Official Weldwerks Thread

No disrespect to weldwerks and I would buy the beer cause it’s very good but the hassle around it .. Clyde may cask pints

 

There are alternatives in real life

 

Sadly the beer market is turning into the wine market. Soon there will be backlash and people will understand a $55 beer isn't worth it when there are nearly as good of beers on the shelf for $15, except for the beer snobs.

And total B.S. on cost. An extra 8-10 hours of boil and 3lbs of vanilla (~$3/bottle) still doesn't equate to $25-30 premium per bottle (not including donation). You're right in thinking less transparency is better and just call it what it is, market pricing...

And yes, I would have still bought it at market price of $55/bottle. But I enjoy the $15/sixer beers just as much. Regardless of price, availability (I still haven't gotten a bottle of Medianoche), and distance from where I live -- I still love your beer, as much as I question your reasoning behind the 'Noche releases.

I also applaud a brewery with community sense in giving back to the locals that needs assistance. Not sure embedding that donation into bottle costs is the right way to do it, however, it's a great cause.

 

For reference, OG Vanilla Medianoche was ~$26 per 750ml ($22.50 per 22oz.), 14.5% ABV (vs. 13.5% ABV of '17), so... not sure where the extra $22.50 cost comes from.... most definitely not just vanilla.

 

Crazy stuff.

The only thing i questioned is I was thinking the bottle was going to be $55 no matter what and they were taking $10 of that to donate to the food bank. From what I’m reading it seems like the bottles were going to be $45 and they tacked on $10 for the food bank? If that’s the case then I really do disagree with this. It’s already a very expensive beer and adding $10 for a donation on top of that just doesn’t sit well.. just my opinion.. I love WW beers and think they do a great job overall.

There will always be people that will find something wrong with every release. At least Neil steps up and answers peoples questions and doesn’t ever lose it even though people are bagging on him.

 

I thought the vanilla beans were very expensive from a post I saw by Neil.

 

As the cost goes up though, and they play to that audience with 20$ IPA 4 pack pricing and 50$ stout bottles, the little guy is creating a perfect umbrella for the bigger companies to steal market share. They can creep in there with cheaper options that a majority will find itself more likely to buy.

These breweries can get glutinous in their endeavors and work right into a good strategy by someone like Lagunitas putting pretty high quality for a lesser price. Soon they take over that space as the competition (smaller, higher priced brewery) has priced itself out of market.


Especially when they get to the point of being just as good for a lesser price.

 

Trophy Hunt was $20 per bottle, 14.3% aged 18 months and had a ton of vanilla and cacao added.

If WW is paying a $25 per bottle premium in vanilla, I'll gladly supply them with $24 per bottle vanilla.

That's exactly who came to mind for me as well. High West-ified is legit.

 

Anybody hear when lotto winners would be informed today?

 

Just got my notification that I won an hour ago. Not 100% sure if I can go as something urgent came up.

 

There FB page said they were sending out notifications to the winners right now

 

Wow. I feel like I need to give my Academy Awards speech...thanking everyone that got me to this point (Neil and the entire WeldWerks Brewing staff...)

I'm in.

 

I know the popular opinion is to just dismiss or make fun of people who are bothered by the price. I am one of them, and I did enter. But I'm conflicted. I'm not sure if I won, but I have 2 kids and a single income family, and I know this beer is an extravagance I really shouldn't even consider. But I've been going to Weldwerks for a while and have tried ~40 different beers from them, in the taproom or brought home with me. My wife already thinks we are crazy for driving 2 hours (each way!) to go to Weldwerks to try beer. Please don't just dismiss concerns about ever increasing prices as mindless bitching. I'm just afraid that my passion for good beer, my inability to say no, and the rapidly climbing prices of beer, are creating a situation that's going to be difficult for a lot of people. Do I think the price is to high? Yes. Does my opinion matter? Not really.

One thing I've noticed is that someone mentioned about supply and demand. It's true, if you sell something out instantly, that means that in theory the price was too low and you could have further increased the price and sold out- thus increasing your profit. But the other side to that coin is what creates demand- hype is a big part of it. Some breweries are continuously pumping up the hype and even paying Facebook extra to increase visibility on Facebook feeds. You end up with situations where you've got 500 people waiting in the hot sun for hours for a release with 120 total allocations.

