Central Waters 15th Anniversary Party

BA's seem to have this problem looking at the grand scope of an event. They are the center of the universe. If the event was good for them, it was good for everyone else too. They can't comprehend others having a different experience.

 

No not truth about being there before doors opened. Lets set this straight, I got in line at 2:35 and the last bottles were sold 2 people before me. Im just saying, and I think those who took advantage should be ashamed.

 

I had a great time and met some very cool BAs, again. I was able to try some outstanding beers at the bottle share including:

Ichigo Highway, Swinging Harry's, De Dolle Stille Nacht (thanks moe, bryan)
BA Fayston's (and many others, as always, thanks fitz)
The Wanderer (thanks jefeld, you are awesome)
RareR D.O.S. (thanks again)
BCBCS (thanks mike/mjmadsen21)
Mexican Chocolate Stout + (thanks John)
So many others I'm forgetting... Sexual Chocolate, Arthur, Marron Acidifie and ISO FT, of course 1414/15.

I tried Brewhouse Coffee Stout for the first time which I enjoyed a lot. The food was outstanding.

I think people hit on all points good/bad with this party so I won't beat that horse into the ground. I think the vast majority of BAs are great people and have the best intentions. Even the people who ended up with more than a couple Fifteens mean to share them with other BAs, perhaps some of who were not able to make it to the party (as controversial as that idea is).

I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase 4 bottles. The fact that so many of you (both those I know and those I don't know) got shut out really put a damper on the party for me. There was no hint of "haha I got some and you didn't" sentiment out of me or anyone I came in contact with. It sucks that they ran out.

Anyway, another beer release experience for me to learn from I guess. I'm headed back outside to see if the next shuttle bus is here.

 

That's what I was drinking while waiting in line, excellent brew!

I was mad yesterday about waiting so long only not to get the bottles but when I found out that a lot of the VIPs were abusing the system then it makes me even angrier over it.

I'm sure CW will learn from this year and make next year better.

 

Thought this was a great event with an outstanding taplist! Thank you CW for a great time. My ONLY complaint is promising a 1-1 'buyback' of infected PM for 15. Great on paper...not so great in practice.

 

this was my first brewery only release party ever. seeing as i have just moved from Houston to Chicago within the last 6 months, breweries aren't allowed to sell from the brewery in TX. i learned the hard way to request the day off and head early. i worked from 5-12 in chicago and left right after work. was in line by 330, and shut out with only 10-15 people ahead of me. i was able to enjoy a brewhouse coffee stout while in line though.

the only reason i am disappointed is because i had to drive back to chicago that night to get to work at 5am the next day. therefore i couldn't enjoy any of the beers being offered. 1) because i was driving. 2) because i couldn't stay late due to needing to be home at a reasonable time to be in bed for work the next day.

whatevs. now i know for next time.

 

really really really do not understand why they wouldn't just offer infected PM for new PM.

that just boggles my mind.

 

This was my first CW anniversary party and it won't be my last. The entire weekend was a great experience. Hit the brewery Friday night for an hour, both PM and BBBW were on tap and with only approximately 15 people there, we sat right at the bar. Big thanks to the generous BAs sharing bottles at La Quinta Friday night. We purchased our PM, BBBW and Cherry Saturday morning at the Bottle Stop - 5% discount per case and the owner was a good guy. Had a great time at O'so (Wee on the Lam is fantastic) before heading back to the hotel and jumping on the bus to CW.

As for the party, I went into it with the expectation it was going to be extremely packed, which is why I wasn't surprised or frustrated. With any large gathering, you're going to have some annoying people, but the majority of individuals of are a lot of fun. Even though I waited in line for 15 on tap for nearly 50 minutes without moving much more than 30 feet, I ended up getting a glass and met some great BAs. PM and Brewhouse Coffee Stout were the highlights for me. So good! The food was impressive, especially the pulled pork sandwich with slaw. I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't try the risotto balls. They looked and smelled amazing!

Paul and the entire CW staff were great hosts. Thank you! How many other breweries would let their customers take over their entire facility for an evening? Looking forward to next year.

Andy, Kyle, Tim and Todd - I'm lucky to have such great friends!

 

That was one of a few options that they gave me in their email.

"1 - A coupon for next years Peruvian Morning, redeemable at a store in
your area chosen by us.
2 - CWBC Merchandise
3 - A gift certificate to the brewery tap room
4 - next years 15 anniversary party beer, but you must present at the
party here on January 26, 2013"

CW allowed people to have someone else pick up fifteen if the person with the credit was not able to make it to the party; an email giving them the name of the person picking up the beer was required for that, though.

 

I don't know man, we were there at like 2:20-30 as well, and they still had like 10+ cases after we bought ours. The line didn't get really long until about 2:40, who knows?

