Did we ruin Bourbon County?

Showing up at 2am to buy a beer is kind of stupid in my book... remember when you could just walk to your local Whole Foods or beer shop and buy a 4-pack of Bourbon County? I wouldn't judge the dude who overpaid for Rare...

 

Bourbon county is a great beer. Since In-Bev came into the picture it's only been tasting better and more available. It's the toy that everyone wants. This years release has been the biggest circus I've seen since I've been into craft 7 years ago. With the increase in volume and marketing there have been people taking advantage of demand: people buying pallets at a discounted price from Costco for resale, bottle shops trying to unload other goose island beers nobody cares about or the obvious overcharging. As long as there is demand there will be people taking advantage. Ask yourself if it's really worth it?

 

the problem is that as much as you want to stop buying it at those gouged prices, there is another guy right behind you who will pay for the gouged price, especially as more noobs join the community...your best bet would have been to go to BevMo, Total Wine or Whole Foods, that's what I did...I bought one of all the variants (except the Prop as I am not in Illinois) and bought 6 of the BCBS at WF for about $190...it would be great if we could all say 'fuck them' and then let those gougers know that we aren't going to take their shit anymore, but they know somebody will so they don't care...I had told myself I wasn't going to get gouged and I didn't..well, I did pay $65 for the Rare but I wouldn't call that gouging...

 

Story: The owner at a local bottle shop in my area (Brea, CA) decided to pretend that he wasn't getting in any Bourbon County this year. I called and asked, to which he frustratingly replied that he didn't have any. He even took it as far as adding comments at the end of his Instagram beer posts that instructed people to "Stop asking about Bourbon County."
A) I know he got some.
B) How is he going to determine who is worthy of purchasing some, if everyone who inquires about it is apparently annoying him?
C) I am never shopping there again. Not because I was unable to buy BCBS from his store, but because how dare he treat customers with disrespect over their desire to patronize his shop and purchase a rare, beloved beer on the day that every other bottle shop in town is releasing BCBS.

That, my friends, is one example of how this BCBS thing has gotten way out of hand. But that's just my two cents.

 

Spent $0 and I'm happy.

 

I finally got my hands on BCBS.

I just walked into a local beer store to buy a pack of Founders Harvest Ale and THERE THEY WERE, about a dozen bottles still sitting on the shelf. After gawking dumbfoundedly a minute, I asked the lady what the bottle limitation was--unfortunately it was only two--and I immediately bought them. Made me so happy. I thought I'd never be able to get any around here. I cracked one open that night and shared it with a friend and it was deeeelicious.

 

I scored 12 bottles of regular stout @ $8.99ea this year with no waiting in lines, just had to drive to 3 locations.

 

Don't disagree, though kinda unsure what asset based perspective means. Here is a quote from another thread about BCBS. And I'll leave it here. Cheers!

"I asked around my local stores starting a couple weeks ago. Got to the first one.. Sold out in 30 seconds with people following the truck. All the other ones sold out within 10 minutes while I was driving from the first one. What a synchronization of fuckery. Next year I'm following that damn truck."

 

My local bar is doing a flight of all the variants including rare. 2 oz of each. $25, with only 30 tickets available. I cannot justify $25 for 8 ounces of beer.

 

This thread and some of the replies of some in it are funny, in a sad kind of way


The greater problem "ruining" craft beer isn't retailers charging high prices for limited bottles.

It's people who are greedy, using mules to get around bottle limits, driving from store to store to get more and more and more of a limited item instead of leaving some for other people, truck chasing etc.

Bottle limits were put in place in part by places to try to let more people get the beer. Not so that 1 person can bring the family into the store to grab as much as they can for themselves.

 

BCBS is one of the best widely distributed BA stouts (and the first) in the world. It deserves it accolades but don't sell your soul for it. That is all.

 

Whatever you have to tell yourself. Me? I got a glassful (more than I was even looking for) at a bargain and that's all that matters to me.

