Your thoughts on Alpine's decision?

Exactly right.

 

I think the main problem is the person tried selling the growler and not a bottle. I think Pat understands that you cannot keep everyone from selling stuff on eBay. If you are going to ship something, a bottle has a much better chance of making it there safely and not being tampered with (filled with different beer). Plus growlers are best to be enjoyed fresh and local. So not only good the growler itself not make the trip, but by sending a growler you are taking away a beer that was meant for locals.

I do wonder what their exact opinion is on trading or just sending growlers for no profit, not only for Expo but for their other beers.

 

The first (and really only) step to ensuring that your beer is not treated as a commodity is to not make it available for purchase.

 

First of all, you are not treating beer like a commodity, you are treating it like a product. Which it is. Would you say someone selling their phone on Ebay is disrespecting the tech community and treating phones like a commodity? No. A thing is not available to you, someone is willing to buy it and sell it to you for a price, you pay that price they give you that thing.

I started out not being a fan of Ebay, but the more I hear people bitch about it and give reasons for why it is wrong, the less of a problem I have with it.

Also, to address your last line, people throw around the word entitlement way way way too much. Wanting something is completely different from being or feeling entitled. It is completely ridiculous to say that there is no reason to be upset in the absence of entitlement. It is reasonable to be upset that you didn't get something that you wanted, but did not feel entitled to.

 

I had one guy tell me its 'illegal' to resell bc CA is a three tier distribution state on a different thread re: Alpine no more growlers. If Alpine self distributes to Bev4less, it would seem he is also engaged in similar illegality that is his (hypocritical?) motivation for not bottling/growlers of Expo?

Is there any confirmation that the ebayer wasn't an employee/affilliate of Alpine? It wouldn't be the first time that a brewery/store etc. . . was profiting on ebay (sure are a lot of Cable Car bottles for instance on the bay). The potential faux indignation and limiting of supply only creates a larger profit margin for those engaging in the consensual transaction on ebay with future growlers/bottles of exponential hoppiness.

 

Bev-for-Less sucks. People that buy from Freddie-the-Klown ought to know they're buying a warm product that may have been sitting around awhile. I don't know why Alpine sells to that guy, the other bottle shops would be VERY happy to see more stock from Alpine. Freddie also sends mules to buy brewery-only releases and then resells them, a direct violation.

 

Bottled beer is a commodity, whether you like it or not. It's not his right to say what others do with their own property. The solution is, as he did, if you dont want it commoditized to prevent it from flowing in commerce at all. That's his right to do with his product, and thats fine. It's still an overreaction.

For fucks sake, beanie babies were a commodity at some point

And I do try whats available to me. But why can't I have what other people have if I am willing to pay for it? If I want a Courage Russian Imperial Stout, and I am willing to pay customs, to pay the brewer, to pay the distributor, or to pay someone on ebay who went thru the whole rigamarole in my place, why shouldn't I be able to try the beer?

ALL HAIL ISOLATIONISM. I AM THE BEER XENOPHOBE

 

+1 to this. If you sell your beer in a moveable form, then quit bitching about who drinks it and how they get it.

 

Also, quick point on what a commodity is... It is not just anything that is for sale. It is a non-differentiated product. Beer is definitely not a commodity. Not only are there tons of different styles, but each style has tons of different beers.

Commodity:
Corn
Soy beans
Steel
Rice

Not a Commodity:
Beer
TVs
Phones
Potato Chips

 

I don't see a problem with people going to the brewery, buying a growler or a bottle of beer, and selling it or trading it to another part of the country that can't get that beer. We want to taste that beer, I can't taste it where i'm located unless someone ships it to me. people selling beer on ebay are no different than the people in charge or distribution. I have the potential to appreciate the beer just as much as someone who just happens to live in region so why am i treated like an outsider that is 2nd class compared to a local? my main problem with this is the fact that it's illegal to sell or trade beer.

 

I'm on your side 110% percent. Anyone want some New Glarus? Hahahaha.

 

That's fine. I'm not complaining about the decision. He can do what he wants with his product. I'm complaining about the overreactive logic.

If you give your beer up in moveable form, dont bitch when it moves around. If you dont want it moving around, then dont sell it in moveable form. He's doing what he wants, making it growler only. Fine. But hey. Let's not be a 3 year old and throw a hissy fit and tell everyone who lives far away from the brewery to go fuck themselves. Cause thats what he did.

 

it happens! ok, so out of respect, i dropped a couple of letters to begin with.

a couple of things. this probably is not the case but say it was me & i somehow acquired a growler of described Alpine product - i would not know what this guy said + his not wanting it resold on Ebay. i'm sure he's really important & all but i seriously doubt i'd know anything about the guy. the larger point is the seller may know it's a hot commodity but NOT know the brewer's quotes, feelings & threats of what to expect if his product is caught on Ebay.

second, has the brewer contacted Ebay to request it be yanked / sale blocked? maybe & we don't know + i did not read every detail posted prior. if he didn't do this at minimum, i'm not sure how he figures pissing his pants on a blog is solution bound.

----------------------------------------------
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

Kinky Friedman

 

"dont blame me", "seriously considering never bottling it again"
It really takes quite the inept child to say something like this. First off, it's just beer - i'm sure the locals won't kill themselves over a bottle of beer they couldn't have because someone beat them to it. Secondly, if you offer something for less than true market value then people will strive to make a profit - whether it's on the trading forums or on ebay. Get it through your head.
Also it's not illegal to sell beer on eBay - tired of brewers saying this.

 

You must have read a different letter.

 

I'm not saying he's a saint by any means but its nice to see a profiteer actually respect a brewer's wishes instead of being a completely selfish asshole.

 

Who gives a fuck?

 

wat

hell, from the abc's website:

23300. No person shall exercise the privilege or perform any act
which a licensee may exercise or perform under the authority of a
license unless the person is authorized to do so by a license issued
pursuant to this division.

(list of all the privileges, including SALE, here. beer-specific section below)

23357. A licensed beer manufacturer may, at the licensed premises
of production, sell to consumers for consumption off the premises
beer which is produced and bottled by, or produced and packaged for
that manufacturer.

i've seen some really weird arguments, but rarely of the " sky isn't even blue " tack taken here. wtf lol

 

You make no sense whatsoever. The only reason his locals are supporting him is because he makes tasty beer for a good price. It has nothing to do with you can't get it anywhere else so lets support him. Locals = customers that his business would go bankrupt without in this case. I won't keep going because the flaws in you're reasoning baffles me.

I'm not against eBayers, just against not following a brewer's wishes. It doesn't matter to me if a small or big portion gets out via trading or eBay or w/e but it obviously matters to the brewer if it's via eBay and he's standing his ground...I applaud that. It's his business so if his wishes aren't followed, he can take any precautions he deems necessary to make sure its almost impossible for someone to do what he doesn't want done with his product if its that much of a priority.

 

How stupid are you? It is completely illegal to sell beer on eBay. The only way it's not illegal is if it's actually a collectible that is being bought just to have on a shelf to admire and not open or ever taste it. Therefore the clause stating the contents inside are not for consumption. That is complete bullshit though and the seller is selling it knowing fully well that the buyer is gonna drink it and the buyer is buying it with the intent of drinking it. Therefore it is illegal unless you're actually following the clauses. It's just not on a scale big enough to concern any authorities with closing it down.

People like to rationalize when they're doing something illegal. Illegal doesn't mean it's right or wrong, just means the law is against it. I've bought beer on eBay and I know its illegal but I don't care. I don't try and rationalize it with the its not illegal bullshit.