http://www.captainlawrencebrewing.com/tasting-room-notice-from-scott-vaccaro/ Just curious on people's thoughts on the pay as you go approach Captain Lawrence just introduced. Seems to definitely make the experience much less customer friendly. Basically have to commit to at least a growler in order to get anything free based on the pricing scheme. To go from "free" at the old place, to the $2 tasting glass to now all samples costing you just sounds to me like they over - expanded or over - committed themselves in the new space.
Sounds like they somehow take on extra liability giving away free beer, so they set up the minimal charge possible to circumvent it. And now they sell 12oz cups of beer so you can hang out without living on the refill line. I guess it sucks if your expectation is that you can go to a brewery, hang out for awhile and consume free beer without ever giving the brewery anything. Those are not my expectations, so the change seems more than fine.
Perhaps it makes it less customer-friendly, or they feel they've been overwhelmed with drunken freeloaders and they want to thin things out as much as possible. The $2 glass + free drinks (and free drinks the next time if you bring the glass back) was frankly just ridiculous. $10/12 samples is still ridiculous, and you get to try all the fun brewer projects they do there and nowhere else. Plus Bocce Ball. Agree with JRod - having a hard time seeing the negative here.
They posted this on their facebook and this was one of the responses: Truly one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read. Can't say I have a problem with their new way of handling samples, it sounds very reasonable.
From my personal experience at the new location: while you get your growlers filled you pay $2 for a tasting glass (if you do not have one) and stay as long as you want getting free samples of any beers that are on tap for as long as you want. 30 mins or several hours. Personally I do not have any problem with the new policy. Won't make a huge dent in my pocket. CL went very apologetic about this but I can't say it is totally unreasonable.
I've never gone to CL without spending a bunch of money on beer, growlers and other stuff so this isn't really a problem. Some of the NJ breweries (Kane, for example) eliminated their free tastings as well, but you can buy cheap flights ($4) or relax with an entire pour (which was previously impossible due to state law). I've also seen people take advantage of the free samples policy at CL on nearly every visit so this isn't too surprising.
Why should you be expecting to get anything for free? It was nice while it lasted, but no brewery can really sustain itself by dumping their product into the glasses of people who have no intention of supporting the brewery otherwise. As it was, you had to buy a tasting glass in order to be privy to any samples. If you're going there and not spending any money (i.e. buying bottles, growlers, merch, etc), then why are you there? I think that this will make for a far better tasting room experience by eliminating those who would otherwise attempt to exploit the brewery's generosity. Plus, this provides another source of revenue for them which in turn goes back into the brewery. That's a good thing.
Was just curious on people's impressions with my original post. I agree that the trend in the industry is to pay for the right to sample. Certainly here, buying a growler which most do is still getting you a good amount comp-ed.
A one time $2 charge for a glass is a bargain without the beer. I am sure reducing garbage, cleanup time, etc... has more to do with it than making money. The $2 maybe gets them to break even so you can drink for free. Seriously $2? It doesn't get much cheaper than that.
