Monkish Brewing

Showed up at 10:15, got two four packs of the beer.

Guess only making it 1 new beer had its advantages.

 

This isn't meant to be an insult, but how? I'm pretty sure I saw you walking out with your beer before me, and I got there at 7am. For reference, it took me an additional 40 minutes to get through the line, so I didn't have my beer till 10:40. Just wondering.

 

How's the new beer? Hoping for the return of a single IPA next release.

 

LINE CUTTER!!! He brought BT and got to the front of the line ;p

 

When I showed up, I initially said fuck the line and walked in to get a pour even though various folks suggested that it's still to the point of anyone getting in line would get it. I continued to go in and had half a beer with friends who were already through the line. After they peer pressured me, I finally decided to get to the back of the line. So you seeing me with the bag walking out wasn't me with cans, it was me barely getting in to the line.

I was probably one of the last few to get to buy 2 4pks. About 5-10 folks after me is when they started the 1 4pk per person since it was pretty clear that at that point it was folks double dipping.

 

This is exactly true. Once Henry noticed someone he recognized was back in line he reduced the limits to 1pp. Overall it was a very smooth release yesterday.

 

The difference that's being suggested, though, is a one-day window. I don't know any brewery, anywhere, that has a one-day window for picking up an online sale. Can't see it happening.

 

It's uncharted territory, but someone's gotta blaze trails. BTW, didn't DDG have a one weekend pick-up window?

 

I guess it seems to me that it sort of negates the point of online sales . . . if I can commit to coming on one particular day, why not just show up for the in-person sale (?) Would it be mainly to eliminate the early lines and line-cutting? For me, it's hard to know in advance that I'll be absolutely available on one particular day. In one respect, it seems like the one-day window is perfect for those who have significant dedication to/time available for beer chasing, but aren't those the same people who line up early? I suppose this is a circular argument . . .

 

It indeed was. It even went so far as to designate a short pick up window. I think it was a 4 hour window.

 

Right, but isn't DDG released like once every three to four years? It makes sense for people to make a commitment to a tiny window for DDG, but not every two-three weeks for a canned IPA.

 

Almost if not all Lost Abbey online releases are a one day, 4 hour session pick up window.

 

O'so/FunkFactory is 5 hours of a pickup window...next saturday.

 

That's still a fairly rare beer, though, right?

I'm basically thinking out loud about this, but as far as canned IPAs go, wouldn't the point be to get it into the hands of more people, not just the ones who can make a 4-hour window or start standing in line at 6am?

Maybe I'm just old.

 

But don't they have two 4 hour sessions on a Saturday and Sunday (plus people emailing them to request picking up on a different session)? They also have a separate warehouse area for pick ups that doesn't interfere with the taproom/sitting area.

I keep trying to remind people that Monkish's cold storage is small and its in the very back (and no it's not just as easy to do pick ups in the back. There are a couple of business in the back that would not want that. Plus it's a small little parking area. Also, they apparently are possibly having some issues with that parking lot in the building just west of Monkish. Henry may have to pay them out of his pocket to use it on release days.)

 

Yes, the online sale would eliminate most of the unpleasant side effects of an in-person, first come, first served sale. You can determine, at the start of the sale, if you'll be willing to commit time during that one-day pickup window. If there's any uncertainty, you simply don't pull the trigger. This is easy if you can accept the idea that you're not meant to drink every beer in the world.

 

The same can be said about deciding not to stand in a line for cans.

 

Considering the reception to these canned releases, I have no doubt the online sales would sell out. If there's any uncertainty with the yield of a batch, you can always estimate on the low side, and put any remaining cans for sale on release day.

 

The whole benefit to online sales to me is not have to line up early as hell or deal with people cutting lines. So a single day pickup doesn't negate any of that. Either I can make it or I can't. I definitely understand some people don't have that sort of flexibility.

I do get what you're saying though. Even if it's just at the surface, I do see the difference between having a one day pickup window for a beer like DDG that gets released once every three years versus a place releasing IPAs every other week.