Hopslam

This kind of thing drives me crazy - it shouldn't be this complicated

 

Has anyone been able to validate that TW will be getting them this year? I was talking to one of the guys a TW yesterday and he couldn't find it in his system. I know from experience that doesn't mean much at TW but I want to make sure I land some of these this year.

 

FYI, from a guy here in Kalamazoo MI (home of Bell's). Hopslam's release will be in a couple of weeks, timed to coincide with Kalamazoo Beer Week events. Although they've been released together lately, 2014 Black Note isn't supposed to be released for a month or two yet.

 

Hopslam brings out the real chasers/hoarders. We sold our four cases last year in 11 minutes. Every single buyer had never come into the store before, and have never come back since. At least with other limited releases you get a good bunch of regulars too.

 

What I hate, not pertaining to hop slam in particular, are the new wave of craft beer drinkers. They are clueless when it comes to beer; but, make it a point to buy up all the rare allocated stock, simply because it's rare or Ba says it's good. Craft has become the new "cool" thing for many, and when a couple months ago "they only drank pumpkin beer and frambois" , now are cleaning out my shelfs. Sure people have to start somewhere with a new hobby, but don't come asking for the good shit if you can't appreciate the difference from exceptional brews and swill. If you drink swamp ape ipa regularly or Sam Adams lager because they are "the best beers you've ever had", you best believe I won't be selling you a fucking sixer of hop slam or a single bottle of black note.

 

Gonna save me some Black Note sweetums?

 

This may be the most elitist and judgmental post that I have ever seen on Beer Advocate. This is the opposite of being a Beer Advocate.

 

Complaining about new customers cleaning out shelves of beer? lol. I hear ya. I hate it when I get an influx of new clients itching to scratch me checks. What a pain.

 

As long as I get the beers I want, I could give a rat's ass who buys the rest. I would just like them to realize that calling every hour for a month doesn't speed up the delivery. Nor does being nice to me or offering to 'get on the list'. First come, first serve. No one gets special favors.

 

Elitist only to a point. You wouldn't serve caviar and wagyu beef to someone who prefers cheap steak cooked well done. Well maybe you might. My point is, if you can't appreciate something for it's flavor, but rather you are only following a trend set by the herd, you don't deserve the beer. Call it as you will, but my stance is firm. And yes dre, you can have some black note lol

 

If my store gets black note, Im gonna shower in its goodness in the beer cooler .

On a side note, it's always comical to read the differing takes on beer releases when it comes to the customers vs the stores. It's not elitist what captive said, it's the aggregate frustration of having to field the calls of a bunch of fair weather beer folk that never buy beer at your store except those "Walez"

Customer: Hi, do you have Hopslam?
Store: Mmmm no it's not released yet but we have a few other great offerings tha....
Customer: No just looking for hopslam, I hope it's as good as Sam Adams Hop Tour or Shipyard XXX

Ya, no, you won't be getting any hopslam. Sorry, call it elitist but if you won't try other various quality beers in the same class and drink bullshit swill, then I have no problem telling you we sold out. That furthermore goes for other special releases that newgen BAs hunt after without looking up pertinent information about said beer, instead armed with the gospel of BA.

Customer: You got any KBS in yet?
Store: NO! Go on the Founders website, they have a calendar of their release.
Customer: Can you set aside a case for me when it comes in?
Store: *hangs up*

Lo and behold they call again next week.

#endrant

 

Dude, relax. It's beer... not soylent green.

 

Speaking of, when's the 2014 soylent green supposed to get to Florida? It's usually after the cold, flu season right?

 

I work at total wine%2C and we order everything. We usually get almost everything too. The sheer volume that we buy and sell really cements limited releases for us.

 

It will start shipping to areas in Michigan the week of Jan. 6.
It will begin shipping to Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Missouri, Ohio and Arizona the week of Jan. 13.
It will then start shipping to Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, Kentucky and Pennsylvania the week of Jan. 20.

 

Please note that "start shipping to" is a loose term. Every distributor has their schedules and depletions to manage (for fresher beer for everyone!) This means that we'll get our hopslam within a reasonable time of the SC release date of 1/20.

 

For every one of him there are 100 great BAs. Just use the ignore feature...

 

Everyone relax. There will be more than enough Hopslam to satisfy your needs. If you still find yourself in need despite this, BM me in a few weeks and i will get some into your hands.

 

Should have told me Drei, I was buying it for 3 months last year, almost to the point where "snobs" would say it is too old. I gladly purchased it.

But i love Sucks, drinking it now, and for almost half the price it's way more bang for your buck.

 

I'll keep that in mind just in case