Looking forward to this as I got into craft right after it was off the shelves last time, and in this year I've found BA barleywines to be my favorite style. I'm not too worried about finding it after not having trouble finding Parabola and XVI, but would just like to know when to start looking! Any information? Now BA Bigfoot I'm stressing about finding a bottle of...
It seemed to me that last year Parabola was easier to find than Abacus...er, whatever. That could, and probably is, just me. But you never know. BA Bigfoot...I haven't seen Bigfoot yet. --tough loss yesterday. Looked like ass, and Johnson probably will not start next game. RCJH!
Appreciate that, it's probly better I didn't see the game (had to work) or I'd be more upset. Can't win em all, I just hope it's a loss that fuels them.
Sucaba page on the FW website says coming Feb. 2013: http://www.firestonebeer.com/beers/products/sucaba-spring-2012 I haven't heard much about it directly, but I will be purchasing (as usual) a considerable amount to drink and keep. One of my favorite annual releases. Don't worry about the availability. Unless something big has changed on this year's batch, production is usually big enough to satisfy and the distribution is deep enough that it will languish on shelves for a considerable amount of time at smaller stores.
I've tracked beer releases for Denver the last 2-years and it's almost always the 2nd week of February, it came February 9th last year, so maybe this week, but more than likely next. I'd expect it next Thursday (2/14) at most places, I'm sure the BA beer managers know better. Likewise, Parabola is the 2nd week in May.
I like the regular drum beat of FW barrel aged releases, but I am really excited for the prospect of getting Velvet Merkin sometime in the next year. Matt Brynildson was pouring at Big Beers and he did admit to working toward getting it into distribution.
Can't wait for Velvet Merkin either, want that one a lot. Wouldn't mind if they added one more to the rotation, or switch out maybe DDBA with one like Stickee Monkee.
He was pouring Sour Opal at Big Beers, too, which he said would take much longer to get to distro than Merkin, so I think there is some urgency around that one. Never had the Stickee Monkey, but it does sound like my jam. I love it when brewers take a stab at different versions of a style of beer they're already good at. A lot of breweries would have done Sucaba and called it a day, but to make a different barrel-aged Barleywine shows how much they like trying to do new things. It really allows a brewery to showcase mastery of the ingredients and process to make more than one truly great beer of the same style and bring them all to market.
So - anyone have any leads or insider knowledge yet? I'm not really in a position to go hunting all over the south half of town for the rest of the month.
It hit letspour last week, so I presume this week or next, should be soon enough, I don't think you'll have to go hunting for it, just visit your local store once a week and you should see it.
I hope it's that easy. Seems like all of the releases I used to be able to simply just show up and buy are now disappearing in record time. We live in an era where 120 Minute IPA sells out the same day it hits the shelf
According to my CR Goodman rep Sucaba hits Denver the first week of March. Spoke with him about it yesterday...
I talked to a FW rep at PtY tapping yesterday who said they just got it to the distributer yesterday (Monday) and a store in Greeley says they'll have it on shelves by tomorrow. I think this is finally the week!
According to our Firestone rep this years batch was lighter then usual due to expanding into new markets, it will go quickly.
I'm still trying to understand the science behind an expanding market affecting the alleged declining volume of production. Is that what Reagan was talking about when he referenced 'Voodoo Economics'? Bueller?
Well look at it this way (completely hypothetical), if you normally brew 100 barrels of it spread over 15 states, then brew 120 barrels and spread it over 25 states, it's technically a thinner distribution even though you're expanding to a larger market and brewing more. I understand Ryan's point, but it seemed we had a ton of Parabola still last year.
Which is why I struggle with "this years batch was lighter" notions offered by LetsPour (120 being greater than 100). I'm no math wizard, but I'm no slouch either. In fact, I'm a tremendous slouch. Perhaps Ryan was JUST referring to the 'batch' LetsPour received. My math works like this: I see bottles, I give dollars. In all seriousness, I found a Sucaba 2012 on a CO Springs shelf in November. I'm guessing we see enough to go around (again).
I'm not sure exactly the reason why just what I was told. I think they made 3k cases last year and 3500 this year but also expanded distribution into new markets that lowered each states expected supply. I can't comment on Denver's supply as I only buy Firestone products in WA. I was told parabola will be unaffected. Hope this helps.
