50 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

Invite Chicago area blewbies over to help with that. Weekends when the wife and daughter are in Galena are ideal.

True, true. Hey, you know what... you never know. I've made three hoppier beers recently (all were or will be dry hopped) including this session IPA which I realize is nowhere near an IIPA but my tastes are changing.

Edited by Village Taphouse, 09 June 2015 - 10:17 AM.

[matt6150]

no idea but this was from an article last fall"Heady Topper is distributed by the Alchemist within a 30-mile radius of the brewery. The Alchemist sells Heady Topper to all of its retail accounts for the same price: $10 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans, Kimmich said. The mark-up is determined by the retailer. The beer is to be sold from a refrigerated case."What is rare? if a beer is available 2-3 times a month is that rare?

Good question. I guess in my mind I was thinking a 1-3 times a year sort of thing.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I don't care about rare beers. If it's good, I'd maybe buy a can or two at most. I'd never buy a case of heady topper and pay ~$100 for it. Most I've ever paid for beer was $20 for a bomber.

[Big Nake]

I think it just comes down to what you find interesting and how big of a priority "good, expensive beer" is to you. I realize that some of these beers like a GIANT, barrel-aged stout with vanilla beans or whatever has probably been carefully watched for the better part of a year and probably cost quite a bit to make so it's not going to be $2.99 for a 22-ounce bomber. Luckily for me, I am not attracted to beers like that. I'm not attracted to Belgians that may take awhile to age or 10% beers or pretty much anything that's going to cost $20 a bomber. But I assume that beers that require that kind of attention probably deserve that kind of price tag.

[matt6150]

I don't care about rare beers. If it's good, I'd maybe buy a can or two at most. I'd never buy a case of heady topper and pay ~$100 for it. Most I've ever paid for beer was $20 for a bomber.

This is where I'm at. There are way too many people in my club that all they talk about is the next big commercial beer.

[HVB]

I don't care about rare beers. If it's good, I'd maybe buy a can or two at most. I'd never buy a case of heady topper and pay ~$100 for it. Most I've ever paid for beer was $20 for a bomber.

Kind of a spin but seeing I started the thread I am going to do it.  When you get up and going will you cater to those that want the rare beer?  Have you thought about if you will do the special one off beer and do the big release or just keep a regular line up.  It seems to be split up here from what I see.  Some will have the "special" batch that is bottle only on this day and others will just keep a regular line up with the addition of some seasonal offerings..

 

 

This is where I'm at. There are way too many people in my club that all they talk about is the next big commercial beer.

I was there for a few years.  Had fun but since then the scene has changed (or maybe I have changed) a lot IMO and I have no interest in it.  These days 80% of the time I will stick with what I have on tap. 

[SchwanzBrewer]

Kind of a spin but seeing I started the thread I am going to do it.  When you get up and going will you cater to those that want the rare beer?  Have you thought about if you will do the special one off beer and do the big release or just keep a regular line up.  It seems to be split up here from what I see.  Some will have the "special" batch that is bottle only on this day and others will just keep a regular line up with the addition of some seasonal offerings..

 

 

That's a really good question. I'd like to think that all my beers are so good and distribution is so limited that they'll all have that status and command those prices.

 

Reality is I'm going to make the very best beer I possibly can no matter the style. There's no point in chasing efficiency at this point in the game. I can't buy big enough quantities to get the big time discounts and won't have a system big enough to make it matter for at least 18 months to 2 years.

 

As for rare beers, I'm not purposefully going to try to do a beer that is limited release, not at first. I kinda think those days are fading. Too many breweries around here are making "big rare beers", but none of them command the prices and demand like Hunahpu does. At the hunahpu day festival all the local guys had a big stout with unicorn tears and trappist grown madagascar pickled magic cocnut beans except one, Greg Rapp of Rapp Brewing. He's my inspiration and my model, not cigar city. He just flat out makes great beer. All of them. But, he still has that one beer that he has ready once a year called OMG. It's damn good and usually around 18% ABV. It takes two years to make each batch. He gets $25/bottle for those, usually about 200 bottles. They are all hand filled and labeled. Still that's only $5000 in sales and it takes two friggin years to make the beer. So it's not a real bread winner, it's just marketing.

