Sand City Brewing (2018)

A have a lot of friends but maybe one or two into craft beer enough to ever hook me up with something I don't get myself. I wish I did! Would save me a lot of driving.

 

True, but unfortunately the few of my friends that are also into craft beer don't have work schedules that align with can releases either.

 

Literally could not agree with this more. Putting case limits invites hoarding. If you cut limits to 2/3 4-packs per beer a lot less people who hoard for trading would waste there time and it would allow more people to get the beer. Thats what these breweries preach: getting beer to as many people as possible. Which is why I find it crazy that the limits are so high. They will still sell out regardless.

And I do love how SC does mid-week releases and announces it the night before, whether or not I can get there. I like to think it limits people from rushing in from all over unlike OH which gives people a full week in advance to prepare to get as much beer as possible.

If the beer scene was perfect (ha) every brewery would operate like Carton.

 

Last time I was at Carton, you could've walked out with a case of O'Dub, a case of Boat, 4 4-packs of a Dubviant, and 2 4-packs of another brew. Not quite sure how this supports your "high limits invites hoarding" stance, when people were able to walk out with 3 cases of beer.

I, for one, enjoy the case limits, as it allows me to pick up enough beer to share with friends, while keeping a good amount for myself. If I could only get two 4-packs, I'd probably pass on going most times, as I don't have time to be constantly hunting for beer. The return on my investment (in time) needs to be such that it justifies the trip.

Just because YOU don't like the higher limits does not mean that it's not beneficial for people other than those who hoard for trading purposes.

 

Funny...if a brewery does weekend releases and draws lines they're not looking out for the locals.

If a brewery does a mid-week release they're not looking out for the out-of-towners that are interested in trying the beers.

If a brewery sets high limits on a beer they're promoting hoarding.

If a brewery sets low limits on a beer they're not giving enough to share with friends and it's not worth it for many to make the trip.

Further proof that you're never going to please everybody.

 

My point was that Carton does not announce their releases until the day of, effectively eliminating those who plan on lining up days in advance like at OH. Therefore, there beers last a whole lot longer because you dont have people lining up hours before a release they heard about 5 days before. Augie does it right.

 

I generally agree with the idea of lower limits and yes, Carton does allow case limits, but somehow, with them it all works out these days. No lines, great beer, case limits, AND most stuff lasts weeks. This is what I want all local breweries to be.

 

I think gold standard of great beer and easily obtainable (locals) is Trillium. Hopefully local beers increase production and make this ridiculous notion of waiting in line for beer a thing of the past.

 

Not to stay off topic, but Carton's standard offerings are not significantly better than what you can buy at the store. Their specialties are, but usually are not a case limit. Sand City has more or less offered one offs, and are much better than standard shelf availability stuff. Reducing limits will allow more people get beer, but it will not eliminate the lines. Look at Monkish in LA, they have 300-400 people in line weekly for cans and have a 2-3 4pack limit. Oh, and they announce day of.

With Single Cut, Interboro, LIC, Finback, and Greenpoint (sorry if I missed some) pumping out cans now also I think the lines will diminish as their production ramps up. Not sure for Sand City though since they are not as convenient to the masses in the NYC metro area.

 

Wow, disagree big time about Carton and their specialties are indeed now case limits.

 

I suppose my comment on Carton is mainly about O-dub, but applies a few other of their regulars. Boat is a great beer, and their seasonals and one offs are really good. This is a forum of opinion, to each their own. If O-dub was at my corner bodega, I would pass on it a majority of the time.

I was more applying compliments to SC and I think their beers are better (on the IPA side), and people would be more inclined to wait for them.

 

I'm fine with your opinion. I was just giving mine as well.

 

Every beer besides Oops Mango and ONE has not been a one off.

 

Well that reinforces my point then! In the last 3 months the amount of releases has really jumped, and high quality ones for that matter. Its a matter of time (I hope) before things mellow at least somewhat.

 

Yea I'm not entirely sure why I made that point last night. I was quite drunk. I'm pretty sure I was agreeing with you.

 

...and this differs from Sand City's midweek releases how, exactly?

 

Nobody knows when Carton releases are going to occur because you dont find out until they open that day. This effectively limits people lining up before because who the hell is gonna line up in front of Carton every single day? Also look at Kane now doing all the silent releases.

When a brewery announces a release a day or two (or like OH almost a week) in advance it opens the door for people to line up.

That's the difference.

 

jeez, you guys are obsessed with lines and allocations. get over it. yeah this is a message board and we are here to talk about beer and beer related things but these discussions are starting to feel like they belong on logisticsadvocate.com or eventplanningadvocate.com and we are digressing.

where there is good beer (or good anything) there will be lines, there will be people who differ from you in opinion. all good. and I apologize for jumping on you specifically @BoardwalkBock but you seem to chime in quite a bit about these things week after week, and just how you think it is crazy to wait in line for beer I think it is crazy to look back through your posts and bring back examples of you (or others) whining to prove my point, but there is quite a bit of "discussion" about people who wait in line and their behavior in the line and how much beer they buy, whether you want to see it or not (and you are right in the middle of those discussions, but aren't the only one). we get it, you think it is crazy, but do we have to hear about it over and over again?

that said, breweries are a business. they can run it however they want. whining on a message board changes nothing but make you look like a whiner and it derails the conversation. you want change? talk to the people who can make the change or maybe start a new thread for "NY beer release venting" so the rest of us here can talk about the beer and not have to sift through pages of banter complaining about people hoarding IPAs....ps who are these people that hoard IPAs anyway? someone should tell them that in a month they are over the hill. out of curiosity, what makes someone a beer hoarder? having a cellar of more than 24 bottles or having more than 3 bottles of the same beer? what if the person liked the beer and drank it a lot or saved it for a special occassion? what if they trade? what if they sell on the grey market? does any of that matter? do you have a cellar?

setting limits allows people to get what the brewery deems is a fair share. good for them that demand outpaces supply. someone mentioned trillium as the perfect model for a brewery w high demand and I agree, but even they will have 300 ppl lines on occassion. this is the (not so new) norm, so i suggest making the discussion more around how long is the line as opposed to being surprised that there is a line and judging people who are willing to willing it on it.

 

imo, as someone who will line up in advance for a release...carton can announce a beer release a yr in advance and I wouldn't line up. While carton is fine, their supply outpaces or adequately meets their demand and that's why there are no lines. I mean it isnt like you can see anyone ISO carton on the trade boards like you do for other half and now even sand city.

 

I'd like to see a thread made called "Armchair Brewery Owner". The posts could relate to how people could solve all the problems of the craft beer world! Too many hoarders? Cut the limits! Not looking out for hard working locals? Silent release selling after 7pm! Not catering to out of towners? Release a beer on the weekend with a month in advance announcement! If you're not getting the type of beer you want, invest in your own homebrew system and brew all the hazed out IPAs you could dream of. Imagine the recipes you could create instead of telling other brewery owners what they woulda, coulda, shoulda on BA! At the end of the day as it's been stated many times, breweries make beer to sell beer as fast as they can. Sand City seems to be doing just fine. If there is that much pent up demand in the North Shore open a brewery a town over and call it Soil Town or something...