New Growler Limit at HF - 3

This is obviously great news for the locals and certainly understand the reasoning.

Unfortunately on a non-bottle release date it is unlikely I am driving 8 hours round trip for 3 growlers (yes read the part about doing the line twice)

 

"Just make more beer" -Typical noob response.

 

The limits make sense, especially since you can get back in line if you need more. A better way would be a ticket system like at the deli so you don't have to wait in line(or those giant buzzers you get at chain restaurants when your tables ready). I would much rather have sat in the gazebo drinking tasters and enjoying the beautiful scenery then standing in a line.

 

This sounds like a good idea to me. To those complaining, all you have to do is get back in line. If that's an inconvenience to you then imagine how much of an inconvenience it is to people when you're spending an extra 10 minutes up there getting 2-3 more growlers. When I went, I was like 15th in line and I was waiting for about 40 minutes. This will bring the wait down and plus, most of the people I saw there were sticking around afterwards anyways. Doesn't hurt to step back in line and get more.

P.S. If anyone is planning on going up in a few weeks and wouldn't mind grabbing me a 750 of the Citra Single Hop that'll be available soon we can work out a trade or payment. Thanks.

 

Look how easily a better solution has presented itself.

 

From what I've been told by Phil, it's actually faster for them to fill 2L's because they can lean them on the taps unattended this filling more than one growler at a time. The 750ml's don't fit the same way and require a hand to be on them during the fill.

 

I've wondered why this isn't the systen for awhile. Just always be calling the two numbers of the people up next after those currently filling growlers are done. That way it can be seemless w/o dead time where the taps are 't pouring. HFS is such a beautiful spot and the three times I have been there a lot of the people seem to be a bit on edge, which is understandable, but I think a system like this would remove some of the pressure on everyone.

 

Bigger ain't always better!

 

Do you actually think any of the entitled read beyond " 3 growler limit".

 

This is how Tree house does it. You go in, fill out a slip with what you want, go about your business and then they call you when you're order is ready.

 

No clue what gazebo he's talking about. Does the new stage turn into a gazebo? There are benches but who wants to sit outside for hours waiting? Are you just going to chug tasters the whole time and drive home? Most people will leave to go somewhere else. So then you would call them??? Good luck with cell phone service in Greensboro lol.

If you think you can run their business better then drive up and tell them your opinions. Or pin a note to your mule for them to read.

 

Never understood why people on here simply fail to acknowledge that it isn't the brewery's fault they can barely keep up with demand, and then try to find a humane way to deal with it. Everyone on the rating sites who have put the brewery in this position are part of the problems with fulfilling the bottomless needs & desires for ever more beer to haul home and ship off. Wish we could all simply acknowledge that we play the causative role in this situation, not the failure of HFB to try & keep up. Time for a reality check!

 

Also - this wouldn't actually solve the stated problem of trying to speed up the visits for those who are only looking to fill 1 growler. If everyone could drop off their orders on slips of paper, then what's to prevent people from dropping off an order for 10 growlers, again causing the folks looking for 1 growler to deal with a long wait. And as bearsonacid noted above - calling people is definitely not an option in Greensboro.

 

Really Troll? Calling the open air wooden structure near the brewery a gazebo is really that off base?

If you'd rather stand in a line outside than sit on the grass or a bench, feel free. Either way you're there for the same amount of time, might as well make it a little more enjoyable then a trip to the DMV.

 

For you locals just swinging by to grab one growler....why wouldn't you pick a time when they aren't slammed with out of towners? Or are they constantly busy all week?

 

You don't think he's making a decent suggestion? They already take your "order" once it's your turn. It would be nice to sit on the benches or gazebo/stage relaxing, having a sandwich, etc. Not sure if there are any logistical pitfalls in this, but on first glance it would beat standing in line the whole time and shuffling your stuff forward 3 feet every 5 minutes.

 

Pretty much the latter, especially recently. Maaaaaybe the last hour on Wednesday or Thursday, but that's also no guarantee.

 

Surprisingly a lot more than you'd think Nick. I know you are there way more often than I am, but I especially noticed a lot of customers this past week that were almost tourists... people in their 50s or up that seemed to be visiting because of the acclaim HF has garnered, yet didn't really know what beer was what. Phil would walk them through the different beers, and they would end up buying one growler and a bottle. I've seen more of this type of customer each visit over the past 6 months.

 

On my first ever trip to Hill Farmstead, I encountered an entire group of these people (6 50+s), who were content to wait in the entire line, but then only bought bottles (in fact, if I remember right, they only bought like 1 total HF bottle, and otherwise just bought guest beers) because "it was too long to wait" to get growlers filled. They were upset to learn from Phil that the growlers on the shelf were not already pre-filled, as apparently they had been counting on this, despite watching 25 people in front of them get their growlers fillled. They also asked me if they could "buy any Lawson's beers" there, and when I informed them they could not, they got very upset and asked Phil and Kerrie because they thought I was giving them the run-around. I'm not sure they really understood what was going on.

 

Yes. I don't go every week, but I* usually go a few times a month and at least this summer, you can't get out of there in less than an hour. If it is a bottle release week then it could be as much as 2 to 3 hrs. Maybe it is just luck and others have different experiences.

I'm sure it'll slow down some once stick season comes. The winter isn't so bad either, had quite a few days (weekdays) where I could grab a growler in less than 15 mins.

I think the ticket system could work, but sounds like a mess too. How are tickets dispensed? Little pieces of paper? They'd go everywhere, especially outside with how windy it usually gets. Also, come February I'd assume most wouldn't want to be spending much time outside.

*By I, I actually mean my wife, she is the best