GIVE ME YOUR BEER SUGGESTIONS!!

[slappybrown]

Why can't they buy more barrels? Goose Island is a significantly larger brewer than Russian River, no? Surely they have the resources to increase production.

BCBS was an example off the top of my head. Pick any beer that is at the top of the pyramid and highly sought after with limited availability.

[count2infinity]

I guess this is just an agree to disagree. There's an untapped market for them here in which numerous breweries would likely jump at the chance to fill. They currently only distribute in 3 states, and have limited availability on tap in Philadelphia. I was simply spitballing an idea on how they can bring beer to the East Coast at little harm to their market on the West Coast (as well as no large capital investment in expanding their actual production). Carry on with the beer discussion.

[MRandall25]

Out of curiosity, how much does a bottle of Pliny run for?

[MWB]

I was thinking about rare beers and why they're so limited. I get the barrel aged stouts. You can't get unlimited barrels, you need to let them sit for months and you can't exactly predict what you're going to end up with.

But why are certain IPAs like the Pliny's or Heady Topper produced in such limited quantities? Aren't the ingredients available year round, with no variation in the brewing process? Is it a matter of these breweries just being too small, or are there specialty hops or whatever that are hard to come by or need to be used fresh or something?

Seems like Russian River is big enough to support a wider release. My guess is that the mystery and the rarity add to the perceived value of the beer and making it available would just lump their stuff in with all the other DIPAs out there.

Definitely a size issue for Heady Topper as well. The brewery was destroyed by flooding a few years ago and they had to rebuild. I don't think most places like this have any desire to expand; they like the smallness of it. I'm sure many feel the quality would suffer with expansion.

[shmenguin]

Why can't they buy more barrels? Goose Island is a significantly larger brewer than Russian River, no? Surely they have the resources to increase production.

BCBS was an example off the top of my head. Pick any beer that is at the top of the pyramid and highly sought after with limited availability.

heady topper's a better comparable. barrel aged stuff is a different animal. i don't know if goose island could get more than the 3,000 barrels they used this year. i think topper and the pliny's are the only non-barrel aged beers in the top 10 on beeradvocate. i bet alchemist and RR will eventually expand, but they're waiting for the right time.

[shmenguin]

and i agree with c2i to an extent. while the brand will certainly take a hit if they expand, they will still sell every bottle they produce. at least for a while. and when the sales equalize, they'll still sell more than they do now.

[BigMcK]

Russian River is on a small street in a downtown setting. Think Mayberry. They have 2 side by side store front properties - one is the brewery with a hole cut in the wall that goes to their restaurant. They have zero room to expand, but they do brew Pliny year round.

According to one of the brewers that I chatted with, desire to expand is offset by concerns of loss of product quality and distribution. Basically, they don't want fresh beer sitting in a warehouse or shelves getting old.

[44windmill]

A friend of mine gave me a couple Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ales to try. Needless to say, I was excited to try it. On a scale of 1-10, I'd probably give it a 5. While it's definitely drinkable and smooth for a 8.2% ABV beer, it was just bland. No notes or flavors really stuck out to me.

[shmenguin]

Russian River is on a small street in a downtown setting. Think Mayberry. They have 2 side by side store front properties - one is the brewery with a hole cut in the wall that goes to their restaurant. They have zero room to expand, but they do brew Pliny year round.

According to one of the brewers that I chatted with, desire to expand is offset by concerns of loss of product quality and distribution. Basically, they don't want fresh beer sitting in a warehouse or shelves getting old.

this happens already with all those $12 bottles of damnation sitting in philly that no one wants to buy.


...though i guess IPAs should be fresh

[slappybrown]

Anyone going to PGH Winter Beerfest? I believe TWC went last year.

[count2infinity]

If I go, can I stay with you? I'll bring my xbone.

[slappybrown]

If I go, can I stay with you? I'll bring my xbone.

Yes, of course. Please submit your application to Jooce and he will advise.

[the wicked child]

Anyone going to PGH Winter Beerfest? I believe TWC went last year.

Yep. Saturday early entry.

[Froggy]

Anyone going to PGH Winter Beerfest? I believe TWC went last year.

Yep. Saturday early entry.

It was a good time last year. Everyone was wildly drunk and having a good time

[slappybrown]

Anyone going to PGH Winter Beerfest? I believe TWC went last year.

Yep. Saturday early entry.

Are you doing the connoisseur package or the one right below it that gets you in at 630? The latter seems like a no brainer

[count2infinity]

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yesssssssssss... one of my favorites.

[the wicked child]

Anyone going to PGH Winter Beerfest? I believe TWC went last year.

Yep. Saturday early entry.

Are you doing the connoisseur package or the one right below it that gets you in at 630? The latter seems like a no brainer

Just early entry. They had it on sale prior to Xmas for same price as regular. Connoisseur was already sold out by the time I even thought about buying tickets, prob wouldn't have gone for that anyway.

[the wicked child]

yesssssssssss... one of my favorites.

Hell yes.

[letsgoalpens]

Best New Breweries of 2014
http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/list ... -2014.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm going to have to find the Berliner Weisse from Creature Comforts.

It is awesome. Everything I have had from Creature Comforts has been excellent.

As far as brewing more "rare beers", it really just depends on the beer. People always say "why can't Founders brew more KBS" and they always respond by saying they have only so much cave space. There was a really good podcast on the Bourbon County brand on goodbeerhunting.com a few months ago. It is such an intense process that takes all year, really great listen if you get a chance. I can understand why they are not going to make much more per year. I also read a pretty cool article on NPR about Pliny, when I get home tonight I will try to link it. There are so many great DIPAs just sitting around I don't tend to chase them too much but finding a great stout is more difficult imo. To me the differences between Hopslam/Pliny are and a shelf beer are much smaller than a KBS/BCBS/Black Note and a shelf beer.

[letsgoalpens]

Here is that good beer hunting Bourbon County podcast. Long but really, really awesome.
http://goodbeerhunting.com/gbh-podcast/ ... nd-beer-co" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is that article on Pliny.
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/busin ... -marketing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JS©]

Anyone going to PGH Winter Beerfest? I believe TWC went last year.

I went with co-workers last year. I haven't heard much from them so far, so I'm not sure what the plan is at the moment. I've done one solo and although I did bump into some people I knew throughout the evening, it was kinda weird doing the beerfest mostly by myself. I'll probably have a better idea within the next week.

[shmenguin]

Got a friend bringing some up in 2 weeks. We are having a Black Tuesday, BCBS, and Abyss evening. Should be good times.

how'd you like that abyss, eddy?

a bottle shop i go to in philly has plenty. i was debating picking some up.

[eddysnake]

Got a friend bringing some up in 2 weeks. We are having a Black Tuesday, BCBS, and Abyss evening. Should be good times.

how'd you like that abyss, eddy?

a bottle shop i go to in philly has plenty. i was debating picking some up.

It wasn't out by the time he came up. A friend recently grabbed one for my brother, so I hope to enjoy that with him. I had one last Spring and it was really top notch. I really want to try Deschutes The Dissident, but am afraid it will be a tough one to find. Got the family together this weekend so I think we are going to finally open a Black Tuesday, really excited for this!

[eddysnake]

a bottle shop i go to in philly has plenty.

if you haven't had one before, I highly recommend trying an EPIC Big Bad Baptist if they have it.

[shmenguin]

black tuesday is a bucket list one for me...though i guess chocolate rain or mocha wednesday would be preferable. i'd probably join the bruery's membership program if there was a practical way to get my beer shipped to me.