Hill Farmstead thread

[Don2]

Creating a thread for al HF info. Shaun commented on Facebook that he would no longer announce what bottles are on the shelves or upcoming. Not sure if that will last, but seems a little crazy.

 

[BusinessSloth]

Creating a thread for al HF info. Shaun commented on Facebook that he would no longer announce what bottles are on the shelves or upcoming. Not sure if that will last, but seems a little crazy.

Apparently it's a permanent new policy due to the disgusting behavior of people at this past release.

 

[idrinkgoodbeer]

With all the hype behind that brewery at the moment it may be a good idea?

 

[Don2]

With all the hype behind that brewery at the moment it may be a good idea?

I understand why he's doing it. Just seems like a very drastic move. I'm in Boston and can leave work at Noon any day I want, so this doesn't affect me much. Just seems like normal people who want to go up there would make plans to go when there are bottles on the shelf. Doesn't even have to be anything crazy, just something like Anna or Everett would do it. People want to be able to drink HF stuff more than a week after their trip.
It will be a nice surprise for people on Wednesdays when they go up there though when nice bottles are on the shelf.

 

[vonnegut21]

Creating a thread for al HF info. Shaun commented on Facebook that he would no longer announce what bottles are on the shelves or upcoming. Not sure if that will last, but seems a little crazy.

I saw that as well. Although he did announce that some interesting, unnamed bottles might be going on the shelf Wednesday. Maybe that's the plan from now on... just say that something interesting might go on and then post it to the website day of.

 

[Don2]

I saw that as well. Although he did announce that some interesting, unnamed bottles might be going on the shelf Wednesday. My guess is that it's leftover Flora Satsuma. Maybe that's the plan from now on... just say that something interesting might go on and then post it to the website day of.

This seems like a better idea. I took it as he would just not list bottles anywhere, but at least people can plan to head up on a Saturday with a few days notice, if this is the plan.

 

[idrinkgoodbeer]

I have tried a few of Shauns beers and they are great. With out nerding out to hard on HF I would be happy to have anything from them and just visit this place. I hear it is a great time.

 

[vonnegut21]

I understand why he's doing it. Just seems like a very drastic move. I'm in Boston and can leave work at Noon any day I want, so this doesn't affect me much. Just seems like normal people who want to go up there would make plans to go when there are bottles on the shelf. Doesn't even have to be anything crazy, just something like Anna or Everett would do it. People want to be able to drink HF stuff more than a week after their trip.
It will be a nice surprise for people on Wednesdays when they go up there though when nice bottles are on the shelf.

This seems like a better idea. I took it as he would just not list bottles anywhere, but at least people can plan to head up on a Saturday with a few days notice, if this is the plan.

I would imagine that's the plan. To update the site on Wednesday at the latest. I don't see that being a big issue. Even with a week+ advance notice, I don't think there's ever been a "shelf release" that sold out in the first week. Even Norma made it at least partly through the next Wednesday. Plenty of time for us "locals" (sub 6-hour drive) to plan a trip up.

 

[bearsonacid1]

They may start doing ticketed releases like how Alesmith does it. Maybe split it up into different pickup sessions.

I talked to Mr. hill on Saturday and he said that if they just put bottles out they get slammed on Saturday. If they do an organized release like last week they get slammed with more people. Either way they are ****ed.

I think an online ticketed release can help him control the flow of people better and keep them from lining up outside his house at 6am.

I'd imagine the rest of Flora satsuma might get put in shelves tomorrow. That wasn't actually released yet other than the 300+ bottles last week right? Sankt Hans sold out last saturday so hopefully they get some regular bottles on shelves too.

 

[user 305778]

If he doesn't want a ******** at all, tickets are really the only way to go. That way everyone knows what beers they can buy / pick up and don't have to show up right when Hill Farmstead opens. If he gives people two weekends to pick up bottles, then it will spread them out even more.

 

[InfinityonTrial]

Yeah, ticketed really is the only way to go at this point. Put some for sale online and some for sale at the brewery.

By not announcing anything he's just asking for his email to get spammed looking for info.

 

[Don2]

I think his hang up with online tickets is the locals. I think you could account for that with a certain amount of local ticket sales or something of the like.

 

[user 305778]

I think his hang up with online tickets is the locals. I think you could account for that with a certain amount of local ticket sales or something of the like.

Can't win 'em all. Local tickets would work but then you'll still have people driving up to be there first to get them. Look at how the FiftyFifty december party tickets went to see how that goes.

 

[bearsonacid1]

I think his hang up with online tickets is the locals. I think you could account for that with a certain amount of local ticket sales or something of the like.

His problem is well beyond keeping locals happy. I'm sure it stays at the front of his mind all day but he needs to utilize every advantage with controlling crowds and traffic.

