Darkness 14' Chicago Distribution

My point is that people that don't regularly go there and most likely will not be back, are coming in just for the limited release. With these limited releases not pulling in huge profits and not really generating additional sales from these people, I don't blame them for getting surly about it.

 

By being nice to people who have never been there before/don't come in often, they're going to gain some new regulars. This is common business sense 101. Shitting on people looking for a limited bottle is a very quick way to ensure they will not generate additional sales. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

last years darkness was ridiculous. a lot of places were setting 2, 3, even 4 bottle limits. Pretty sure I came away with 9 bottles last year and I easily could have gotten more. This year seems like most places are getting 1-2 cases. luckily I have my 6 from darkness day.

 

Pretty sure Vav turned down a delivery of Black Note because he didn't want to deal with the hassle dividing 1 case among way too many seekers.

Pretty much every beer manager describes popular limited releases as things to be endured that really don't drive repeat business.

 

Hoarders will buy up as much of a limited beer as they can from as many stores as they can. They won't become regulars at these shops and will only be back for the next limited release. Not ideal customers.

 

It's a conundrum. I refused that Black Note on principle because the 10 cases for the entire market or whatever it was after all the build up was just ridiculous. I mean, yeah, it's a few sales lost, but i hedged my bets that Bell's would go "They did WHAT!?!?!?" and send more beer the next year. Which they did, and me and Bell's are still buddies.

As for the "OH GOD NO A CUSTOMER IS GIVING US MONEY!!!111" argument, we'll, it's completely valid, but there is a counterargument, which is labor cost perspective, e.g. the more i have to touch the thing, the less i'm actually making on it. All the phone calls/emails/tweets/printing price tags/stickering bottles/etc....for 12 bottles it really doesnt make it worth it. "I've spent more in labor dealing with it than i made selling'em," ya know? That's what those guys were probably thinking.

The part that makes my soul ache the most, though, is that more often than not, these limited releases *do not* secure customers as regulars. I wish it were not that way, but that's what the limited beer market is.

And goddammit you ALWAYS be nice to the customers. Even if you know they arent coming back.

 

anyone know if AH Binny's got it in yet?

 

Sold out at Binnys on Grand and Binnys on Marcey. Looks like I missed it this year. Any thoughts if 2014 BCBS variants will trade straight up for this?

 

I think it really depends on who you get and what they value their Darkness at. I know I would think about it, especially for vanilla.

 

I would do that trade in a heartbeat for Vanilla or coffee.

 

I almost want to get a part time job at Binny's so I can find out when they are getting "limited releases" so I can buy them

 

Oak Brook Binny's also sold out in 15 minutes. This seems to be about how long it lasts, Buffalo Grove Binny's lasted 15 minutes as well.

 

So, its sold out everywhere already...

 

Just called liquor barn in northbrook - delivery tomorrow

 

Binny's Des Plaines has some...just picked one up a few minutes ago. Looks like they only got a case or two at most.

 

That's no loss. They tend to severely mark up limited releases and have sold some brewery-only Flossmoor stuff at retail

 

yeah its really my only spot to hit on my way home from work though. My binnys sold out early yesterday too.

 

Oak Brook Binny's said they only got a case and it was gone quick

 

Orland Park sold out in 4 minutes. 4 minutes. People must be just camping out at Binny's waiting for the tweet to go out.

 

Orland always sell out of everything. Don't like them at all