 

I should also add that my Black Friday Bourbon County conquest also came with a free Spielgau Goose Island snifter goblet, which of course made all my effort worthwhile.

I should also add that my Black Friday Bourbon County conquest also came with a free Spielgau Goose Island snifter goblet, which of course made all my effort worthwhile. Maybe OP would feel better if he'd gotten a free glass and fresh donuts too...

 

you mad bro?

 

Funny you should say that:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...-beer-from-storm-brewing-10-available.360452/

(Off-topic, yet still relevant.)

 

I was going to say that yes, we've (consumers) ruined Bourbon County, but I think this quote does the trick for me.


This is basically turning into high-end bourbon all over again. Every place that gets these beers either sells out instantly (meaning you either have to be really lucky or really diligent) or you're required to get in good with the staff to even know it's available. And if that's not bad enough, retailers are wising up and jacking the prices up sky-high (as if paying $60 for a 17 oz. bottle of beer wasn't enough).

It's a shame, too, because there is more and more fantastic BA stuff being brought out every year, and it's either A) going unnoticed/not getting the acclaim it deserves (which would help some of the smaller breweries really take off) or B) disappearing off the shelves instantly (to use a bourbon comparison, it's becoming what Weller is to Pappy--something that's now really difficult to by mere association with the whale).

 

I seriously contemplated offing some guy for his bottle of rare. Not sure if it was the hunt that took over or the fact I forgot to take my meds that day.

 

I got it on tap this weekend. I didn't wait in line at all. If I don't drink any more BCBS until next year, that's fine. It's good, but there are other BA stouts I can get more easily that I like as much or more.

 

People have to make their priorities in life...

I think the only thing I'll never understand with huge hauling is I know you're not drinking all that beer.. but I am gonna share it with all my friends blah blah blah... what 5 cases? ok.. sure whatever...

I mean does anyone drink anymore? for real...

My experience this year was only getting regular and barleywine which was not hard and did not involve pitching a tent or avoiding my visiting relatives (who were in town), or waiting in any line. Part of that was Friday... I have a job.. which means I have work to do instead of standing outside a liquor store at 6 in the morning. A note about early release in my county led me to a neighborhood shop to get 2 bottles of regular (4 allowed per person), Friday at lunch I saw a good old bud and missed out on variants but grabbed 2 barleywine.

More deliveries came in this week, then I got a massive head cold and was knocked out at home. I supposed I could have got my snot encrusted, phlegm choking, heaving mass out Mon or Tues in the car to try to get a variant, but seriously? Um no.

The irony is I have many times in the past thought, gee I'll never get to taste that beer. The reality is that things come full circle and some call it karma, but it's real. Beers do come back in the future to you and there is no reason to beat yourself or jump through insane hoops to do it, buy as much as you can, or be me first, or going through a total reckless milk, flour, toilet paper panic buying binge.

There's probably a good chance in the DC area that they will even re-release these variants on tap, or a migration event will happen, or all sorts of things... Things will fall into your lap at some point, and you're not really missing out. That's what happened to me 5+ years ago.

I saw a green bottle on the shelf of rare for about $45 clams and said...

"who the heck would buy that thing?"

I was tempted, but then had the regulars later and was in love. Went back to the store and she was long gone. But years later... ah you came back into my life.

If anything I have some real simple beers in my fridge that I am dying to drink right now but can't cause my palate and nose is so compromised right now... I am more annoyed by that, than the fact I somehow couldn't get some BCBS variant.

There is no reason to beat yourself up over beer, it's just not worth it. There's always more beer too go out and drink I am sure it's not that hard to find something to enjoy right now.

 

Yeah, but look at it from his point of view. You aren't a regular because if you were you'd have asked him face to face during one of your visits. So to get a call from a stranger looking to only purchase a "rare, beloved beer" and nothing else he sees you as a chaser and not a long term customer. Therefore he'd rather forgo the small profit from you and save the beers for his regulars.