Toppling Goliath in Chicago (2018)

It would be sad for TG to do that. More likely some bad distributor rep told them they could jack the price up and still move it or they figured that out themselves. Kind of like how Zombie Dust is $20 for a sixer in the Lincoln Park mom and pops...

 

Not doubting the possibility but I find that sort of per pack increase hard to believe. Maybe Pop misheard the rep when Mom was yelling at him.

 

My local Jewel has some sitting on the shelf dated from January. I laugh every time I see.

 

Has the $25-$30 price for KS been confirmed at the Field Museum? That is insane. I think TG charges $10/bottle for this at their releases.

 

Well, the 4 packs of cans were close to that, so it stands to reason, unfortunately.

 

The fact that you can't find a 4 pack of Sue fresher than a two months old has made Toppling Goliath pretty much irrelevant in my area. I figured it would eventually show up fresh until my local got a couple cases last week of February dated cans. Not real sure if it's the distributor, but I would hope Toppling Goliath wouldn't get behind this.

 

Yeah, I was excited at first, but just walk on by at this point. I picked up a "we just got these in" pack of Tsunami at Binny's a couple weeks ago. Turns out they were canned in mid-January. I like their beers and I'd buy them more often if I could find fresh cans, but I honestly just don't see the point in even checking anymore. Just seems like they botched their entry into a market that was already highly competitive.

 

You know what's worse than this? I was in Milwaukee this weekend and I stopped at a Discount Liqour Store and see 7-8 cases of TG bombers, pale ales and IPAs. And another case of X-Hops Gold in the fridge, one of my favorites. No limits. Sub $9 price. I start sweating I'm so excited. Then I start looking at dates. All but one bomber was from 2016.

I end up only getting the last bomber of Pompeii, which was from a month ago. They also had several cases of cans. Not a single can newer than Feb. 2017.

Not sure who to blame. The store? The distributor? TG? Is this common in Wisconsin?

Between old bombers/cans TG has left a real sour taste in my mouth.

 

I have definitely seen someone ancient cans in Wisconsin (I think my record was about 6 months). I also can usually find cans/bombers that are 2 weeks old or less though. I have yet to experience that in Illinois.

 

I'm not sure either, but seeing the older dates on the cans locally has made me make sure to check the dates more often. I was chatting with my local beer guy last week and showed him that the cans of Sue in his shop were canned late February. I put the 4-pack back and grabbed a 7 day old 4 pack of Hailstorm's Cumulus. All things being equal, I'd probably prefer Sue, but given a nearly 2 month disparity in dates, I was more than happy with my choice that day.

 

See, that's the beauty and genius of Toppling Goliath. They started a whole line of sours without having to make a single new product!

 

For $15 a four pack of old Sue, TG can eat a bag of dicks. $15 for a fresh Decorah bottled DDH Sue, ok...I could see that, and I'd probably pay it.

 

I think they have had to much of there own product. A major market like Chicago deserves a little better and with fresh local options why would I even bother (and I don't). Maybe Clark is following P.T. Barnum in believing there is a sucker born every minute (that will consume his shitty months old beer)

Will try and get a little more info on the price increase next time I pop into the store.

Cheers

 

I think most of these complaints will be alleviated when everything starts coming out of Decorah proper, so until then I'm not paying too much attention to the Chicago stuff (outside the occasional draft of Sue or KS if/when I can get it).

 

I wonder if the FL distribution is shipping out 'old beer' that they are wanting to clean from local distribution. e.g. After a month, if they have 25 cases left across the state, when they make a new drop they pick it up and ship it out.

 

Agreed, I mean I'll grab a 6er of Fist City or 4 of Lizard King before I pay that for THAT beer.

 

In a competitive beer market, freshness is key. They'd be better off distro'ing as many states as possible and having shortages than having beer get stale. What a waste for consumers who want to drink it, but don't have access and just the environmental impact of wasted beer....