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600 Bottles of Beer On The Wall
So, in case you have been wondering what I was going to announce, here it is.
We will be hand bottling a run of Heady Topper in 22 ounce bottles.
I know I said that I would never let my beer go out the door, but the number of requests just can’t be ignored any more. You may or may not know of the problems we’ve had in the past with people taking our beer out the door illegally, but we are hoping that this will take care of that issue.
I will be hand filling 600 bottles on November 30th, and we will be selling them on Saturday December 4th .
This double IPA is sitting on its dry hops as you read this, and it will be presented in the freshest condition possible. We’ve never done anything like this before, so we have no idea what to expect. We only ask that you have patience as we learn. We will be prepared for a line of people, but again, we’ll see…
Q. When will you open up?
A. We will open the doors at 11AM and begin selling. We will have someone at the door checking IDs, and letting people in. You will purchase bottles at the end of the bar right by the entrance.
Q. How much beer will you have?
A. 600 bottles and there will be a 3 bottle limit per customer.
Q. How much will bottles of Heady Topper cost?
A. $12 per bottle CASH ONLY!!! Please have exact change ready for us if you can. If there is a line, we want to keep it moving for the people outside. NO CREDIT CARDS. Sorry.
Q. Will the bar be open for business early?
A. No. However, we will be offering each customer the chance to buy ONE fresh pint of Heady Topper so that you don’t have to open your bottles right away. Heady Topper T-shirts and pint glasses also be available to purchase. We will have a steamer full of FREE local organic hot dogs available to snack on while you drink your pint.
Q. Can I stay and have more than one pint?
A. No. We will be strict on the one pint limit. We have to keep people moving through so that we can close again and get ready for our regular hours of business. If you don’t want to jump in your car right after slugging down a pint, take a walk around. There are several fine options for a full lunch right in town, and plenty to do in the area.
Q. What if all the beer doesn’t sell out?
A. Any bottles that did not sell will be available for purchase during our usual business hours. 3pm – 1am. There will no longer be a limit on the number of bottles you can buy after we open for business. I will post an update on Twitter before opening as to whether or not we still have any for sale. To sign up for the update, follow us on Twitter.
Q. What if I wait in line and you sell out before I get to the door?
A. I’m afraid that you would be out of luck. Like I said, we have no idea what the response will be to this release. We are trying to be helpful with a reasonable limit, so that if it is a big turnout, at least the first 200 people will get beers. Who knows? Maybe nobody shows up and we have plenty….we just don’t know.
Q. If the beer sells out before I get it, can I still come in and buy a pint?
A. Not until we open at 3. Pints will only be available to the people that got in and purchased bottles. There will be plenty Heady Topper available on draft and cask at opening. The cask will NOT be available until 3. So you’ve got that going for you, which is nice.
So here’s to a successful and smooth bottle release on Saturday December 4th at 11 AM. See you there.
John
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Holy Cow (pun intended)… that created quite a stir.
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Hey John! Great to see you’re releasing some of VT’s finest IIPA for take-home consumption! I was reading about this on BeerAdvocate.com and did a search for an Event on there, but didn’t find one. You should really post it on there under the Pub’s listing. I think you might get some more people’s attention and it’s free.
See you on the 4th!
Cheers,
Jeff
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I think this has been a long-awaited event. Looking forward to it’s success and awesomeness.
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So you will be shipping bottles too right
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Don’t forget the priming sugar 8*)
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Sounds like a great event. I will definitely be there. Can’t wait!
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sweet, Ill take 600
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thx to everyone, this is going to be an exciting day!! c u there.
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I’ve informed my wife that this is my “Black Friday” (she’s calling it “Suds Saturday”). Anticipating the madness of the crowds I am bringing a tent, a warm sleeping bag, and a steel cattle chute to stake out prime real estate in the line. . .
Think the Waterbury PD will mind? Just kidding (but I do plan on getting there early just in case). . .
on:
John, great news. I hope the release goes off without a hitch. Heady Topper was sublime when I was there. I really hope to make it out there again soon.
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Congrats! What a great accomplishment. I hope all goes smoothly for you on the 4th. Have a good one.
Your Friendly Neighbors
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My son just surprised me with an early Christmas gift which I will enjoy with dinner this evening!
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Great event, fun folks in line from all over new england. And excellent beer. Thanks and congratulations.
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So bummed I missed this. Is it too early to ask if you’ll be doing more?
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@Brian; that’s it for the bottles.
Check out this article, may raise your spirits:
http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/stories/featured-brewery/show?title=the-alchemist-pub-brewery