Other Half Brewing November 2016

If past is prologue, the recent past (even the big releases) has shown the brewery has become very adept at moving that line fast, opening early when the weather or the line warrants it. Here's hoping for a relatively easy release for folks showing up an hour or so before the release. Remember everyone- bring cash!

 

On matters besides the line length, anybody want to share thoughts on either base stout? I've had We've Been Out There and thoroughly enjoyed it (been a year but Untappd taste notes sound good); never had In Absentia. I disliked Indian Ladder and Short, Dark, and Handsome.

 

I feel like adding bottles to a hyped can release is really going to slow things down. Stacking a few cases of beer on top of each other is pretty seamless. A case of cans with straggling bottles is going to slow things down quite a bit imo. Hope I'm wrong

 

Not sure sure who mentioned it earlier, but OH is not well known for their stouts, so I really don't think this adds to the crowd. While I know trade value is not the only thing that drives the line, but in some cases it does. The Monkish collab will, but these stouts will not from the trading standpoint IMO. Both base stouts are solid but unremarkable. Aging them in barrels may or may not make them better, no one really knows. Sure the vanilla IA sounds good, and likely will be the first to go, but I just don't see it adding an hour to the line like people are fearing. Maybe I'm wrong, but for the average folks who want a couple four packs and a bottle of each, let's hope I'm right.

 

I remember hearing pretty negative reviews about some of their previously bottled stouts. Would love to hear some more comments before purchasing.

 

First time I had "We've been out there" on draft in the tap room I was blown away. Incredible mouthfeel. That was before the name change. Was disappointed by the first bottling. Maybe barrel aging will be nice, unsure. But the carb problems and generally not great BA version of SD&H makes me skeptical.

I remember rum in absentia being great. Generally, I love double barrel aged stouts (threes did an excellent one last year with awesome barrel character, especially the rye). Definitely curious about the vanilla luci.

 

Hoping something lasts to Sunday since I'll be out of state for a wedding on Saturday.

 

Had luci a while back, it really needed to warm up a bunch, but once it did I loved it

 

Nope, but a girl can dream

 

I actually like Forever Ever!

On another topic, it's $423 to max out. That's a lot of money and can't see everyone doing that. The line will be slow due to the addition of bottles unless they have even more staff than the Trillium release.

If I go (not sure at all due to friends staying over Friday and Saturday), I would do 3 of Monkish, 2 of Forever Ever, 1 of Stacks, and some assortment of bottles but not the limit.

 

Call me crazy but I think $15 for a 500ml is a bit absurd, especially when I can grab BCBS right now from whole foods for $10. I love Other Half but their bottle pricing(not cans), particularly with their stouts, is way off.

 

Will Stacks make it to Sunday?

 

I don't think it's that far off. Plus $10/BCBS @ WF is the baseline price in NY. Most other places you'll spend a bit more.

And I'm by no means a blindly-buying locavore, but assuming both being of comparable quality (which clearly remains to be seen re: OH and stouts) I'd rather give a bit more $ to an independent local outfit, than AB.

 

Quality wise, I doubt these beers are matching BCBS...good point on the not wanting to support AB thing though.
I'm just saying with BCBS, Lagunitas High Westified, Big Bad Baptist, and Barrel Aged Ten Fidy on shelves for considerably cheaper prices and no need to wait in line, it's an easy pass for me.

 

It does beg the question if there'll be any kegs of the stouts for those who may decide to pass on the bottles due to price/past experience with OH stouts- I'm assuming we're not gonna see any though since the last aged stout never hit kegs, and nobody who gets the emails seems to have seen these coming. Grimm didn't keg Sumi either, which makes me wonder further why the no kegging aged stouts? Is it a cost thing?

 

$543 to max out actually, which is just crazy!

 

The only one of those on shelves in NYC is BCBS and for good reason. I dont mind spending a little more on BA stouts occasionally, especially when I know I'm supporting my local brewery.

 

Yep, barrel-aging take time & space which all = high costs especially in NYC. This is the same price as BA BQE (IIRC) so not sure why it's a shock. How many BA beers are being released in NYC?

 

I really don't think most people are offended by the pricing here. BA Heavy Boots is around $10-12 (not the maple one) for the same volume, BQE was either 15 or 18 for the same volume as well. Sumi Ink was $15, but for a bomber. The question I think most people have is whether it will be worth it. The previously listed ones surely are, but no OH bottled stout has wowed the majority to date. Not saying these won't and we all hope they do, but I am sure most folks are going to be hesitant to buy more than a bottle or so at that rate without trying it first.