 

It's amazing how badly people in this area fight when they are surrounded by tons of other insane stouts. I hate California as well as San Diego which I am a native of but I just don't experience these problems here. There are a few standouts like the '09 BASS release but that is an exception.

 

options 1-3 are great.

option 4 is insane.

 

Wondering about the normal availability of the Brewhouse coffee stout. I absolutely loved it and dont remember seeing any this past fall. Is it a real hard to get item? Also, is the Brewhouse the base for the Peruvian Morning?

 

You have a beard and drive a Subaru with MI plates huh? I was pulling in right behind you (white Dodge).

 

That was a long post that was deleted quickly...

 

Yes sir...I was just getting done having breakfast and wanted to check out the scene. Cheers!

 

Care to elaborate? Please cite the other instances of fighting...

 

Please don't be literal. The word "fight" has more meaning than fist fighting.

 

I am exhausted from an incredibly hard week. Today was probably the worst as I had to scrub the shitters and take out all your trash to make sure we could hit the ground almost operational Monday morning. Believe me, after we are operational tough, I will take time to review all of your opinions, and give response. The man's long response who deleted it quickly was sent directly to me - I will re-post his opinions, and respond to them as well. Thank you to all of you that came and attended. Thank you more, to the most of you, that are kind, respectful, and most of all, understanding. Every year we learn how to throw a better event - some years our knowledge exceeds what we learn, and some years, what we learn exceeds our knowledge, but if think we are a bunch of arrogant fucks just sitting static, nickel & dining our customers, then I don't even want to hear it . Thanks again.

Paul

 

Not being literal. Still not sure what you mean. I was at DLD, Darkness, Bolt Cutter, and this release... Saw no fighting, of any ilk.

 

- Thanks to the random VIP who walked out and handed our group a full pour of Fifteen before the event started. Right on.
I wouldnt call myself random, I just wanted to share with the guys who I knew would appreciate a taste of what they were waiting outside for. Plus you were with Robbie Moy, who I know I will drink with more in the near future. So cheers to you guys, some VIP's look at it as entitlement, I looked at it as an opportunity to share the wealth. Now I just need a brillow pad to scrub the memory of Robbie pouring the 1515 into JEG's mouth like a baby bird because he was sick and didnt want any one to drink out of the same glass as he did.

 

Hey! I randomly gave a group a pour of 15 too! Nice. I gave whoever was firstish in line my cup as I was re-entering the event.

 

That was indeed a sight! Was it you or some of the other guys in line with us that proceeded to stick their fingers to the ground and taste the Fifteen? I'm guessing heavy notes of bourbon and roasted malts, with subtle salt and dirty water aftertaste?

Was a great event, glad I got to meet some great BAs!

Brian23456 thanks for the great trade, I'm really looking forward to sharing your different homebrewed meads with my friends. Also, thanks to everyone for sharing some great bottles at the bottle share. Despite some of the craziness and typical competitive beer hunting to be observed, it was nice to still be able to take a step back and just enjoy drinking good beer with good people. I'll be back next year!

 

Also, I have to say that one of my highlights was just narrowly missing getting thrown up on as I entered CW to wait in line for my allocation of Fifteen. Would have drastically changed my enjoyment of the party.

The VIP that threw up all over the entrance to CW as nasty vomit juice was dripping down his forearm...learn how to drink high-ABV, BB beers man! Seriously, sh*t is gross!

 

Literally was just inside the door when I saw him running for the outside as vomit seeped through his hand that was covering his mouth. It was 3pm!! Wtf!

 

I was just going to invite you in to help out showing up that early! You pulled out of the parking lot before I had a chance!

 

Ha! That was my buddy, it was right after the bottle broke and he just touched the beer and took a little taste. He needed something to cleanse his pallet after drinking one of my infected PM's. I must have just missed the puker, and I'm glad he missed you guys. At 3pm?? Nice.
Enjoy the meads! Not everbody gets them, but hey, thats a lot of free booze!

 

Don't go next year. That will show them!

 

You, sir are truly an awesome guy. Definitely shared the wealth plus some. Looking forward to hanging out at DLD!

 

You got this pegged brian! The Central Waters brewers are very humble down to earth people. Especially Paul. You are just never going to be fully ready for everything that gets thrown at you. Especially when your brewery is in a small like town like Amhurst, WI. CW will have better organization next year, but it really wasnt that badly organized event like so many people are complaining about in this thread. by the way go to see you at the event yesterday!

 

TLDR, but looks like the same kind of complaining about the rent in wicker park that also used to be cheaper. Gum was a nickel when my dad was a kid too. Get over it. It is what it is. Isn't of whining, either pick a new hobby or adjust.

