Didn't check for a bottle date. Never again!

The prices on cans I've seen recently have been much more reasonable compared to bomber prices in the past. And to be fair, I have liked the offerings in the cans, namely Molotov Lite and Citra Sunshine.

 

Not sure where you live and where you shop, but just about ALL beer that comes in 16oz can/4-pks format, goes for $10-11.

 

Evil Twin and Mikkeller are just simply over-priced and extreme poor value.

 

We date all our IPAs. We look to date everything, including the beers in mention that we currently brew at Westbrook.

 

Daaaaaaaahhh... I'm an idiot. I do it all of the time, even though I know that the one store where I shop always has old beer, and I'll name them, Total Wine & More in Cherry Hill, NJ. I'm usually just too rushed to even pick the beers, let alone check the bottle dates, but the next time I'm in I'll probably remember this post and check the dates, so thanks.

 

Beating a dead horse.

Maybe we should stop comparing oranges to apples.

 

We have all been there....

My "moment" was when I bought a bomber of Port's Wipeout IPA when I lived in NJ. Mind you, I brought a CASE of Wipeout with me to NJ when I moved there...so I kind of know how it tastes. The beer I bought didn't even taste like an IPA--it was one of the oddest things in my beer drinking odyssey. Anyway, called the store and spoke to the manager. The store was cool...they offered me an exchange or refunded me my money. Since all of the others were prob from the same date, I opted for $ back.

Its not really the brewer's fault (except for not dating it properly). The store should keep a tighter inventory.

If I have any doubt as to whether or not its fresh, I pass on it.

 

no animosity bluehende, just think it is funny how times have changed.....note the LOL meant for humor. hard to express via print the intention all the time. don't even truly know this gentleman.

i like many on this wonderful site have spent a considerable amount of $ on the product and I too am equally disappointed or angry when the experience falls short. carry on

 

First of of all I like many of these beers. I know the story. I made no comparisons at all and it is my opinion that both brands represent poor value. Pure and simple.

 

@cavedave, thumbs up or down on this revision?...

If it's a date you seek
Even a "bottled on" week
Stay away from Evil Twin
As you'll be looking again, again, and again

 

Classy move by a respected beer crafter. Huge fan of their stouts.

 

Knee Deep does print the bottle date on the side of the front label, usually pretty easy to read. I didn't want you to forgo that excellent brewery for nothing

 

Quote the OP, nevermore.

 

There is a fair bit of old beer at my local Total Wine & More (Claymont, DE) as well. I go in the store with a list of beers of interest and I leave without buying several of the beers on my list after checking the dates.

@RobH

Cheers!

 

I caught the humor in your post too. I wanted people to be aware that you were not giving the OP a hard time, but others were. I was too lazy to make another post.

 

Well, I often find myself making similar comments in the forums when someone asks about a particular retailer ("...but be sure to check those dates!") but, really, I'll gladly swear that I've probably never been in a store with an average to large selection of beer that DIDN'T have some old beer of the shelves. I've been in stores the week they opened and have found beers that are well over a year old. And, it only goes to reason that the larger the stock, the more old beer that might be found. (How many beer geeks, after all, are even shopping, much less checking on the dates on the small craft selection on the bottom shelves in those tiny "mostly macro" stores?)

Some stores may be better than others, but given that it is the distributor's job to monitor the freshness of the beers, the "good stores" just have an employee(s) who pay closer attention to the dates on incoming beer, and also stay on the distributors' asses better to pull and/or take back the old stock. I don't think "old beer" is a case of a "company policy" - we've all seen great beer stores fall apart when their "beer guy" moves on. Or beer stores that start out with fantastic inventories that just can't sell what they've bought and soon become "beer museums".

 

Didn't you write in the OP that the beer had no date code? If so, how is it either your or the retailer's fault? Without a date code, neither of you could know how old it was. Monitoring the freshness of the beer on the shelf and pulling out-of-code stock is the responsibility of the brewer's distributor - if the distributor, the local representative of the brewery - isn't doing it's job, it's up to the brewery to make sure their customers are getting a quality product and to make good when they don't.

 

A local beer distributor does exactly what you describe there. I also frequent a beer bar in Philly and I have gotten to know the owner very well. In conversation he mentioned that he makes it a point to personally be at the bar when he receives shipments from the various wholesale distributors and he inspects all of the beer before accepting delivery and refuses any old product. It is indeed a task for these retailers to inspect their deliveries but they do it because they are responsible retailers.

Cheers!