Texas taste-alikes

I have two six packs left in my store. I got it in on Tuesday!

 

At my store in ATX.

 

Funny, just came back from TW in Dallas (75/Park) with a 6pk of Luponic Distortion and them read the last few comments. The Specs next door doesn't have it - I called them first - but TW has some if anyone wanted to know.

 

No luponic distortion in Houston to my knowledge.

 

Firestone Walker talked a big game when they entered the Texas market, but they have royally screwed the pooch since then with horrible customer service. There is still 13 month old Union Jack sitting on shelves where I live. Local and even distant shop owners I have visited with are thoroughly disappointed with how FW is handling their distribution in Texas. Union Jack is my all time favorite beer...it's a shame that I would need to trade for it to get something fresh. Come on, FW...get your shit together or just pull the fuck out of this market.

 

MetaModern smells like Zombie Dust to me

 

Another vote for Brash ***** Wagon for the double IPA.

 

Austin beerworks heavy machinery DIPA is really good. It's a shame it's only released once a year.

 

One of the best DIPA's distributed in TX is Victory's DirtWolf. Give it a try if you haven't. Be sure to check the date on it. Unfortunately, last I knew, they only included a "best by" date instead of a bottled date. It seems like you can usually find it a few months before the date on the bottle.

 

I find fresh FW all over by me. Also, if you want to point a finger at someone for lingering product, you should probably point it at 1) the distributor 2) the shop owner 3) your neighbors, since no one is buying it when it is fresh anyways 4) possibly the FW rep in your area

 

I think that once you start pointing that many fingers it technically becomes shaking your fist

 

Brown distributes FW. They're pretty good at switching out old product.

 

The distributor does indeed suck but the HEB Beer/Wine managers at the local stores are disgusted with the level of service AND the responsiveness of FW. They aren't even aware if there is a rep for this area since the main guy in Austin moved over to national accounts. So IMO the buck ultimately rests with FW for letting a long festering problem continue. Send me some UJ please.

 

A

I kind of agree with this. It's a 50/50 agreement. I have never met the FW rep but my distro rep is alright. They've never had to replace any FW but came close. Probably too close if you ask me. That said, my LD case moved in like 3 days. That's not a bad thing.

 

A whole case in 3 days!?!?

 

Completely agree. I bought Union Jack twice in the last month. The first six pack I bought, got it home and poured one and it was terrible. checked the date on the bottom- July 2015. Thought it may have just been where I bought it, so went to a different store a couple of weeks later and not much better- September 2015. I won't be buying anymore til they get this fixed.

 

Just to add some info, I was up in the Dallas area last week and went up to Lonestar Beverages in Carrolton, a fantastic bottle shop. The guy there said they no longer deal with FW products. Hard to get fresh stuff, and a promise of 4 limited release kegs for a FW tap takeover at their newly opened growler station in Lewisville fell through because the kegs were sold out from under them to another establishment. After that, they loaded all of their FW product on a pallet and told them to pick it up, as they were through dealing with them.

 

Yep. Pineapple Sculpin moved about as fast. I was/am the only person on Beermenus in my area that had both for a while.

 

Yes, props to Sam and Rick for standing up to them. I know both are dedicated to fresh beer.

 

I've heard of things like that before. The whole "buy so much of this and you'll definitely get ______" and then it falls through.