Etiquette w/ Trade Extras, How Much?

You can never ever ever get "Too Many" extras.


I never send them, they're 'extras' after all. For everyone else, I highly encourage sending extras.

 

Don't put a beer into the box unless it pains you to do so. Your hand has to draw it back as you place it in saying "NO - *I* WANT THIS". That's how you know it's a good extra to send.

 

I try to send at least 2 highly rated bombers as extras. If the person is a dick, I'll send 2 bombers. If they're cool, I'll send more Or the equivalent. I've done 5 trades. Sent 2 bombers once only because dude didnt communicate at all. Last trade I sent 68 ounces of extras and felt bad because the guy was awesome but I filled the box. Nonetheless, I make sure the IPA's are fresh, the box is full, and the beers are highly rated. Why ship stuff you wouldn't want to drink?

 

I've done that a few times. Including sending stuff I haven't tried yet because its on the other dudes wants list and I think it'll excite them or they ask about it and I only have 1 but I just happened to find it so I think they'd enjoy it more than me. It's hard at times, but I'm sure they'd do the same for me.

 

Extras should be on par with the brews in the agreed upon trade at a bare minimum. And you know what? If it's someone you like dealing with, make those beers better than what you actually traded.

Quantity is less important than quality.

 

I like to get lesser known locals that I may have never heard of before..... gives me more to try etc. I assume the person chooses ones they themself like, or think I'll like. If the first thing you do when you get a trade is look up the BA scores of the extras, you're doing it wrong.

 

I don't know anything about trading beer, but I DO KNOW how to pack a box to be shipped. I include the beer we agreed on and pack it so it wont break. If there is extra room, or I am really happy with the trade I will include extra beer from my area that I think is excellent and I CAN GET. I am having a hard time remembering if I have ever not sent something extra. My thinking is they will like it, they may want more of it and I can go buy it for them.

I have included White Raja, Headhunter, CBC stuff, a growler from Jackie O's. These aren't unobtanium, but I really hope the folks who got them liked them. It certainly didn't pain me to give them away, which from the sound of things may be frowned upon. Is this the wrong approach?

 

I've been pained to send specific extra bottles a few times. Not because they were ultra limited but because they sold out and I regretted not buying more. (Stone Enjoy By 12/21, Stone Mint Chocolate Stout, and FW XVI come to mind ). But other than that I send out local stuff I personally like that falls into either wants or styles they mention they like. I try keeping it local so I've sent Pliny, AleSmith IPA, Lagunitas Sucks, FW Wookey Jack, Redemption, etc as extras. All local stuff I enjoy but easily obtainable for me. As long as you ain't tossing in 8 month old Sculpin or Bud Chelada's, and you actually enjoy the beer and put thought into it, I think you're good

 

I've been trying to send 4-8 extras (or thereabouts) in all my trades, usually a lot of 12ozers simply because there's more good local ones available to me - so many of the bombers around here are either nationwide shelf beers or *ugh* old IPAs. I use seekabrew to check that extras I'm sending aren't available locally. Most boxes I've sent out have been 14x14x14s totally loaded with beer and bubble wrap. Personally I see extras (both in terms of sending them and getting them) as a great way to share new beers each person may not have had before.

Also, I would never put in a beer I dislike as an extra, that kind of stuff goes in the communal cooler at weekly tasting night.

 

I got these as extras in a trade with Dbijnagte. He had PMed me about an ISO I'd put up. It was his first trade, so he offered to ship first. The trade was for Surly Darkness, Smoke, couple of CW BBS (2011 2x2012), Peruvian Morning, Tyranena Shaggin in the woods and Vanilla Buffalo Sweat.

Velvet Rooster, Coffee Bender, Myrcenary, Lugene, Abrasive and Day Tripper were all extras.

For my extras I sent a Terrapin Oaked hoppy Monster, Heady Topper, Ghandi Bot, DuClaw Sweet Baby Jesus, Schlafly Export IPA and a Williamsberg Alewerks Cafe Royale.

