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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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The Paradox of “Limited Edition” Craft Beers: Are They Really That Scarce?
In the ever-evolving world of craft beer, one trend seems to have emerged that warrants discussion: the concept of “limited edition” releases. If you’ve visited your local bottle shop recently, you might have noticed a peculiar phenomenon. As I wandered through my favorite store yesterday, I encountered an “extremely limited” barrel-aged stout that had been languishing on the shelf since October. Despite the enticing signage proclaiming that only 500 cases were produced, the reality was quite different—no one seemed eager to shell out $25 for yet another bourbon barrel stout that resembles countless others.
Remember the days when beers like KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) and BCBS (Bourbon County Brand Stout) would vanish from shelves almost instantly? Fans would camp outside retailers like Binny’s, ready to snag these elusive brews as soon as they hit the shelves. Fast forward to now, and I’m often surprised to find vintage 2020 BCBS sitting among the ordinary fare, as accessible as a six-pack of High Life.
This shift can be attributed to the sheer volume of “limited” offerings flooding the market. It seems that many breweries are producing so much “exclusive” beer that a significant portion of it sits on warm shelves long after its supposed “drink by” date. This raises an uncomfortable question: is the artificial scarcity employed in beer marketing becoming a farce?
As a passionate craft beer enthusiast, I find it increasingly disheartening to pay premium prices for so-called “limited edition” brews that turn out to be less rare than a local favorite. If breweries want to maintain credibility, they need to either ensure that their rare offerings truly are difficult to come by or abandon the pretense of exclusivity altogether.
In conclusion, it’s essential for both consumers and producers to engage in honest practices. The craft beer community deserves an experience that reflects genuine rarity, not a smokescreen of artificial scarcity that ultimately dilutes the excitement of discovering something truly special. Cheers to seeking out the real treasures in the world of craft beer, minus the marketing gimmicks!