 

LOCALS GOT SHUT OUT, SOMEONE GO YELL AT MATT R. SOME MORE

 

Perhaps instead of ignorantly proclaiming that the post was too long for you to read (as though ADHD is something to be proud of), perhaps you could have taken 30 seconds and read that his whole post WAS about how he adjusted and was still able to have fun.

 

Just coming in and glancing at this thread, I feel like I'm reading verbatim the threads about Dark Horse 4Elf Day, Hunahpu Day, Founders KBS release last year, Kuhnhenn Winter Solstice, etc. Sorry gents, but this is the world of craft beer nowadays. Brewery-only releases are overrun clusterf*cks. ALWAYS. We've created this, and this is the new reality of virtually all releases. Breweries are just trying to play catch-up with the huge influx of beer geeks.

 

'merica!!!

 

so central waters gave a credit or a bottle of 15 for every 4 pack of infected pm you brought back?

 

Just a causal observation from somebody who has never been to the party, but has followed the event on BA for some time. Three and four years ago the day following the party was usually a positive experience filled with pictures of all the beers shared in the tasting room. As the hype has grown, especially last year and this year with the special releases of 1414 and 1515, people seem more pissed off and disappointed they didn't get special release beers, for whatever reason. Even without getting 1515 I can tell you the taplist looked much better than it did three and four years ago. Hopefully those of you who got shut out were able to enjoy their beers on tap.

Now lets see the pictures from the tasting.

 

Pics wouldn't be *that* good. There were some awesome bottles but poor lighting

 

I wasn't able to make it until 5:30 so I knew there was no way I was getting bottles which really helped me not be too disappointed with the event. We immediately got in the enormous line for 15 on tap despite believing there was no way they weren't going to run out before we got to the front of the line. Surprisingly they actually had a decent amount available and we got some which we proceeded to share as much as possible with our friends who arrived earlier and were pissed about getting shut out on bottles.

The tap list was great, the staff I dealt with was friendly, and the food was way better than expected. The buzz kill was that out of the 15 or so people I talked with every single one had been shut out on bottles and was pissed off about the way it had been handled. Maybe by the time I got there most of the people who got bottles were already long gone, maybe I just randomly only chatted up the unlucky, but it seemed like a horrible ratio.

It seems like the problems with the bottle sales have been well discussed so I'll just add the one complaint I haven't seen written about yet - even some of the people on the first shuttle failed to get bottles. Obviously there are other ways to be responsible and get there earlier but it's not cool when the most obvious and well advertised way to be responsible resulted in you missing out. I'm hoping changes will occur next year on a variety of fronts so that it's not an issue, but it should definitely be possible to both take a shuttle and buy bottles next year.

 

fuck that. you nerds have ruined this for each other, even.

the sense of entitlement that CW should have enough beer for everyone who wanted the 15, that the setup should be exactly perfect for your needs, that you all should get special treatment above and beyond the special treatment you already get... that's ridiculous.

stop showing up at these events hours in advance. be a part of the solution rather than the problem.. then maybe these problems will die down some.

instead you've got a brewery full of cranky nerds sniping about line cutting, not getting their fair allotment (fair??), the lines being too long, whining that CW should have anticipated this kind of crush and made more 15 so that BA's didn't get shut out, etc. you all are doing this to yourselves.


i'm fine with not getting the 15. that wasn't my goal that day anyways. did i want some? sure, i'd like to try it. did not getting it ruin my day? my week? my month? not hardly. i got a day away to enjoy time with friends, drink a bunch of awesome beer and party with people who i like. what more can you ask for?

i've been going to CW for years.. will continue to go for years more.. but will absolutely adjust my arrival time to later after the insanity has died down, the congestion has cleared and the hoarders have left so that there's more room to move about. by 6 o'clock it was back to a relatively normal state minus the agitated geeks who were making it hard to move, being rude to regular people who were just there to have a Honey Blonde and listen to bluegrass.

you all are acting as though CW owes this event and its beer to you, specifically. forgetting that they have been around a lot longer than you have been drinking their beer or going to their events.. and that whole time they have been serving their loyal customers.

are BA's and the hype that they create important to drive sales and get the word out? yup. and for that you're awesome. help get the word out that these guys are making great beer and putting on a cool event.. but let's not get crazy and think that it's YOU who made CW what it is and think that you deserve to be treated as such.

there's no reason for this to "jump the shark" like Dark Lord has where it was once beloved and now almost universally reviled because everything about it isn't perfectly catered to fanboys.

i'm thinking it's the sense of entitlement that needs to be adjusted.. cause, really, who wants to go to a place that's crammed full of people whining about how much it sucks... when your aim is to go there and have a good time?

this is a small brewery in the middle Wisconsin.. the way i've heard it said they should have had 300 volunteers on site making sure that BA's got the velvet rope treatment.

what did you expect?