How much is really too much money for a four-pack of beer? I am talking about Craft Beer here – not some Miller Lite. A 4-pack from an Indie brewer. You know, good damn beer.
Let’s say I paid $27.00 for this mixed 4-Pack of Humble Sea beer. …Alright, well, I actually DID pay $27. That’s before taxes and a tip to the beer tender.
It was from a beer bar/bottle shop in Fresno called Out Of The Barrel. This place is only a couple blocks from my house.
Buying it a the brewery would cost $20. I don’t believe you can mix packs at the brewery. Out Of The Barrel lets you pull from same-four-packs and make your own 4-pack if you want.
So, I am paying $7 over what I would in Santa Cruz where the Humble Sea taproom is.
Now that leaves us with one question: Did I pay too much for this beer?
Here is what some friends on Twitter think:
Also you have to take into account that Humble Seas dosen't sell singles…to get all 4 of those individually you would have to buy them as crowlers or each in a 4 pack. Which would cost you a lot more.
Well, there you have it. Beer geeks don’t believe I paid too much, that’s all I need to know. I’m guessing anybody else would freak out at the price tag, but they don’t understand.
A rare beer that is really good and close by? Worth $27.00. I will pay it again and again.
I can’t take or plan any trips right now. So lately, maybe like you, I spend a lot of time drinking beer from a bag, thinking about guacamole in beer and gazing at beer gardens and taprooms from around the world, via Instagram.
“One day I will go to there.” is about all I can think or plan on.
Today I thought, “Hey, I wonder what the Alaskan Brewing beer garden looks like? I bet it’s pretty fucking gorgeous.” Juneau looks beautiful as all beautiful gets (see picture above, dude).
I bet that beer garden is a stunerrrr..
Well, kinda? I guess? … Actually, I’m disappointed.
I like the mountain thick with trees. THAT is a nice view, one I expect. But the garden? It leaves something to be desired.
Most noticeably, that green cyclone fence! It looks hideous in that environment.
I’ll accept it in an urban taproom setting from a young brewery just trying to do their best with the space they have. But not from a craft brewery in one of the prettiest spots in the world. A brewery that has been around since the 80s.
Also, the plants. Look at the sadness. They’re trying. But still.
The tables and Easy-Ups are ok-ish. But they also give off a “best we could do with $200 bucks” kinda vibe.
I have sadly never been to Alaskan Brewing’s beer garden, so I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about.
Maybe they have never had an outdoor beer garden because it’s cold as hell all the time, but they created one because of the pandemic and that’s why it’s so underwhelming.
I’m just kinda losing it because of the COVID thing and bored, and picking fights nobody cares to pick. Hi.
A good time to get reacquainted
Alaskan Brewing. Located in Juneau, Alaska. They have been around since freaking 1986people! From what I have gathered, still owned by original owners, Marcy and Geoff Larson – a fact that is amazing to me in these days of buyouts.
The Larsons were the first people to open a brewery in Juneau since prohibition.
They sound like a wonderful example of a successful independent brewery that has never gotten too greedy or over-its-skis.
I have a new respect for them and will look out for a six-pack of theirs to pick up soon and will happily look the other way if I see a cyclone fence on the package.
Welcome! Come on inside. You are safe. I will keep my mask on the entire time you’re in my newsletter shop.
Meme That Made Me Nod With Agreement (courtesy of Al Green)
As much as I agree with this and find it boring to use the same hops over and over, I also will buy this hop combo again and again. Forever.
Stone Of Controversy
As the drama continues regarding Stone vs. SawStone (Stone’s CEO left the company), a great byproduct happened this week. The Full Pint offered $500 to someone with inside knowledge of what’s going on at Stone…
…and then Stone’s Greg Koch comes in with a nice comment:
Gotta love the beer world.
Packaging Of The Week!
Stone & Modern Times colab for video play magic. This is available nationwide. The actual beer is a Hazy Coffee IPA. I don’t really know what the hell that is but I still want it.
Videos Worthy of Watching!
John G from Drakes Brewing kicks off a new video series by Drakes. In it, he leans into you for not liking pales more. I think I agree.
From the nice and knowledgeable blokes at The Craft Beer Channel, a solid primer on the basics of being a good beer geek when shopping for the right beer:
Beer That Stopped Me Scrolling
Definitely the beer I feel like I saw the most on Instagram this week, “Insert Hip Hop Reference There” by Trillium. Never had it, always wanted to though. Love that damn can art:
Window Of My Dreams
I did not think I’d be linking to a New York Post article today but I am because I think the concept of a wine window is rad:
(photo: nypost.com)
So yeah, the pandemic has sparked Italy to bring back a concept that the bubonic plague brought about: wine windows. The benefit is obvious right now, as little as contact as possible. Just move the concept over to taprooms and beer and we are set.
I have written about how we need more walk-up window style things, even before COVID-19, I would really love to see updated versions of these windows around the beer world, even staying after this is all over.
(Thanks to BenjClark for the heads up on the article)
Release To Look Out For
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten excited about a Sierra Nevada release. Besides the lovely can art and promise of dankness, Sierra has already committed (yes, before you even buy it) at least one million dollars towards community non-profits. The money will be helped by the sale of this beer, but Sierra will donate at least one million no matter what the beer brings in. Look for it mid-September.
Thank you for reading! Please subscribe if you are new here and think this newsletter is mildly rad.
A point and click old-school adventure game about finding a Pilsner in a world of craft beer and hipsters? I may have to put my IPA down for a moment to play this on Steam (when the game is ready for play).
In case you haven’t heard of it, Steam is an online pc game platform where developers can create, play, and discuss pc games.
The site hosts thousands of games and one has caught the attention of the beer geek world (peripherally saw it on @WorstBeerBlog’s feed, to be honest). That game being “Dude, Where Is My Beer?”
I have never been on Steam before and this is the first game that might actually get me on there. The game is not actually live yet, but you can put it on your Steam wishlist so you’re ready when it is.
You can find out all ya need to know by checking out his website here.