 

I'm almost ready to say I will refuse to make a big RIS. It's almost cliche around here now because of hunahpu and a couple others. I'll probably make a big bock or something special that isn't the normal stuff. Will it ever get to heady topper or hunahpu fame? That would be nice to have that problem, but it's not going to be my focus, and I'm not banking on it. I want people to come in and enjoy their BBQ and their beer. If lines start forming I deal with that problem as it arises.

Edited by SchwanzBrewer, 09 June 2015 - 12:45 PM.

[Poptop]

Well stated. Very well stated.Madagascar pickled magic coconut beans, although rare have a tart turd aroma and are nice to have on hand.

[Big Nake]

Well stated. Very well stated.Madagascar pickled magic coconut beans, although rare have a tart turd aroma and are nice to have on hand.

Don't forget that beer we were talking about that has yak urine added to it. Hard to find, I know... but man, whatta beer! 

 

I was mentioning elsewhere and at the risk of derailing this thread like I have with so many others... New Glarus in WI makes a lot of great, great beer.  They experiment with various styles and they can get very creative and go in any number of directions and do all of it well.  But most of that creativity is financed by one of their beers which is basically a blonde or cream ale.  They call it a Wisconsin Farmhouse Ale which sounds like a Belgian style but it's not.  I believe it represents about 75% of their revenue.  So they brew that to keep the vast majority of people happy and then branch out in other directions on that income.  I always wondered what it would be like if you opened a brewery and decided to make a bunch of styles that were near & dear to your heart but no one wanted to buy them.  So instead you ended up making beers that people wanted but you had no interest in.  UGH!

[SchwanzBrewer]

Don't forget that beer we were talking about that has yak urine added to it. Hard to find, I know... but man, whatta beer! 

 

I was mentioning elsewhere and at the risk of derailing this thread like I have with so many others... New Glarus in WI makes a lot of great, great beer.  They experiment with various styles and they can get very creative and go in any number of directions and do all of it well.  But most of that creativity is financed by one of their beers which is basically a blonde or cream ale.  They call it a Wisconsin Farmhouse Ale which sounds like a Belgian style but it's not.  I believe it represents about 75% of their revenue.  So they brew that to keep the vast majority of people happy and then branch out in other directions on that income.  I always wondered what it would be like if you opened a brewery and decided to make a bunch of styles that were near & dear to your heart but no one wanted to buy them.  So instead you ended up making beers that people wanted but you had no interest in.  UGH!

 

Luckily I've noticed that people's tastes are really eclectic. I've seen die hard budweiser drinkers go ape shit over IPA. The look on their face is priceless. So there will be beer that will satisfy just about everyone. I might even make a couple sours, though my buddy wants to sub lease some space and set up a sour program that I'd be contracted to brew. I brew it, he ferments it and barrels/packages it.

[Poptop]

Perfect example would be the IPA (to me). That beer is so currently centric that if you ain't got one or two and doubles etc.... I like IPA's but they're not the be all end all (to me). That said, if all I wanted to do was make Belgians I'd lose a huge audience as well.

[HVB]

No New Glarus talk in my thread!

[djinkc]

Far too many variables. Are we talking something legendary and rare or just some new micro's offering? Bar/Restaurant of grocery store?

 

Somewhat related, the gas station in my buddy's neighborhood stocks Ruination. Gas station. My how the world has changed.

 

That says it all.

[brewguy]

I don't care about rare beers. If it's good, I'd maybe buy a can or two at most. I'd never buy a case of heady topper and pay ~$100 for it. Most I've ever paid for beer was $20 for a bomber.

 

Me too. I paid $27 for a bomber once, and I had a bit of buyer's remorse. It was barrel aged, so I tried to justify it by adding up all of the time and effort that went into making the beer. It still didn't feel right.

[Dave McG]

Lulz. I always say that I can enjoy a beer like that with some buds and the same would go for a stout and some others... I just don't want 5 gallons of it around because I probably won't drink it quick enough.

 

Invite Chicago area blewbies over to help with that. Weekends when the wife and daughter are in Galena are ideal.

Ken, I'll tell you what. In the fall one of my classes will be meeting in Wheeling, which is a haul for me. However, I don't think it's much of a ride from your place. I could just camp out in your yard, enjoy provide security for your pool, and help you with that pesky little "too much IPA" problem. Win-win!

