The Bruery @ Grassroots in Jax, FL

Discussion in 'South Atlantic' started by macster, Oct 7, 2012.

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  1. macster

    macster Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2003 Florida

    Knowing that The Breuery has been in Orlando for quite awhile now, been asking the beer manager at Total Wine here in Jax when we're going to get it here in Jacksonville. He said he can't get it distributed here. Was on the Grassroots Natural Market web site today and see that they have had 6 or 7 Bruery selections in stock for a few weeks now. Really can't understand how a small natural food store get it and none available at TW!!

    GR's also has Stone 16th Anniversary IPA which TW never got. Hard to figure out.
     
    #1 macster, Oct 7, 2012
  2. codysjb

    codysjb Savant (1,018) Jun 16, 2010 Florida
    Trader

    This would be one (of many) examples where the "beer manager" at Total Wine knows nothing about beer/distribution. Grassroots has an amazing selection and I make sure to visit every time I go to see my parents. TW on the other hand does not and it just annoys me that they mark up the prices and have no idea what they are doing in regards to beer.
     
    #2 codysjb, Oct 7, 2012
  3. RobH

    RobH Pundit (908) Sep 23, 2006 Maryland

    Hi macster, The Bruery is not legally distributed in the Jacksonville market. No beer distributors that are licensed to serve the Jacksonville market presently carry The Bruery brand.

    You were given a correct answer by the Total Wine store representative. Total Wine does not carry it in JAX because Total Wine cannot legally carry it in the JAX store; it can in Orlando and elsewhere in FLA because The Bruery is distributed in those markets by licensed distributors (wholesalers) from whom beer retailers in those markets must purchase the beer they sell -- by law.

    The named store in JAX that has it in stock purchased that beer in a different market farther south in Florida and brought it into the JAX market.

    Hi codysjb, this would indeed be one example of where the person at Total Wine does know about beer/distribution. As for price markups, a comparison would be Saison Rue in TW Orando at $13.99 vs. $14.99 at that store in JAX, and Mischief at $10.49 in TW Orlando vs. $11.99 at that store in JAX.
     
    #3 RobH, Oct 8, 2012
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  4. beer30jax

    beer30jax Initiate (0) Jun 27, 2012 Florida

    When we brought The Bruery into our store in Jax we had to pull proper permitting through the ABT as well as get approval from The Bruery and their distributor. Neither TW or Grassroots is in the wrong here, assuming Grassroots pulled the same permitting we did. It is not distributed in Jax so TW can't get it, so the manager there was correct. However I don't want anyone to think us or Grassroots carrying the Bruery is illegal.
     
    #4 beer30jax, Oct 10, 2012
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  5. bryanole27

    bryanole27 Initiate (0) Jun 24, 2011 North Carolina

    In the world of TW...Jax has one of the best, including the beer manager. He is VERY knowledgable and runs a Jacksonville beer blog. He knows what he is talking about.
     
    #5 bryanole27, Oct 10, 2012
  6. flag8r

    flag8r Initiate (0) Nov 7, 2009 Florida

    I will add that I have spoken to a few of the "beer" guys at TW and they are clueless. If there is one TW guy who knows beer please inform the others. From the "beer doesn't go out of date" comments to being too lazy to look in the rafters for more beer not on the shelf, I much prefer the smaller stores locally.
     
    #6 flag8r, Oct 10, 2012
  7. bryanole27

    bryanole27 Initiate (0) Jun 24, 2011 North Carolina

    IMO there is only one 'beer' guy at TW...his name is Steve and he runs beerjunto.com. The others are clueless. And as much as I preferred (I live in Charlotte now) the smaller local shops, I lived really close to TW.

    Love me some Grassroots though.
     
    #7 bryanole27, Oct 10, 2012
  8. codysjb

    codysjb Savant (1,018) Jun 16, 2010 Florida
    Trader

    My experience with TW has been that the employee's know little about beer. Having said that, if the manager is in the know I retract my comment, I use beerjunto often and if the TW manager runs that site then he clearly knows a thing or two about beer.

    While no distributor in Jacksonville typically carries the Bruery beer, it is quite clearly available and was approved for sale by both the Bruery and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation thus is legally available in Jacksonville should one take the proper venues to sell said beer.
     
    #8 codysjb, Oct 10, 2012
  9. macster

    macster Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2003 Florida

    Thanks to everyone for the info on my post and inquiry. As usual a tangled weave between brewer, distributor and retailer. Hard to imagine that any business owner would advertise the sale of any illegal products on their web site, so I'm sure GR went through the proper channels. Shame though it has to be that complicated.

    As far as the beer manager at TW - Steve unfortunately has resigned as of about a week or so ago. He was extremely knowledgeable about beer and a true geek at heart. I spoke to him several days ago and he didn't think that the JAX TW will continue to keep their beer dept. up to date with new releases, shelves stocked properly, etc. He felt that since beer was not a big revenue producer as compared to wine, their beer dept would gradually be neglected.

    I've been to the store 2-3 times since Steve has left. So far it seems that his prediction is coming to fruition. Steve was constantly in the beer dept. organizing and stocking shelves, helping customers, etc. Now the shelves are in places sparsely stocked and beers are scattered and disorganized. I was in there last night talking to one of the sales guys and asked him about the Bruery beers and he said he had never heard of them! No surprise I suppose.

    The craft beer scene has come so far in the last decade or so here in NE FL and Steve and the Jax TW has done a good job of staying current. I'm afraid as far as TW goes that may not be the case in the future.
     
    #9 macster, Oct 14, 2012
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