Hipster brunch release Vs. Bcbs release.

If you want civility, go to Grand Haven. If you want the craft beer version of dystopia where Warriors-esque gangs stroll the streets shaking down store clerks down for their every bottle of Prop, coffee & whatever other variant is in play for the year. Where a gang of Minnesotans strong-arm a store's employees into releasing their variants before the intended time. For which Midwestern men tell their families that Thanksgiving is no longer really a holiday and that whispers of "Proooopppprietooorrrr's" from a land afar are beckoning them to make a 6 hour trek each way, which their family knows is nothing more than a siren's song. Well, then Chicago might be your thing.

 

I'll probably be out in the western burbs this year. Doubtful that I can make it into the city, though. Do any of the other Binny's get variants, or am I basically out of luck? Will I at least be able to score the regular stout & barleywine?

 

Chuck, the wife and I may make it to Chicago this year for the release. If we go I'll give you the skinny.

 

I hit the Binny's in the burbs and some smaller bottle shops last year and did quite well. They don't get as much of the variants but the crowds are way smaller.

 

What ever you do don't make a "mistake by the lake" (Lincoln Park Binnys) what a clusterfuck.
I am not even going this year. I am not up for the Shady shit that goes on in that town.

 

I must be a glutton for punishment because I can't wait to stand in line all night freezing my ass off at the lp binnys with 2000 other geeks...

 

Apparently you must be because someone who gets in line at 7 a m. Will get the same thing as you get.

 

Been doin it for quite some years and am sick of that shit. Would rather just purchase some Hipster Brunch and enjoy my day.

 

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ do whatever

 

I agree, hipster sounds better than any of the variants IMO anyways. Prop could be OK, but the Rye one sounds gross. Especially for $30 or whatever they'll be gouging for.

 

The terrible distribution to Grand Rapids may no longer be an issue...

The reason GR barely gets any BCBS is that the distributor who owns the rights to Goose Island pre-buyout (Alliance Beverage) is a MillerCoors distributor, and the suits at Bud don't want to support the region.

West Side and Alliance have reached an agreement that transfers distribution rights of Goose Island to West Side, the Bud distributor. Now that Bud can reap the financial rewards of West MI distro, I'd expect a lot more BCBS and variants to be shipped to the area.

 

So any idea what's the problem in SE Michigan? Similar situation?

 

I'm not an expert on the finer points of east-side distro, but I know at least in Detroit a Bud house owns Goose Island.

The other factor is that a lot of specialty distribution is based on sales of year round products, and there aren't a ton of people buying up 312 or Honker's year round in Michigan. If a store rarely sells the boring Goose Island fare, they're not going to be shipped a lot of BCBS, and I'd assume the same politics are in play from the brewer to the distributor.

 

Ill take the bullet and go to Chicago, everyone else go to Grand Haven. You wont like the new bcbs variants, they are terrible.

 

not sure about other stores but Drakes got VR two weeks after due to liquor laws. and if i remember correctly they had BCBS,Coffee, BCBW on black friday. Any word on if Rare will see distro? and have they said prices yet?

 

The VR delay was statewide, I believe the label hadn't been approved yet.

 

Bumping this thread because I'm thinking about making the 3 hour drive to Odd Side this year. Just looking for some basic info, people who went last year. What time do they open, what are line lengths, how long of a wait? I travel for business that evening so I can't spend too much time on top of a 6 hour round trip drive.

 

You'll be able to find variants after Black Friday weekend.