If he doesn't allow trustees and a strict pickup/no refunds/no excuses policy I think it will help. Doing the ticket sales close to release date and having a Wednesday/Thursday pickup would be local friendly

 

[evilc]

Apparently it's a permanent new policy due to the disgusting behavior of people at this past release.

Cliffz?

 

[Frank1]

Cliffz?

General *****ebaggery.

 

[Der Fuchs]

so i'm okay with this thread as long as when someone negatively comments on HF you guys don't go getting all 'high and mighty crusaders protecting st. hill' on us. that bs needs to die with the other site.

 

[Osyrus]

Yay, a single HF thread again! Nice to have all the info in a single spot.

Future releases (at this point, per talking to Shaun this weekend, subject to many future changes) are to be semi-silent shelf releases for standard bottles and special bottles (think everything from Anna to CD to BoT). Very special releases (DBD, Ann, one-offs) will be ticketed in some fashion, and correct that the biggest hangup is locals. Releases that have a number of different bottles available could also see tickets.

Again, that will likely change based on individual circumstances. But that's the plan for now. It will be interesting to see how the expansion and increased capacity impact those plans.

 

[user 305778]

I'm sure he'll keep trying different methods until he finds one he likes.

 

[bearsonacid1]

so i'm okay with this thread as long as when someone negatively comments on HF you guys don't go getting all 'high and mighty crusaders protecting st. hill' on us. that bs needs to die with the other site.

So long as we are on the same page, I see way more HF trolling than anyone being high and mighty so keep the BS to yourself.

 

[silentjay]

you can blame the people lined up down the street 2 hours before the time they asked people to please not show up until.
It's great for people that can take a day off of work, drive from places, unknown, and wait in line for hours on end to purchase a beer, but at the end of the day... it's just beer.

It creates a logistical nightmare when the employees are arriving to work and there is no place for them to park, when construction crews can't get by the line of cars "hiding" around the corner.

If they had grounds to handle this type of crowds, like a DLD or Hunaphu day, it would make more sense.

But with his plan of keeping things small and local, this past release was a ****-show beyond epic proportions. Locals avoided the scene, the entire Northern VT area got wiped out of all the good beer they had on their shelves (I was there the day after... cleaned out).

It is what it is. people can disagree with it if they want.

But, there is plenty of good beer to go around, so if someone disagrees with how he is running his business, you can easily find some other beers that are probably just as good from all across the country.

 

[silentjay]

I think his hang up with online tickets is the locals. I think you could account for that with a certain amount of local ticket sales or something of the like.

he did something similar for this year's Festival of Farmhouse Ales ticket sales.

I think like half were sold online, and the other half were sold only at the brewery a few weeks prior.

As far as I know that worked out okay and everyone seemed happy about it.

 

[Envelopes]

As far as making sure locals get tickets couldn't he do something along the lines of x amount of tickets set aside to be sold at the brewery to people with current Vermont ID? Non transferable ticket with a +1 for an out of town friend or significant other with out of state ID?

 

[Don2]

as much as that sucked for locals on hill rd/Jaffin flat, it was a boon for the community. Beer geeks descended on positive pie in hardwick, and we were in a hurry so we went to the Hardwick House of pizza. I can't imagine hardwick house of pizza has seen much tourist business.

 

[vonnegut21]

as much as that sucked for locals on hill rd/Jaffin flat, it was a boon for the community. Beer geeks descended on positive pie in hardwick, and we were in a hurry so we went to the Hardwick House of pizza. I can't imagine hardwick house of pizza has seen much tourist business.

That's a good point. There were at least 20 people from the release at Parker Pie immediately after. Lots of money spent between the pizza and the Cantillon leftover from Zwanze Day.

 

[Der Fuchs]

So long as we are on the same page, I see way more HF trolling than anyone being high and mighty so keep the BS to yourself.

Sure thing "yesterday"!







And Todd, just an FYI.... Disagreement isn't trolling

 

[drgarage1]

I'll be there two weeks from tomorrow...CAN'T WAIT!

 

[silentjay]

as much as that sucked for locals on hill rd/Jaffin flat, it was a boon for the community. Beer geeks descended on positive pie in hardwick, and we were in a hurry so we went to the Hardwick House of pizza. I can't imagine hardwick house of pizza has seen much tourist business.

Of course they have. Parker Pie, Positive Pie, the gas stations, all of them. every event, every new beer tapped, every new bottle that hits the shelves, the leaf peepers.

It's just not usually all in the span of a few hours on a singular afternoon, it's usually just a steady stream of people who just got growlers filled or what have you.

I've never been to Parker Pie in Glover without seeing a handful of people that I was just in line with at Hill Farmstead.

They do well in partnership with Hill Farmstead's customers.

Spreading it out over the course of a few days may be less of a strain on the "small town folk"

From what I gather, they like the slow, peaceful, tranquil life, rather than an onrush of thirsty, hungry, city folk.

 

[bearsonacid1]

Sure thing "yesterday"!







