Why does NJ distribution suck so bad?

I think NJ gets awesome distribution. No idea why you're nitpicking. Even if we don't get it, it's just a short trip to Pa or NY.

 

Probably the same reason MDs distribution isn't the best, the taxes are very high. Some breweries like Founders and bell's want no parts of MD for that reason

 

To be honest, most of the breweries listed are not found in most of NY and PA. I'll give you non-rare Bells, but the rest are small quantities. Some cities in NY see just some Cigar City cans every three months because a store/distributor is willing to drive to NYC to get it. It's not as greener on the other side trust me.

 

On the other hand, I picked up several Parabola and Double DBA's in Cherry Hill at good prices when none could be found in Philly.

 

i live NY and work NJ and buy way more beers in NJ...in fact like all but the CC, Bells, BCBS and Barrier

 

I guess what I was trying to say that is only NYC and Philly which get most of the beers you are looking for. Anyone else in the state mostly out of luck when searching for those beers you listed. Those cities are a different ball game then anywhere else on the east coast.

 

Yes. We fucking know. You've mentioned it about 382 times already.

And OP. You're nuts. NJ is sandwiched between the #1 and #5 most populous cities in the country. So yeah. Those cities are going to get some stuff that we don't. But to break apart your list of breweries: Evil Twin, Bells, Deschutes, and Cigar City - great. I'd love to have them. Fat Head's is western PA only - they're only even available in like 2.5 states - 2 of which they have locations in. Nebraska? I'll pass on the $30-40 bombers that I've heard about. Tallgrass - really? Of all the breweries to ask for, you ask for Tallgrass? Half Acre - again, if I'm not mistaken - they're Philly only. Oh, and you're Maine Beer Co complaints, I dk man. Obviously Lunch doesn't sit on shelves or anything, but I don't have a problem regularly picking up their stuff when I want to.

Stop comparing NJ distro to NYC and Philly b/c as I've mentioned before - they are HUGE cities. Obv they're going to get better stuff than us. But go to seekabrew.com and compare distro to basically any other damn state. I guarantee we have better distro than 75% of them.

 

I don't know how much you drink @scottd13 , but the idea that you "have had most of what is offered here in NJ at some point or another" seems highly improbably to me. Is it possible? Sure. But I think that NJ gets so many quality beers, and so many new beers from breweries that have always distributed here, that it would be really hard to have had even half of what is offered here in NJ. You stated that "We have no or almost no access to some of the country's and the world's best beers." That's the case everywhere.

Now, if you're saying you've had most of the beers distributed to NJ that are rated in the Top 250, or you've had most of the beers distributed here in a few specific style categories, and you wish you had access to all of them, then maybe. But as @mikeburd1128 pointed out, it's hard to compare NJ's distribution to that of "the #1 and #5 most populous cities in the country."

 

I completely understand the OP's frustration. I also want those breweries listed that are available over the border in PA and NY. Especially Cigar City and Crooked Stave. Among others.

One thing I can say that distro in NJ is quite slow. We see most stuff two weeks (or more) after they hit the PA and NY markets. That can make a difference when you want fresh IPA's.

We do get a lot of great stuff in this state. But would I like to see more? Of course.

 

You left out Russian River.

I don't see any problem with Maine distribution.
Bell's only been in NY for what, 2 years?
Deschuttes isn't available in PA, just immediate Philly.
Fat Heads isn't available in PA, just Pittsburgh.
Nebraska bombers are so over priced, don't need them taking up shelf space.
Tallgrass is nothing special,
Half Acre deliveries in the Lehigh Valley are few and far between, and only their most common beers.

So it's like these guys are saturating PA and arbitrarily ignoring NJ. Proper expansion takes time.

What we really need is Kane bottling or canning Head High and Overhead and stocking stores all over NJ.d

 

9 months since their official release here in NYC.

 

Meanwhile this state has several world-class brews and breweries that constantly get ignored by the average hyper craft drinker: Rochefort, St Bernardus, Founders (regular lineup), Great Lakes, Stone, Victory, Allagash, Maine (though seldom), Dogfish Head, Port Brewing/Lost Abbey, Lagunitas, Firestone Walker (depends on your distributor and effectiveness thereof), Unibroue, Left Hand, Elysian, Oskar Blues, Sierra Nevada, Ballast Point.... just to name a few.

Quit whining and drink what you can get. If you're too snooty to buy things that NJ already has then just drive to PA or NY and get it there.

 

I think part of the problem with finding the Maine stuff is that it DOES get here, but NJ is so densely populated with craft beer drinkers. Lunch flies off the shelves. I don't think Dinner had any distribution (I bought it in Maine at the Brewery when I got it).

Having a beer from most breweries that distribute here makes much more sense. I think there are lots of good beers though, and I imagine our distribution is much better than a lot of other states. My Cali friends are always surprised by how much West Coast beer I get in Jersey, because they never see any East Coast beers in LA.

 

I'm sorry, but I think you're full of shit. This is a classic case of "the grass is greener." You say you would love two hearted, jai alai, and mirror pond while simultaneously saying that you're bored of nj distro bc you've had everhtning there is here. (Which is also obviously bullshit) But what happens once jai alai and the others come here? 3 months later you'll be bored of them, like you are here with what we have, and you'll be asking why we don't get almanac, knee deep, and crooked stave. We can't have everything. So if you don't want to drive to ny/pa to get some stuff, enjoy what we do have - which is a lot.