It's simply like this, I hate myself for my willingness to buy beer that I probably shouldn't because I am excited to try it and feel almost impulsively that I can't control myself.

I'm sure it's great. Maybe I'll find out. Good luck everyone!

 

Sat this round out after spending $$$$$$$ during GABF week. Congrats to everyone who got one!

 

Took my dad to the taproom on Saturday when they opened... spent about 2 hours there and saw them open like 10 bottles of Reserve.. at $40 apiece. We were both really surprised that that many people are willing to pay that price, while simultaneously acknowledging that its great for WW!

Also- he absolutely loves the beer there... especially the DDH JB!

 

$55 is very hefty! While I appreciate Weldwerks and Neil explaining why, it's still much higher than it needs to be. To me, a BA stout should max out at $30 for a bomber, even with vanilla. But hey, the market clearly spoke and didn't care about the $55. And I understand the challenge of having a very hyped product and limited bottles - no easy solutions.

To me, I put more value in a business doing the right thing. I just don't feel like $55 is the right thing, and I'm now less likely to make the 1 hour drive from Denver and less likely to pick up Alpha Bits or their other cans here in town. That's the risk Weldwerks takes - it may alienate the non-traders and whale hunters with that type of pricing.

 

The reason I replied directly to this post @DWheeler379 is solely for my take on two of your points. The general message might be useful (or complete crap) to the general BA public.

(1) Doing business the "right way" means a lot of things to a lot of different people. WeldWerks offers up a very good $15 beer in Coffee Maple Achromatic - perhaps at the lower end of the pricing spectrum for brewery-only release bottles? They also recently provided us (the consumer) with a high-end BA stout that sits in barrels for a very long time (14, 17, 20 month) and in some cases includes copious amounts of adjunct(s). This is at the higher or highest end of the spectrum, but also fills a "need" identified by consumers. Not all consumers, which is why the bottle count on Vanilla Medianoche and Medianoche Reserve are much smaller. Is the "right way" offering WW consumers a beer at the very low end of the spectrum (not to mention 4 pk availability) during perhaps their biggest beer release (Medianoche/Med Reserve) to date?

I would venture to guess if the WeldWerks gang was selling beer simply to maximize the almighty dollar, they would have much MUCH better options than to barrel and store something for more than a year. Think how many IPA releases they could do and how many ounces would turn in 17 months...the revenue and margins would have to be compelling. But beer drinkers and brewers don't do it just to make money - they follow a passion or look toward a new challenge for brewing a new beer...we as beer consumers are polyBEERamorous and demand change and new and exciting - all Vanilla Medianoche.

(2) Why penalize yourself for WeldWerks adapting to new ideas and fulfilling an array of consumer opportunities? Not purchasing Alpha Bits because they didn't tailor a release exactly for YOU or for ME or for Jim down the street doesn't make any sense. Nothing this business, WeldWerks, can do will appeal to everyone in every way. They have great beer at your price point. Wow, that's awesome...let's go get some Alpha Bits and CMA and call it a great day. They have price points above your wheelhouse. Be happy for those consumers?

This is my life-view - not just beer opinion. Be happy for others, and work hard for yours. It isn't difficult to be happy for others when good things happen to/for them. At the end of the day, I don't have social media accounts so I can track the discord among consumers and I don't get disappointed when a whole ton of releases don't mesh with my mantra or drinking preferences.

Not trying to stir everyone's pot - just trying to analyze why I don't understand people's disappointment or dissent. Cheers, all.

 

You made my point on "the right way" or doing "the right thing." I made my own judgement call and didn't agree with the $55. I'm making that choice as a consumer to be more hesitant on buying their stuff. Doesn't make my opinion or POV right.

But I do think that it can dissuade customers and give the wrong message to price this at $55, like it did to me. Everything else about Weldwerks has been top notch, so maybe I'm being too hard on them. I probably am. Oh well.

 

So, are people really coming in from other states for 1 bottle?? I didn't win shit of course. I guess that saves me $55.

 

I can speak for myself and say that I have business I can attend to in Denver and Greeley to make the trip worthwhile. So, yes I am coming in, and no, not for one bottle. That would be poor judgment.