The Alchemist Petit Mutant

It was released 2/15 at 10:30. By 9:15 there were enough people in line for them to sell out. They sold 160ish cases at a case per person limit. $144 a case including tax. It's obviously gone, for now. I'm sure it'll be back at some point, but I'd guess it won't be soon.

 

Focal Banger (the other beer released on Saturday) will become regularly available once the new brewery is built. As far as Petit Mutant goes, there are no announced plans to brew that again. I'm sure it will be brewed again at some point, but I'm guessing we'll see a bunch of other beers from the old pub days before we see it again.

But to answer some of your questions, $6/can, $24/four-pack, etc. 1 case limit.

 

You'll have to trade. As far as what it trades for? I just traded an Upland Blackberry Lambic (lottery style, brewery only release 27$) for 2 cans of Mutant and a Heady.

 

Sounds like some ridiculous trades going on. I guess if you want these that bad, go for it.

 

yea i agree. seems kind of out of control.

 

It's not that outta control. Then again my friends been trying to get a prop with it. And that beer actually is outta control.

 

prop is out of control

i think if i had an extra prop id trade it for a 4 pack.

 

I don't think it's that out of control. I personally found it to be the best variant ever produced. But with how many bottles there were, it just seems like it's too damn much. Then there's the Chicago local vs local brawl. When I've seen ppl trying to get 3 for 1 rare lol. I'd rather have half a prop than a whole rare in taste value. Rare just goes for more so I'd take that and trade for prop. The trade forums are comical if nothing else. I'm glad I'm rarely trading these days lol.

 

Maybe I needed to have Rare fresh. Had it last summer. And you're right, coffee and backyard are both awesome too. The whole '13 lineup was incredible.

 

As was said above, it's not out of control. The problem is the personal value you put on it. Thanks to Heady Topper and the previous high ratings Alchemist beers have received in the past, people have been really looking forward to them brewing something else. Now that it's here, everyone wants it. Lots of ISO's for these two beers since it was released.

I agree with the premise of your post, though. Neither of these beers stand out enough to me to go hard after them given what I'd probably have to give up.

 

I think it's out of control personally considering the quantity that people were allowed to buy and the price. I'll give it a bump for folks driving in bad weather and cold to the brewery. I've got no problem, but it's been a brutal winter in Chicago so I've had to drive in bad weather and cold for many of my beers too. After multiple ISOs, I decided it isn't worth it. I'll keep my beer that is cellarable. Had some great APAs on tap at 3 Floyd's this weekend and picked up some new stuff from them. Now I'll try to find some Abrasive that is hitting shelves and my hop needs will be met. We're very lucky here in Chicagoland. I've decided to embrace that and quit chasing the latest hop craze. I've got two regular trade partners where we just send each other boxes whenever we get something worthwhile to ship: one on each coast. That's about all I'm interested in at this point. The FT:ISO forums are just a mess lately IMO.

 

I completely agree. You have turf wars between CA, the Midwest, and FL as to who supposedly wants the most for their limited beer releases. Once a popular beer with a limited distribution footprint hits, you have everyone offering all sorts of beers to get it. That leads to people upping their offers to stand out and get it done, but then that also raises the value of the beer because the people watching the trade forum raise their trade expectations accordingly. That then leads to bitter beer traders who now can't land that beer blaming those that hold the beer for wanting too much, and so forth.

It takes some patience to get a fair trade done. You normally get crickets for a while, and then eventually you'll hear from a reasonable trader after some time. If you over-offer, all the lurkers PM you immediately leading to the inbox explosions. It strikes me as people just waiting around for that trade they can win, and then they jump all over it.

I'm glad I have a great CA trading partner, and we swap back and forth without much concern on true trading value. Unfortunately I don't have a VT one to get Alchemist/HF, but such is life.

 

Sadly PHBoilers comments are all too true. Luckily I've found some great trading partners that send hard to get beers as $4$ with me and I do the same when I come across stuff. Its actually a good feeling sending brewery only beers for shelf stuff with good people.

 

ISO:FT is an arms race these days and I mainly venture out there only when regular traders are unable to hook me up with something I happen to be looking for, for whatever reason. Otherwise, lately when I go out to breweries for bottle releases/brewery-only stuff, I try to hook someone up for at least a GGIFMB... at least one person, usually a regular trading partner if I can, but sometimes I'll branch out a bit depending on the circumstances.

Just recently I was up at Hill Farmstead and bought back part of my allotment for another BA I had been talking a trade for a while because well, I really don't need all 6-12 bottles of each specific beer I picked up in Vermont, so I might as well mule a couple bottles of each to someone else who'd really appreciate it. I don't necessarily expect anything specific in the way of thank-you, but I like to think this is one way to share some beers and make it easier for someone else to try & enjoy them. Isn't that what a major mission behind this site is? Plus, I've been able to meet generous people such that I'm always getting hooked up myself too.. that's beer karma at its finest.. so it makes me want to hook people up when the opportunity is right.. around and around it goes.

You'd think, looking at ISO:FT, that everyone's day job is day trading or investment banking. This is beer for chrissakes!

 

Agree 100%! I really like the part where you say "I like to think this is one way to share some beers and make it easier for someone else to try & enjoy them. Isn't that what a major mission behind this site is?" I was recently trying to get some Petit and Focal just to experience and got responses that seemed more formulaic on why my ask was uneasonable than seeing an opportunity to do a good trade and let someone else try them. All my trades basically go $4$.

 

this is really the key. get a few ongoing friends who will dip into their coveted stuff if you do the same for them. surprise them with a few unheralded local gems and you'll probably get the same in return. my main ongoing trade partner and i don't even discuss costs - we just ask what the other wants and look for a few beyond that.

this site is full of great, generous people.

btw, the petit mutant was amazing!