And Todd, just an FYI.... Disagreement isn't trolling

Thanks for the heads up bro! Im so ****ing stupid sometimes.

 

[silentjay]

Sure thing "yesterday"!







And Todd, just an FYI.... Disagreement isn't trolling

we are already pulling out the "joined on" dates?

next can we compare beer karma?

 

[franch]

lol disgusting behavior. i like the guy they sent to patrol that made sure no one was sitting parked on the side of any road (at like 8:25) because of the neighbors, so instead of an orderly line out of the way, they had about 50 cars doing figure 8s on the back roads and 3 point turns, creating total gridlock so no vehicle could use sails, hillcrest, jaffin flat, or hill road.

 

[Der Fuchs]

we are already pulling out the "joined on" dates?

next can we compare beer karma?

yes, joined on jokes... all of us here had to wait for the influx to make them. thanks for coming out.
a few days ago we could have compared karma, but i was a member over there for almost 10 years- so even that might not have been beneficial for you.
keep in mind most people here don't take beer seriously. some folks (as y'all will come to see) even "hate beer". this is not a site for the thinned skin. this is a site where we force the lulz down your throat!

 

[dblab331]

A group of us got together recently and cracked a lot of the bottles that came in the Collected Works crates. Having had a lot of HF beers previously, I could somewhat understand why all these people would want to line up crazy early to make sure they got bottles... but that night cemented my understanding. Truly amazing beers. I just hope there were more people in line at the recent releases that were looking to drink the beer rather than trade the beer, but who knows these days.

We're used to shitshows out here with things like KBS Day, Kuhnhenn winter solstice, Dark Horse's 4 elf party, etc. I'm quite fed up with all of that noise and will likely skip out on a lot of it in the future. Line jumping and other various disrespectful shenanigans are commonplace at these events.

It was only a matter of time before the ******** traveled to the far reaches of Vermont. It's nearly impossible for Shaun to find a way to release bottles that makes everyone (including him) happy. Sad but true.

 

[silentjay]

lol disgusting behavior. i like the guy they sent to patrol that made sure no one was sitting parked on the side of any road (at like 8:25) because of the neighbors, so instead of an orderly line out of the way, they had about 50 cars doing figure 8s on the back roads and 3 point turns, creating total gridlock so no vehicle could use sails, hillcrest, jaffin flat, or hill road.

they could have just showed up at 8:30 or later like they stipulated.

the several that were there around 6 am didn't really sit well.

If there were a few cars rolling in at 8:25, it wouldn't have been a big deal, it was the ones that were lined up around the corner at 6 and the constant onslaught for the next 2.5 hours that really irked them, I think.

 

[silentjay]

It was only a matter of time before the ******** traveled to the far reaches of Vermont. It's nearly impossible for Shaun to find a way to release bottles that makes everyone (including him) happy. Sad but true.

this is the truth.

when demand exceeds supply, there are always people on either side of the coin that are upset.

 

[MKtheGeneral]

Hmmm... Shaun hinted at some bottles hitting the shelves today but nothing updated on the website. How likely is it that the bottles would be CD7 or Port Damon?

 

[smonice1]

I for one would appreciate knowing, like the others in this thread, if there is anything on the shelf at HF before making the 6+ hour trip up there from NJ. I know there are growlers and alchemist and all the local places I would normally hit, but still, if this is the new approach and its going to be silent, at least let us know that there ARE bottles there.

Anyone one to take bets on how long after 12 there is a post on which bottles are sitting in the shelves?

 

[vonnegut21]

Hmmm... Shaun hinted at some bottles hitting the shelves today but nothing updated on the website. How likely is it that the bottles would be CD7 or Port Damon?

My thought was that it was going to be the leftover Flora Satsuma. But who knows....

On that note, since it appears HF is no longer listing bottles currently available on their website (per a FB post and the still blank website) would anyone who heads up there report in with a list of what's available currently?

 

[tehzachatak]

Hmmm... Shaun hinted at some bottles hitting the shelves today but nothing updated on the website. How likely is it that the bottles would be CD7 or Port Damon?

Other distinct possibilities would be Everett (this is my guess, maybe plus a shelf turd saison) and or Satsuma Flora (unless it was established that the Satsuma Flora is gone, but IIRC folks thought there was about 1000 bottles and <400 have gone out of the brewery).

 

[user 305778]

I for one would appreciate knowing, like the others in this thread, if there is anything on the shelf at HF before making the 6+ hour trip up there from NJ. I know there are growlers and alchemist and all the local places I would normally hit, but still, if this is the new approach and its going to be silent, at least let us know that there ARE bottles there.

Anyone one to take bets on how long after 12 there is a post on which bottles are sitting in the shelves?

Uh, I think this post is kind of the point. He's trying to encourage people to just come and visit, rather than making a trip specifically to buy something. However, since this is 2013 and the internet exists, it'll take all of maybe a couple hours to find out what is on the shelf every day.