to Costco! Start distributing in Missouri! Rabble Rabble!

 

what a month to miss the allocation deadline.

 

I've seen other people say it, send an email. They may make an exception and let you purchase your allocation.

 

The way things are going, everything will be back up for secondary anyway.

 

I thought at first you were piggy backing on the Costco debacle a page or so ago. Then I realized you were serious.

On a much more serious note, how does M&V go to distro & PS not even get a call me may'be? Fo' real doe.

 

Or just go buy it at Costco