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Steven Coulson
Steven has been drinking beers, wines and spirits for decades and has a propensity to go about them at length after a few drinks.
Latest Posts
- Dissecting The Beer Menu – An Irish Pub & Layered Brews
- Has anyone else noticed that every “limited release” somehow stays on shelves for months?
- Dissecting The Beer Menu – An Irish Pub & Layered Brews
- Headed to Asheville – looking for top breweries to get German style in cans / bottles
- Does anyone else feel guilty drinking beer alone because it’s supposed to be a social experience?
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Title: The Illusion of Limited Releases in Craft Beer: A Reality Check
In the vibrant world of craft beer, the allure of “limited releases” often draws enthusiasts into a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation. However, a growing trend has many consumers scratching their heads, questioning the authenticity of these supposedly exclusive offerings. Have you ever strolled into a bottle shop only to find the same “extremely limited” barrel-aged stout lingering on the shelves for months? It certainly raises an eyebrow.
Recently, I visited my local bottle shop and was met with a surprise: an “ultra-rare” barrel-aged stout that had been collecting dust since October. The shelf talker proudly proclaimed that only 500 cases had been produced, but clearly, the allure of this so-called rarity wasn’t enough to entice customers. At $25 a bottle, the stout struggled to compete with the ample options available, all tasting remarkably similar to one another.
Compare this to the past when brews like Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) and Bourbon County Brand Stout (BCBS) would sell out in mere hours, with dedicated fans camping overnight just for a taste. Today, however, the craft beer landscape seems to have shifted dramatically. Vintage BCBS from 2020 can now be found easily in any respectable shop, as common as a six-pack of High Life. This raises an important question: has the abundance of “limited” beer diluted its value?
It seems that an oversaturation of the market has led to an unfortunate consequence: the phenomenon of artificial scarcity. Craft breweries have embraced this strategy, often releasing a plethora of “limited” offerings that can languish on warm shelves long after their “drink by” dates. This trend not only undermines the excitement that once surrounded limited editions but also tarnishes the reputation of breweries that genuinely produce exceptional and rare brews.
As a passionate beer lover, I’m growing increasingly weary of paying premium prices for these supposedly exclusive craft beers that are about as rare as the seasonal release of any major brand. It’s high time that the industry either commits to making these limited releases truly hard to find or abandons the notion of treating every brew as a sought-after, exclusive treasure. After all, authenticity and quality should always triumph over clever marketing gimmicks.