Rusty Nail Release

Usually on for 2-3 days, but no more than that. Trying to get more but like I said it is not always readily available.

 

Every conversation I've had with Casey has echoed this sentiment exactly.

 

The number dude told me was significantly higher than 5.

 

I would ask him to check his facts. There were so few cases that left the brewery (even less kegs), there were going to be accounts that missed out, but to say that Fremont asked them to buy X amount to get Rusty Nail is just not the case. Would you BM me the location if you don't mind? Like I said, these were allocated months prior to the release date. Purchasing 50 Fremont kegs in June & July would have had no impact on that.

 

Sure, it could be sour grapes over the guy being mad about not getting any. But, I've been in that store multiple times, and they've always come across as open, honest, and friendly. My bullshit detectors didn't go off, and I've got them set at a very low level. But, to say that this kind of thing doesn't happen is flat-out wrong. When I worked at a bar here in town a few years ago, it happened regularly. we'd order a keg of a limited seasonal beer, only to be told that they were already sold out. Then the next sentence was, if we would agree to carry any of the core beers with any regularity, there might be a keg "in the corner of the warehouse".

I'm a Deschutes fanboy, and I rarely see any of Deschutes core beers on tap around town, except for at Pooties, where Mirror Pond and Black Butte are permanent handles. Guess who has Abyss on tap first every year? Again, I don't think any person directly connected to Fremont walked into that shop and said that. But, did a rep from their distributor say that, and even perhaps tie it into some of his other brands? That is a very credible scenario, in my view.

 

I am not saying that this kind of thing doesn't happen, because it certainly does. Please don't take me as generalizing that this "never happens" I just don't think it applies in this instance. Perhaps things have changed a bit, because that conversation stemming from carrying core beers leading to specialty kegs "in the corner of the warehouse" now is "maybe for the next release."

Deschutes allocations are largely tied to their package sales as well, so are Fremonts. It's not all draft, and I am not sure Abyss is the best comparable here, maybe Cognac Abyss is a good comparison, but they still made a shit load more of that then Fremont did Rusty Nail.

I wasn't there so I don't know what happened, it just raised some red flags for me because I have never had a discussion with Fremont where they insinuated any sort of quid pro quo. Perhaps you're right and it could have been the vendor trying to pad his own stats (knowing full well they weren't allocated for it), that happens more than breweries directly taking that approach. Either way it remains a very gray area and not a great situation for anybody, there are always going to be accounts that miss out on certain releases. I still think Fremont did another good job getting this release done, this was easily their smallest release that I've been a part of, and they still seemed to spread it all out fairly evenly, as well as have a successful release event at the brewery.

Cheers

 

And, maybe your store pushes enough volume that the sales folks don't need to offer you these "incentives". Whereas a smaller store, one with perhaps 25-30% of the floor and cooler space of your store, has to choose more carefully. There are many potential factors at play. It takes many ingredients to make a meal.

 

The more I think about it, the more it sounds like the retailer version of FOMO: "the distributor's allocation method didn't favor me personally, ergo the method was flawed."

 

Well put.

 

Beer Junction just put on a keg of Rusty today for anyone looking to have a taste.

 

It turned up again in the Spokane area last night at Bottles in Millwood, as part of a Fremont tasting that included a case of bottles and a keg. Started at 5, I couldn't get off work until after 6:30. Called them then and all gone.

 

Rusty on at Toronado as part of their 2nd anniversary party: http://www.toronadoseattle.com/beers/index.html

 

it was on tap for Baileys anny party.

would love to have it again. Drank my first bottle already

 

Looks like Bottling this years batch! Can't wait for release date

 

Unleash the grandmules.

 

is it annual? i thought it was every few years?

thats a good thing, i might be able to get some more easily this time, plus fremont is now sending beers to cali!

 

I found a few bottles at Whole Foods in the Pearl last year.