The Half-Acre thread (2018)

I was going to initially split the $200 allotment of Big Hugs with someone else, but then my impression of the regular, vanilla and maple, combined with the absurd amount of money I've spent on beer over the last month made me reconsider that.

Then I wanted to get 8-10 people in on the allotment and open all the bottles at the same time shortly after the release (I'm just really curious about the BA version), but can't find enough people in my circle of enthusiastic beer drinkers to make a group of that size (that and some people are flaky so I already can tell we'd end up with solid 4, maybe 5 people at the most).

In the end, I'll just hope to try it the taproom. Good luck to all those looking to score bottles.

 

"On January 13, 2017 Toppling Goliath will be holding a simultaneous release of two show-stopping barrel-aged beers, Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout (KBBS) and Assassin Imperial Stout. One thousand lucky lottery winners will be invited to the Toppling Goliath taproom in Decorah, Iowa, where, for $200 they will purchase an impressive boxed set of brews. Included will be 2 bottles (22 oz. each) of Assassin, a rich Imperial Stout aged for over a year in Kentucky Bourbon barrels and 1 piece of Assassin glassware. Complementing this will be 1 bottle (12 oz.) of Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout, an intensely aromatic beer with a blend of espresso and maple syrup, packaged in a limited edition, branded wooden box and 1 piece of KBBS glassware."

 

Yeah, it was the "included" portion where I guess I wondered if there was a "but not limited to" that they left off, because the price didn't add up.

However, I was really amused that they're going full Rare on KBBS (with the wooden box).

 

I mean, from what I've heard of TG events I bet there will be a lot of goodies on tap and such but yeah, crazy price

 

I would love to see Half Acre do a $100 package next year that gets you half of each allotment - that feels more drinker-focused and less cellar-/trader-focused and also a bit more reasonable on the wallet given all of the other releases at this time of year.

 

Xoco Charred sucked last year.

 

I'm wondering if they will, a la Spiteful's latest BAMCC release. Went from a pass last year to me buying 2 tickets (one for me, one for my girlfriend).

Not 100% sure I'd be in with a $100 BH allotment this year (since Nov/Dec has been so insanely stacked), but I'd seriously consider, and would probably be in next year.

I definitely understand people who felt that way, but I actually really liked it (despite avoiding it in the city specifically because I didn't think I would). Stone needs to give these beers a longer barrel treatment, in my opinion, but I didn't hold it too much against Xoco Charred for once.

 

People will easily shell out $200 for three TG stouts that average ridiculous amounts on the secondary market. What does KBBS average now? Around $1.5k? Same thing goes for Assassin. They know what people are paying on secondary market and smart on them.

 

Out of Towner here: Going to be visiting for the weekend and want to hit this release up, but I'll be at the mercy of my in-laws, so waiting in line probably isn't in the cards. Two questions for you locals:

1. If we show up around Noon to try some BH on draft and eat some food, how much of a hassle is that going to be?

2. Additionally, if we show up around that same time how bad is the line for bottles going to be and will there be any variants left?

Thanks for helping out. I've enjoyed BH in the past but have no frame of reference for releases or taproom visits. Trying to decide if I should do presale or just wing it.

 

Yea but that can be flipped for 3k. That is an extreme example and not one worth comparing to something like Big Hugs

 

Try 2.5k+ for KBBS.

 

People are paying 4 digits for a 12 oz. bottle of beer still in production?


That is awful.


But no, I think the comparison is still fair. The day we start considering the secondary market for the pricing of all these releases is the day the whole damn thing comes crashing down. I'm not paying hundreds of extra dollars because my couple BA DL variants can be resold for hundreds a piece. FIGHT THE POWER, GUYS

 

KBBS (is that the 12oz beer you're referring to?) has been barrel-aged in the past and that's what people have been paying $$$ for. Is the new one being released non-BA? That would be news to me.

 

It's awful, but there's simply nothing you can do about it. There are people out there with the money and resources to purchase whatever they want at whatever cost. This is #newmoney at it's finest and I do not see it changing. If anything, more and more breweries will realize that they can make more off of their hard work as others keep flipping their hard work for even more money.

 

Yeah my bad, I was thinking about Morning Delight, and edited my comment.

From a principled position, I hate it, but to a lesser extent, I'm okay with it. It makes every beer I have to pass on that much easier (if it's priced too high). I'd probably drop $200 at some point just because I've never been to Decorah, nor have I had the two beers in question, but in general that sort of pricing just makes the Big Hugs event look better.

 

Your point is still valid. Just wanted to make sure we were all talking about the same beer.

Carry on.

 

Piggybacking on the Toppling Goliath stuff...my friend & I did a side by side 2015/2016 Mornin' Delight session. 2015 was incredible...2016 was barely average.

Apparently the head brewer left in between those batches....however, I believe he DID brew the base beers for KBBS & Assassin.

Completely off topic but wanted to share with anyone thinking about buying a black market 2016 Mornin' Delight (don't).

 

Decorah is a nice visit, they also have Pulpit Rock brewing which makes amazing beers as well.

I think we are just going to see people who get priced out of a lot of beers. A lot of people in the TG were complaining since they used to be able to get 8 bottles of Assassin for that price.

I had Term Oil last time I was in Decorah and asked how it compared to Assassin. Basically, it's not the same but it is comparable. The pour I had was not a $50+ beer. Just my two cents. Didn't even come close to registering either.

 

I'm surprised there are people that are paying more than $100 for a beer. Whatever, I'm not getting in a bidding war for beers. #whalez

 

I've brought this up before, but I think the problem we're running into is the same one that the bourbon enthusiasts have been rueing for years--A lot of people A) have disposable income and either B) have incredibly high expectations for the beers they'll drink or C) drink based on hype and what they can show off. When A + B or C come together, prices start to blow up. For people like me who don't have quite that level of income (especially since I also buy bourbon, which has a higher price-per-purchase average), getting "the good stuff" either becomes incredibly difficult, or you start settling for your second or third choices (not necessarily a bad thing, but you know how FOMO is). I'd pay $60 for a bottle of BCS Rare because 1) I want the box, 2) I really like the beer and 3) I'm a GI fanboy. I wouldn't shell out the money more than once, and I don't think I'd be able to justify even that much for most other beers.

Honestly, having 2 bottles of Assassin and a bottle of KBBS would definitely be worth some bragging rights, but aside from that, I'm pretty sure the 287 bottles of Big Hugs you can get at the Half Acre event will make me feel just as good!

edit: Also, we should probably get back on topic. I feel bad derailing the thread so hard.