Rusty Nail Release

This has been my philosophy for ages. Why spend precious hours in line when there is amazing beer everywhere?

 

Because Rusty is Rusty. Precious hours spent in line aren't a waste unless you didn't get any.

 

So Freemont bottles will become like Firestone for me. Used to get all their special releases until I figured out how much time I was spending hunting them down. Now, if I walk by one I might grab it.
Otherwise, plenty of non-rarified beer to get excited about. Definitely more than I can drink.

 

Guess you missed the folks in this thread that questioned if it was worth the effort.

 

Yes, I believe I read a thread a few years back (or maybe last month, bad memory) about stores selling bcbs with the condition that they buy a sixer of shelf beer. People weren't happy. Now if stores are doing that on their own I can see a complaint there, but if they are following the wishes of the brewery, then...I don't think it changes what @beertunes said about superfans and casual fans. They'll buy the beer because they usually buy the shelf beer anyway and they are super excited to try the rare beer. The people upset are the mule-ers (traders and hoarders). A regular beer fan isn't going to care because they'll probably spend their $20 on a sixer or two of their favorite beer vs plopping it down for one exotic bottle of beer from a brewery they may or may not have heard of.

You're right on the business viewpoint, but it was my understanding (I can can be off on this) that Fremont put bottle limits in the first place (as well as limited distribution) to get the beer in the hands of most people possible, especially their loyal legion of fans. If all Fremont wanted to do was sell out, no limits necessary, just hand trucks.

 

Could be worse, could be 300.....

Seriously, this is what makes me mad more than anything. Trading... Okay I can see that but scalping it is another thing and that just ruins the hobby for me. It is what it is though, and some people don't have a ton of money so they get a couple extra bottles and sell it to make up for the cost, I understand that to a certain degree.

 

Back on topic, I'll be visiting that clearwater Albertson's that @woemad put me on to in the next couple of days. They mysteriously got first nail, so you never know, I might get lucky.

 

I think a big challenge here is that if the release model was that to purchase a rare/special release bottle, you also had to purchase a 'shelf' beer, such as a 6er of Interurban, is would that added cost be enough to deter shitlords and their legions of mules from just buying the six packs too? I mean, if Rusty can be sold on the secondary market for $90 let's say, then what's another $10 for a six pack when the end game is profit (either via direct sale, auction, or "winning" a trade)?

 

Very good point. This is bizarro world.

 

How long do you guys think it will be on draft at the brewery? Is tonight too late?

 

It was on this afternoon still, so probably?

 

If a brewery wanted to get it as many hands as possible, it might could do something like this: A: announce case/bottle count. B: announce amount that will be sold per day. C: announce a window (for example July 6-12) when it will start putting it on the shelf. D: not announce what time any given days allotment goes on sale; ie: on the 6th put out 5 cases at 2pm, 7th 5 cases at 7pm, 8th 5 cases at open. E: place whatever limits they choose, from 1 bottle all the way to bring a forklift, whatever they want. F: announce conditions: must buy sixer of flagship or at least 1 pint at the bar or $10 donation to charity, whatever.

Yup, more of a pain in the ass for the brewery, but all your regular, loyal customers (ya know, the folks upon whose open wallets allow the walez to produced) get a more fair, even shot at it. People work different schedules; some can get away for a while in the middle of the day, some are stuck at the job until quitting time (I don't suspect folks in @kemoarps line of work could take a long lunch just to wait in a beer line), and this would give everyone a, relatively, even shot at a couple bottles. And, if the mulewhores want multiples, they can get them, they're just going to have to do some extra physical effort to accomplish it.

This will never happen.

 

Or, how about this – for super special or rare stuff, hold back a certain number of bottles for on-site consumption only? It's been done by many breweries, and from everything I've experienced, it works pretty darn well depending on the numbers reserved for such purposes. (And to be clear, I'm not talking about holding bottles for special events, but instead for the ability for anyone to come in and purchase a bottle to consume on any random day during normal hours.)

 

At least it would give them more to lug out!

Then again, it could lead to homeless people being employed as mules, with the sixer their payment.

 

Rusty still on tap at the brewery!!!!!!!

 

Sheeet man, why you gotta go given people ideas! (If I were to imagine myself as homeless, this seems like a no-brainer for a Saturday morning's "work"...)

 

Hell, I'd do it on a day off, and I'm not even homeless!

 

Let me know if you see it there. I may come up empty around here.

 

just had a cute little 3 oz pour and can confirm it's worth all the hype