Katherine is back,and in the tanks.......

Maybe the solution is to structure some sort of sliding price scale based on pick-up or arrival time. If you're in-line prior to 11AM, your bottles cost $100. Those in-line at noon pay $25 and then the price drops $2 every hour until it runs out.

 

Or just tell people not to show up before opening and actually enforce it. One time is all it would take. Hand out tickets to everyone in line, take note of the number of people who dismissed the request, when the time comes tell numbers 1-73 (or whatever) to go home.

Your idea is more fun though.

 

It bugs me too, and I don't know quite why. I tend to avoid that stuff as much as I can.

 

I've never seen a line like this at any beer release.....ever.

 

Or, just sell tickets online that get you two draft pours/bottles and be done with it. No one has to take time off from work, and there’s no one standing in line at 9 am for 5 hours. When any event grows to the point that hundreds are standing in line before you open, it should be ticketed online.

 

I'm not there, but unless people slept on the street or drove through an ice storm, it can't be as bad as the old KtG releases.

 

Tod has a history of underestimating the attention his beers get. He seemed legitimately surprised and a bit disgusted at what KtG Day turned into.

 

Horrible set up, really sad for the local people who spend money there week after week and only wanted to get their bottles and head back to work with intentions of getting a pour later in the evening. Sad...money can be used elsewhere

 

Guess you haven't been to any Dinner release. MBC is totally basking in the craziness.

 

I avoid it, due to this

 

To a degree I think it sounds like we're jealous, but I work from home (big day for bourbon research on an article I'm writing). I could have easily driven to Kittery. No thanks. Same with Dinner. Same with all of these releases. The Brewers know what they're doing. It's a business after all and nothing drums up buzz like a beer release. To each his own.

Imagine the guy with the first MtL check in? He's a mini celeb is some bizarro world.

 

I was there for the first dinner release....3 days later....nabbed my allotment and sat down with a full pour in an empty brewery. It was amazing lol. I wouldnt go to them now unless they calmed down.

 

His own mind and that's it.

 

Any idea what the line looks like? If I make it down by 4 do I have a chance?

 

Ouch. My sister was #277 and she just now left. Was only buying bottles. I think they need to have a separate bottles to go line if they plan to do this again.

 

Line is looking good. Most updated count is about 440 people including the 361 at opening. Is still a bit of a wait. I was in line at 1:30ish and theres is only about 50 behind me

 

I was like #245 or so. It took me a little over 2 hours to get through and get my bottles. worst set up ever. they just let people hang out and drink so the line wasn't moving at all.

 

Two separate lines is s no brainer!!

 

There are many ways to speed things up, a cash only line is a huge help. Ticketing is a fine idea, especially if they do a random draw so everyone gets a fair chance.

I don't see how making everyone show up at opening would help, 300 or 400 people all pulling in and running to the door right when they open? Sounds worse to me.

 

I was 227 and I liked it. Had to wait 3 hours (11:00-2:00) before getting in, but the food trucks were great, and it's beautiful out. Lots of locals here, which I like to see. It's rolling entry, and I understand why they did it this way. Perhaps next year will be different, but this was fun.

 

I would say you're in the minority in saying a 3 hour wait to buy 2 bottles of beer is fun. But there are people on here that do it all the time, so maybe I'm the weirdo.

 

Sounds amazing.

 

God damn that label is creepy

 

anyone know if it's cash only?

 

I would say a big part of this is generating buzz for the brewery, rather than making it the most efficient /fair way to handle it.

 

They take cards as well.

 

Word. Thanks

 

I stopped by earlier since I happened to be in Portsmouth for a conference....typical craziness. Left without getting in line, had to get back.

As said earlier, One line for bottles, one line for bottles and pours - everyone would be a whole lot less salty I think.

 

Also, I couldn't help but think: what a weird day to have to go to the post office in kittery!

 

Does anyone think it will still be on tap this Friday at opening? The wife and I want to go up to get a taste but can't get there any sooner than that.

 

A great day all around. Great beer, fun time, awesome people.

There are so many people on here that would get a kidney donated to them and complain that the color wasn't right.

 

The Alchemist did their last FB release perfectly. All sales done online before the event. Cases of beer outside, which you could put in your car (or hotel room) before entry for pours or after you finished your pours. Two hour window so no need to be there immediately. You could even take your stash away and then come back before the two hour window was up. One of the most effective plans I've ever seen. Other breweries should take note. The Alchemist has shown, through trial and error, that these kinds of things can work efficiently.

 

I didnt see any huge problems. Maybe 2 lines would have been nice but the 3 hour wait wasnt that bad. There was good food trucks in the parking lot and i didnt hear anyone complaining really. Kind of just the nature of the beast i guess. The only complaints seem to be on here, from people that didnt even go. The line died down completely when i got to the front and i heard they have plenty left. Too much damn complaining on here. Beautiful day good food and great beer. Ya, it was a real shitshow...

 

I'm in no position to comment since I didn't go (or even consider going), but the fact that the scene has come to the point where three hour waits to buy 2 bottles of beer and get a couple pours on draft seems reasonable is really something. But hey, to each his own.

 

I just got into craft beer less than a year ago and aside from trillium this seems to be the norm. But from what i have seen if you get there 3 hours early and stuff it is a longer wait and causes half the problem. Where as if you show up later you have a much easier time.

 

I was there, and yes, everything was fine. But the line was long and slow moving. No harm in pointing that out.

 

I ended up driving down, made it to the brewery at 4 PM. Made it through the line in under an hour. To make a point though, you cant really make any sweeping generalizations about these releases of "show up later and you don't have to wait in line." The last dinner release, if you showed up when doors opened you were SOL. Still we have it good here in Maine and its better than other areas of the country.

 

No pics? Even on the intended thread. I want some visual evidence of this whale.

 

I don't see why people in this thread are complaining about people complaining. I think it's perfectly valid to voice complaints about lines for beer. 3 hours for 2 bottles, I think the frustration there is easy enough to sympathize with. Especially those of us who have been drinking craft beer before it exploded, and remember how it was before, and even more so for locals who should be able to get certain beers easily.

I can also sympathize with those who are ok with it, and enjoyed hanging out with people on a beautiful day, got to drink a nice beer, and spend a day out of the office enjoying themselves.

I give the brewery a pass on this one though, even though the beer was released in the past, this is the first time Tributrary released it. Now that they know it's just as popular as before, perhaps they'll do it differently next year. Many have expressed (including myself) multiple ways that breweries organize releases in a more efficient manner.

Even though many enjoy the atmosphere, and the chase, I would be hard pressed to imagine the majority of those people wouldn't have enjoyed themselves more spending those 3 hours inside the bar, hanging out with people, and not using a vacation day to buy 2 bottles of beer.