[HVB]

That's a really good question. I'd like to think that all my beers are so good and distribution is so limited that they'll all have that status and command those prices.

 

Reality is I'm going to make the very best beer I possibly can no matter the style. There's no point in chasing efficiency at this point in the game. I can't buy big enough quantities to get the big time discounts and won't have a system big enough to make it matter for at least 18 months to 2 years.

 

As for rare beers, I'm not purposefully going to try to do a beer that is limited release, not at first. I kinda think those days are fading. Too many breweries around here are making "big rare beers", but none of them command the prices and demand like Hunahpu does. At the hunahpu day festival all the local guys had a big stout with unicorn tears and trappist grown madagascar pickled magic cocnut beans except one, Greg Rapp of Rapp Brewing. He's my inspiration and my model, not cigar city. He just flat out makes great beer. All of them. But, he still has that one beer that he has ready once a year called OMG. It's damn good and usually around 18% ABV. It takes two years to make each batch. He gets $25/bottle for those, usually about 200 bottles. They are all hand filled and labeled. Still that's only $5000 in sales and it takes two friggin years to make the beer. So it's not a real bread winner, it's just marketing.

 

I'm almost ready to say I will refuse to make a big RIS. It's almost cliche around here now because of hunahpu and a couple others. I'll probably make a big bock or something special that isn't the normal stuff. Will it ever get to heady topper or hunahpu fame? That would be nice to have that problem, but it's not going to be my focus, and I'm not banking on it. I want people to come in and enjoy their BBQ and their beer. If lines start forming I deal with that problem as it arises.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.  I like your ideas in particular the plan to offer something big other than a RIS. 

[SchwanzBrewer]

Thanks for taking the time to respond.  I like your ideas in particular the plan to offer something big other than a RIS. 

 

In Florida in particular it's hard to justify a RIS. Sure there are good ones here, but its a climate thing. It's too damn hot all year to enjoy a RIS except for a couple weeks. It's a sipping beer. We'll have food and though as an after dinner drink with desert it's fine in small quantities, you pretty much have to drink water with it. No one wants to sit out on their porch in the heat and humidity and drink motor oil. So big beers (except IIPA) will be limited and will be paired with deserts. I'm thinking a big bock or scotch ale would go great with our blueberry white chocolate bread pudding.

[Poptop]

In Florida in particular it's hard to justify a RIS. Sure there are good ones here, but its a climate thing. It's too damn hot all year to enjoy a RIS except for a couple weeks. It's a sipping beer. We'll have food and though as an after dinner drink with desert it's fine in small quantities, you pretty much have to drink water with it. No one wants to sit out on their porch in the heat and humidity and drink motor oil. So big beers (except IIPA) will be limited and will be paired with deserts. I'm thinking a big bock or scotch ale would go great with our blueberry white chocolate bread pudding.

Brother Rich, you are so right. I keep designing and redesigning my ideal RIS or similar and it always gets pushed down the list and this is directly due to what I like to drink in the spirit crushing heat and humidity of SFL. I do plan on something dark and sexy around October to enjoy during our "winter" months hahaha.

[HVB]

In Florida in particular it's hard to justify a RIS. Sure there are good ones here, but its a climate thing. It's too damn hot all year to enjoy a RIS except for a couple weeks. It's a sipping beer. We'll have food and though as an after dinner drink with desert it's fine in small quantities, you pretty much have to drink water with it. No one wants to sit out on their porch in the heat and humidity and drink motor oil. So big beers (except IIPA) will be limited and will be paired with deserts. I'm thinking a big bock or scotch ale would go great with our blueberry white chocolate bread pudding.

I could never understand the appeal of a RIS in that climate. 

[SchwanzBrewer]

I could never understand the appeal of a RIS in that climate. 

 

It still sells though. KBS, Hunahpu, you name it, the beer nerds here go ape shit for it. Cigar City sells 60+ bbl of a couple different versions of hunahpu a year at $20/bomber. The regular version is sold out on the day of the festival, the others in a matter of minutes after they are put on sale. That's $200K in revenue the minute it's ready to give to customers. No distributor or middle man, all direct to the public sales. It's unreal how popular those damn beers are.