Opinions on "Muling" Groups

Like someone else said, maybe we're all talking different definitions.

What some people seem to call it (just buying a metric shit ton to trade) is fine with, I assume, almost everyone. You get your allotment and then do whatever you want with it.

As far as I call it/know it, "muling" is when you bring additional people "mules" purely to circumvent limits on how much you can purchase. I.e., the mules have no interest in buying it for themselves. They are doing it just so the actual recipient (the "muler" if you will) can buy more than his/her allotment.

My response had more to do with the usual defense of this behavior (e.g., "I can bring 10 mules if I want because I share what I buy."). Suffice to say, I don't think that bringing things to bottle shares and/or trading it and/or giving it to buddies gives one any special justification to skirt the system put in place by the store/brewery. Call me skeptical that these behaviors are as mega-altruistic as they are often presented.

 

I'm confused... I don't see how the first part is okay (buying a van full of beer/potentially leaving so many others empty-handed) but the rest of it is a problem. To me, the only difference is hiring others to help you buy your "metric shit ton", if you will. Or, maybe two differences if you include whether or not said brewery has a limit or not...

 

I think the half hour I spent reading these posts would have been better spent with my friends while we waited in line at walmart for the new bud can release

 

On the subject of mules I'm conflicted. For ultra-low-count bottles it's really aggravating, such as at Toronado 25th, where one guy brought 5 asian friends to take the first 6 spots in line, all bottles going to him. They all played by the rules but in doing so they set the bar for everyone else (now you've got to arrive 18 hours early if you want one of the 6 CC bottles which might be sold).

For anything >200 bottles released I couldn't care less. Who's to say what's right? Not me, I'm a notorious line cutter.

 

Maybe instead of "muling", we should refer to it as "seagulling", as in the sea gulls from Finding Nemo..
"Mine!.. mine!... mine! ..... mine!"

 

Reminds me of baseball cards. Used to be a nice way to spend an afternoon, looking at a baseball game, rooting for your team and getting a card in a 10 cent pack of gum Now it's high falutin big business and cut throat to boot. If it's not fun anymore , then why do it? Get in line at dawn . . . wha . . to buy some beer?!

(That's called an interrobang btw - that punctuation with the ? and the !.)

And I could leave empty handed? Do what's right.

 

Beer is awesome. Geeking out to the point of desperation is stupid.

 

I think the key for me is when someone is doing what's in bold. It's about respecting the limits placed by the brewery/store. If they are putting limits in place, it's because they want the beer to be purchased by many people. Someone who is muling (as I define it) is basically saying "fuck that I'm getting more because fuck you I want more." (If the store/brewery hasn't set a limit, then the-free-for-all is fine by me. Either they believe the supply is great enough to not need a limit or they are fine with one person being able to buy assloads of the beer.)

I just think it's rude. Some people are just plain proud of being rude. Some come up with a convoluted explanation for why it's not rude when they do it. Sure whatever - it's not like it ruins my day. I manage to get just about every release I want in the end. Just don't expect me to buy whatever bullshit story someone spins about why their muling is altruistic behavior.

 

[quote="TurdFurgison, post: 1500092, member: ] where one guy brought 5 asian friends

[/quote]

Um, what?

 

This has been going on in southern california for years.

 

Not sure if it has been said, too many posts, but I wonder what the breakdown of the poll results are by year joined BA.

 

Greatest humble brag ever.

 

dude,
read what you wrote here
I'm guessing it makes you uncomfortable now
jd

 

Brewery-only bottle releases can kiss my ass. Voted "couldn't care less" seeing as I'm not gonna get my hands on any of these types of beers anyhow.

 

when fedex ships beer for you and they make a profit, its called a business.

when a regular guy buys a couple cases and goes on a road trip, he's a scumbag hoarding douche mule.

 

Er, yeah that does look awkward. I meant it to be descriptive, not ugly in any way.

When I was in line I didn't think they were mules, it wasn't until we were inside that I heard he scored all the bottles for himself.