Flower Power in NJ

NJ's Flower Power supply pretty much dried up earlier in the year, when the brewery moved to a new facility (built behind the old one) and it is apparently taking time to get the shipments to the state up to the old standard size and regularity (and a pent-up demand might also mean when it does show it, it's selling out quicker). See this thread for some discussion of it from this summer (there are also a few other threads about a similar shortage in NY and PA).

You're lucky you didn't find and buy any other Ithaca beers like Apricot Wheat and Cascazilla - they tend to hang around a long time. I've seen them "lap themselves" as far as date notching goes- "Best by April" lasting on the shelf until beyond the following April. A new giant discount liquor store opened by me in November, and the local AB house delivered the AP and Cascazilla (but NO FP) with "Best before" Oct and Nov notched!

 

I guess it depends on where you are shopping. Linwood in Fort Lee just got a new 5 case drop last week, and Tom said he has no problem getting it now.

 

I was able to buy a week old case thanksgiving weekend. Definitely depends on the location.

 

flowerpower used to be everywhere so much, that the ghetto liquor store with bullet proof glass even stocked it.

 

No, that was my point - Flower Power sells fast and, when available, can often be found only 1-2 weeks from bottling (altho' the occasional old six can be found in the out-of-the-way stores). It's the other Ithaca products that tend to just sit - and that's probably an issue when re-ordering, etc. (both between Brewery>Distributor and Distributor>Retailer).

When I see two 4 case stacks of already out of date Cascazilla and Apricot Wheat sitting warm on the floor of a store, I think "Damn, instead of those 8 cases, they should have put 8 more cases of Flower Power on that truck...and I'd be goin' home happy today...". Obviously, more complicated than that, but my money stays in my pocket that day (well, it probably would go in the pocket of another brewer...).

I buy Flower Power by the case (when I can find it!) and those are clearly stamped with a bottling date on the lid.

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I agree that their label's "notching area" should include the year.

Also, as noted by other posters above, availability can vary from county to county. Ithaca deals with 5 regional NJ distributors (their list is out-of-date - Crown is gone, merged into Ritchie & Page) most of them AB houses - Nash (Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex) being the outlier.

 

Flower Power is pretty plentiful in NJ again but Thanksgiving week being a holiday there's a pretty good chance it just sold out at the particular store as many other beers also probably sold out. Short week with distributors closed a few days and increased holiday buying usually equals some empty shelves.

 

Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, but I really haven't seen it much in my areas.

 

my beer guy mentioned that Ithaca (or the distributors . . . not sure where responsibility lies) are stingy giving out FP only to those accounts that purchase X quantity of their other beers (Apricot Wheat/Cascazilla) . . . which end up sitting on the shelves forever. That could play a part . . . if a beer store decides that stocking Flower Power is not worth the shelf space you'd have to devote to the other swill, then maybe you stop carrying Ithaca beers all together.

 

Side note to thread: They dropped the price of Flower Power cases at the brewery from $42 to $40. Of course the best deal in the beer world is their sixtel of FP for $67.

 

Not a bad deal and hope retailers pass along the savings, if their wholesale cost goes down, as well.

Still I save time [and money] by picking it up locally in NJ...

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It seems that it's very easy to find where I live in Hudson County these days, I don't have a problem getting a case probably. But it also appears that it hasn't been seen in Monmouth/Ocean county for 6+ months.

 

Damn, picked up a couple of sixes locally and clerk told me price went up !

 

I went to two stores yesterday, Liquor Outlet in Boonton and this little place on the main street in Denville, and they both had multiple cases sitting on the floor.

 

Yea, both a solid hour from me. I see Ithaca's stuff around here, but like people here have mentioned it must not move much, so they haven't been getting anything new in.

 

Are you trying to get it that badly? I mean I'll be in AP on 2/15. I know its far off, but keep me in mind and I can definitely bring some down for you.

 

Alright thanks, I'll keep it in mind. It's not a big deal or anything, I just hear really good things about it and have just never happened to come across it.

edit: I'm guessing this means Asbury Park? People get that confused a lot, I'm in Asbury in Hunterdon county.

 

haha. yeah. definitely not going to hunterdon county in february. sorry.

 

Im a short ride from Asbury, I can let you know when the places by me get it. I usually pick mine up from Supersaver in somerville though.