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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 Illusion of Limited Releases in Craft Beer: A Growing Concern
In recent months, I’ve begun to notice a troubling trend in the world of craft beer: the concept of “limited releases” seems to have lost its allure. Just yesterday, while perusing my local bottle shop, I encountered a barrel-aged stout that has been proclaimed as “extremely limited.” To my surprise, this beer has been sitting on the shelf since October, proudly advertised with a shelf talker boasting “only 500 cases produced.” However, it seems that even this attractive claim hasn’t compelled consumers to part with their cash for a product that tastes remarkably similar to countless other bourbon barrel stouts.
It wasn’t long ago that the excitement around legendary brews like Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) and Bourbon County Brand Stout (BCBS) would incite lines of eager fans camping out for hours outside popular retailers like Binny’s. Now, however, I can casually walk into any reputable store and pick up vintage 2020 BCBS as though I’m grabbing a pack of a mainstream lager. The sheer volume of “limited” offerings flooding the market has led to many of these brews languishing on warm store shelves, often well past their suggested consumption date.
This trend raises important questions about the marketing strategies employed by breweries. The practice of creating an impression of scarcity has reached a point where it feels almost disingenuous. As a consumer, I find myself increasingly frustrated by the premium prices demanded for “limited edition” beers that are, in reality, more accessible than some beloved mainstream options like Genesee Ruby Red.
It’s high time for breweries to reevaluate their approach. If a product is marketed as rare and exclusive, it should genuinely live up to that promise. If not, perhaps it’s time to abandon the illusion and stop misleading consumers about the scarcity of their barrel-aged concoctions. Craft beer enthusiasts deserve authenticity in both flavor and marketing, and it would be refreshing for breweries to focus on delivering quality rather than perpetuating an artificial scarcity that ultimately undermines their credibility.