Knee Deep Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Is this Bob's Imperial Stout? If so, tried the original batch at a homebrew competition. Believe this was the collaboration with a homebrewer.Was good, but not $17 good.

Sounds pricey. Really not happy with Knee Deep and others charging premiums. But I understand it is a business

 

I picked up a bottle last time I was at total wine. I'm a sucker for barrel aged stouts so I'll post back up once I drink it. it's a little far back in the queue though... I haven't been too impressed with their beers though.

 

Not sure how Knee Deep gets away with charging so much for their beers. The ones I've had I've felt were just okay. I'm not paying $9-10 for an okay IPA. I'll probably be scrolling past this one.

 

moved this one up to the front of the line to pair with the debate. also added it to the site:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23200/86417

 

There is very little bourbon presence in this beer. It was only aged for MAYBE 3 months at the most. I heard they pulled it early so that they could enter it into GABF. It is an okay beer - I had it on tap. I would not put out the 15-18$ on it however.

As for paying 9.99$ for SIMTRA, I do that from time to time - it's a great TIPA. I don't think 6.99$ Hoptologist is out of line at all.

 

Have you seen his facility? He rents a bottling line, 6 packs would be ridiculous - not to mention impossible. Don't forget this is a very small brewery working out of the back of an old pub system. I would rather buy a bomber now and then than a 6pk that is $14 (Sculpin - and that is just an IPA, not double or triple). It is also not fair to compare pricing to Sierra Nevada or Lagunitas that are running highest production numbers in the business. I get where you're coming from but they aren't fair match ups. At least Knee Deep is making some tasty beers and continuing to try new stuff - Ruhstaller is average at best. I'm afraid we don't see eye to eye on this one the great.

 

Seriously, you're putting Moylan's in with Knee Deep?!?! I don't know who you are anymore!

 

Really liked Simatra, but doubt I'd drop $17 for this stout.

 

I'd rather drink fresh Hopsickle than Simtra and those are the only two beers from either that I would consider regularly. Guess that means I prefer Moylan's

 

Where have you seen Simtra for $5.99? It's $8.99 and up every time I've seen it.

 

I understand your point that a small operation brewing on a rented bottling line cannot fill 6 packs and compete on price with Sierra or Lagunitas or Deschutes or other larger craft brewers, but saying we cannot compare prices as a result is ridiculous. Quality to price ratio (QPR) is real and I don't want to have to make justifications All brewers are competing for limited shelf space from retailers and limited "wallet space" from consumers. Paying $11 for a bomber of Simtra is $11 I don't have to buy a 6er (3.27 times more beer).

What I want is great beer at a fair price, if someone has an advantage of lower costs (whether due to volume/scale, paid off mortgage/low rent, cheap labor, etc) that's OK, this is not handicap racing.

 

You can compare prices as a result but it isn't apples to apples because of a lot of the things you mentioned above including the style and its production cost - I find myself going for DayTime IPA 6pk over a Simtra bottle all the time and it isn't a fair comparison. To say - they should do 6pks is just a blanket statement, not taking into consideration their situation. Are the prices higher on their beers that cost them more money - yes. Isn't that how it always is?

 

I did not say they should do 6 packs just that I don't generally want to pay $11 for a very good IIPA bomber when for half that price I can get a similar IIPA bomber or a pint at a bar such as Pliny (only 16.9 oz but way cheaper / oz.), Alpine/NB Super (limited release I know), Racer X, Double Jack, Hop Stoopid, etc. That's apples to apples style and format wise. And better deals by far abound if we just think outside of styles and formats.

That doesn't even get into the whole other issue of freshness - they seem to have gotten their pricey product into lots of stores where it doesn't move too fast and is not refrigerated, and from what I've seen is not date stamped. That's just a bad business model to me. There will be a shake out in # of brewers. Not everyone can simply co-opt Bruery's biz model (expensive large format bottles) and succeed. Good luck to all who try.

 

I hear you, it's another albeit more expensive option. And their IIPA is $6.99 which is competing on price with those. But anyway - they do date stamp as well, but it is a code which can be broken rather easily. Old product on shelves is bad for everyone and yes i have seen it in places.