Yet another Lagunitas packaging date question

Maybe the one positive of Lagunitas 'selling out' is more simplistic bottle dating? Or maybe this is just wishful thinking

 

I understand the use of an alphanumeric code for inventory control purposes. Well, I can't say I really understand it, but the subject was explained to me by the resident computer engineer. What I do not understand is the refusal of some brewers to provide we retail customers with a clear bottled on date, best by date, or both, and that's a disregard of our best interests. Adding that information isn't difficult or expensive so other motives are at work.

 

How expensive or difficulty it may be depends a lot on how it is done. An automated printing machine capable of keeping up with a bottling line. I've seen it said that costs in the close neighborhood of 20K. In the case of larger established breweries they may fail to do such things but those other motives can include other alternatives beyond misleading customers.

 

What other motives exist other than cost or misleading customers? BTW I'm okay with the funky date codes Weihenstephaner, Lagunitas + Anchor, but won't buy a beer unless it has some sort of date. Unless it's a 10%+ stout or some kind of sour.

 

Well for reasons I don't understand there have been some breweries who take the point of view that dates don't matter at all because their beer will all be sold fresh. (Hopefully those are being winnowed out by the market place.)

I have also been told by reliable sources that some distributors insist that the brewery not date their beers because that isn't desirable. (Mostly likely those distributors and/or some of their retailers don't mind misleading customers but that isn't really on the brewers if they want to sell their beer to the distributor.)

 

We craft consumers aren't a large part of the worldwide beer market but we are a large part of our market and it is ultimately up to us to demand readable bottling codes.

 

Exactly.

In addition to not buying undated beer, when I go shopping for a certain beer and find it is undated or the date is illegible I buy something else and then often take the additional step of emailing the brewery without the dates and explaining that I had wanted to buy their beer but found it had no date on the packaging and I also tell them whose beer I bought instead.

In one recent instance the follow up dialog I had with the brewery's customer service rep made it quite plain to both of us that the brewery's normal date sticker, that is attached to every box or case before it leaves the brewery, had been carefully removed by that the retailer where I was browsing and found something I was interested in buying. (This exchange also resulted in the fringe benefit of being told which retailers in my area were most likely to have that particular beer fresh since they were currently selling the most of that beer.)

 

@HorseheadsHopHead, I'm not asking for you to be a "dick." I just want you (and everyone else) to make the most informed decision that you can...if you can open one flap of the 12Pack and extricate (carefully) a bottle for purpose of freshness, then go for it...you will not be destroying the integrity of the outer carton even if you choose not to purchase it.

 

I understand the frustration that many have. However I also know from my time on this site when new beers are being released. I also have a local store who often contacts me when new items have arrived. I have no qualms about buying whatever is on their shelves. If one frequents a particular store one knows what is new and what is not.

While some think that Lagunita's dating system is less than optimal. Their special/limited releases generally are very good and I will continue to buy them !

 

Oh I like Lagunitas and buy it regularly. I don't even mind their dating code which is easy to decipher. What I do mind is I can't find it without a flashlight and can't read it without a magnifying glass.

 

I've passed on Lagunitas numerous times at Wegman's in the past few years because there was no visible dating on their bottles. Looks like they still haven't figured the package/bottle dating scheme. It can't be that difficult, can it?

 

This one is really easy, and It's why I rarely even lift a bottle of their beers let alone actually buy it. Of course unless it's a well known recent release. Confusing strange dating only easily understood by staff I won't buy, as far as I'm concerned it's not dated. No reason not to clearly date, it's an attempt to fool the public.

 

start with using yellow or white ink or print on the label like Bells does or even SN. Then use the same date system and dont change it.

I like Lagunitas and used to know the date system but now I am not sure so I just move on unless its a seasonal release.

Pretty sure at this stage Tony dont give a shit about dates or they would be understandable and legible for the general population

Enjoy

 

You, sir, are hardly alone in this. No date, hard to find date, hard to decipher date, old date all are hard passes for me and many folks I know.

 

Amen to that!

Black ink on a brown bottle is just ridiculous from a consumer perspective.

Cheers!

 

Good article on bottle dating. They call out Lagunitas specifically as well. lol

https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...5875b7d1876_story.html?utm_term=.191e73d41be8

 

That was a great article!

I took note of:

“In an ideal world, more breweries would be like Stone and Boulevard, which clearly communicate both the bottling and “best before” dates.”

As of May 2017 you can add Sixpoint to that list since on the bottom of their cans they list both the canned on date and a Best By date.

Cheers!

@Sixpoint

 

I agree with others on its 138th day of 2017? And I agree with others as to why they cannot use a simple system. I don't like having to figure out dates, makes me snag a pack next to it which says on label when it was canned or bottled, cheers.

 

My local guys in AZ like Huss and San Tan are dating bottom of cans with the canned on date, makes me very happy to see. Also Mother Road, they date cans.