Wanted some Double Jack for Father's Day but had to pass. The bottles were slightly dusty and had a bottle date of 17th of December. There is too much good beer being totally mismanaged by these distributers. The distribution system is failing and we have to suffer. I think we need to call out these distributers and complain. Costumer complaints do add up and management listens if they get enough of them. I can't find a good locally (Buffalo) brewed imperial IPA and the California stuff is too old. Something is wrong with this picture.
I always find good fresh beer in Buffalo. Where are you shopping? Overall, it's a problem, but like you said, all we can do it complain to distributors. Then again, the majority of the people who care a lot about freshness are aware of the problem, and are conscientious enough to check a bottle date/dust when they buy a beer.
Consumer Beverages is usually where I shop. I might have to travel 30-45 minutes one way to shop anywhere better. Do I have the right as a consumer to call the beer store and ask them what the 'bottled on' or 'best by' date is? I can give them a short list of certain beers and my phone number and have them call me back with the info. Does that seem fair? Has anyone ever done that? These imperials are expensive.
Distributors don't give a flying turd, Complain directly to the breweries about the mismanagement of their product and general neglect and they'll care a bit (usually) and start the wheels in motion. As for calling a store and asking them to get you dates off bottles etc; If you called the store I managed I'd try as politely as possible to tell you to come in and look yourself, Most places tend to be too busy to get a bunch of dates for people. Who knows, you'll probably just get the "it's fresh, It just came in" blow off response.
If you give a list of a few beers I see no reason why they wouldn't check. It gives them more business or otherwise more of an incentive to get fresher beer.
I will call Firestone Walker and let them know what is being done to their product. I've been waiting to find fresher Double Jack to share with friends but no luck. Lots of dusty bottles sit on the shelf. I feel sorry for the guy who buys this stuff. Having this old product hurts the consumer, store, brewery, and the craft movement. There has got to be a better way. Guess I'll be calling around and annoying the salespeople. I recently opened a bomber of AleSmith IPA and it was tart. No bottle date anywhere. It was probably on the case box. It's a shell game with this stuff and I'm tiring of the system.
I think Firestone is going to hear from me often. Now I feel like the beer police. Just turned in another store for having 6 month old beer. Maybe this will help get some fresh Double back in town.
I'd figure they're more likely to stop sending beer to the area if they find out how bad their regular line up sits around. You may get lucky and CBW may make one thats passable. Don't expect anything from Flying Bison to be drinkable if it has a hop presence. Pearl Street? haven't been there in quiet some time but most reports are their beers have taken a nose dive. May want to start homebrewing...
Hanzo, Great to hear from you! I'd rather the beer go elsewhere than sit on the shelves. I and others can still get the 22 oz bottles if they stop shipping the 4 packs. Big beers like Double Jack are hard for home brewers. Please contact me if you are in possession of any recipes or tricks to make this happen. I'd love to start brewing but why should I think I can do any better than the local breweries and home brewers? SilverX .. CBW is headed in the right direction. Hopeful they will evolve and continue to improve. Thanks for the input.