Other times, due to space constraints, I've only been able to send out a couple. Extras are extra, if you get caught up in who gets what you're losing the point of it all. I trade for the beers I want, if I don't get anything more, I'm still happy, if I get extras, so be it

 

I always just check the wants list of the person I'm trading with and see if I can hook them up, assuming their wants aren't just a list of rare Cantillons that we all wish we had. If I don't have a specific want of theirs, I'll try to send them a couple bottles from my area that they'll like based on what styles they seem to like that they probably wouldn't otherwise ask for.

Troegs makes a scratch series that you can only get at the brewery, so when they put one out that's good, I'll try to grab a case or two and toss those in since the brewery is pretty close. Or stuff like Ottos Jolly Roger/Voodoo Big Black voodoo Daddy, Troegs Flying Mouflan, a 1L Tired Hands growler, etc. Stuff like that.

 

Its threads like this that make me question why I trade. The lack of education on behalf of the vets to the noobs is severely lacking IMO. Not to mention all the sarcasm with threads like this. Why not make a sticky of important things to read prior to posting your 1st ISO or 1st trade. It would make threads like this unnecessary. But then again some of you like to bitch so much of trival things it boggles the mind.

Some of you should take all that negativity & help make trading less intimidating and TEACH people what proper etiquette is when trading. Yes the rule of thumb of treating others as they want to be treated is good but this constant bitching about "rules" that unless I am blind are no where to be found. Bottom line is if you are dealing with someone with a couple of trades or no trades steer them in the right direction. Tell them what is generally regarded as proper etiquette.

And where the hell is the damn sticky on how to trade damit!

 

The last box I received was over 50% extras. The box I received prior to that one had a 3-year vertical of Backwoods Bastard as an extra, among other things. Spread the goodwill and you'll get some in return.

Me, as a Vermonter I like sending maple-y things as extras. Syrup, candy, etc. Or, you know, Heady Topper.

It is also nice when people have Wants lists that aren't just lists of .RAR bottles of golden wonderful bottled unicorn tears. I try to check that too, prior to packing extras, to see if I can hit any wants.

 

I once got 4 empty uncleaned growlers back in a trade. I sent him most of the growlers filled as extras. WTF!

 

You aren't bonusing anyone some of that sweet Block 15 action? For shame, Sam.

 

Absolutely not. If too much of it gets out there we'll have to start camping out for releases.

 

i don't like the rule of 'don't send beer you don't like'. what is gold to one person may be crap to another and vice versa. but unless a bottle was semi-rare in their area or it was a want or something, i'd at least check seekabrew before sending anything as an extra - few things suck more than getting old IPAs or crappy local (to the recipient) shelf beers.

 

I've been having this problem with blowing peoples box's up ( in a good way lol) but is this to much? I like sharing good beer, and since I own a store I go over bored sometimes....

 

Oh, don't get me wrong. I like that myself, and I've been known to do that as well. But at least make sure your partner likes the style, right?

I've gotten some great locals, and I've gotten some pretty mediocre ones, too. If someone lists sours, stouts, barleywines, and ipa's as favorite styles, why would you send that person a lager or a brown? Common sense, right?

I usually do a mix of brewery only stuff, seasonal stuff, and stuff on par with the agreed upon trade. I know we both agree on this: send a box you would want to receive.

 

I had to scroll up to make sure I was still reading the same thread I posted in earlier. My take away from this thread is very different than yours. It seems to me that this thread IS doing exactly what you are talking about, educating folks. See what other people are doing, and hear likes and dislikes. Take away from it what seems like it works for you. I have had a great time trading beer so far, and I think it is only getting more fun the more I learn.

(for example, I just learned I want to trade with Number45forever)

As far as stickies go, some are ok, but for the most part I visit forums to see what people think. I would much rather interact with people than to read what they wrote 8 months ago.