Rare Barrel Founder's Society

[bdogg1]

Standard to most other beer membership society thingys, minus all the smoking wood and adjuncts

Ten 750 mL bottles of sour beer (our choice)
First right to purchase most bottle releases online
10% discount on all purchases in tasting room and online (excluding memberships)
One custom growler
Two pieces of custom glassware
Membership ID card
First right of acceptance for 2016 membership
Option to pick-up beer at brewery, ship within California (at an additional cost), or assign a trustee
Cost - $300 (+tax), non-refundable

That def sounds like it is worth it to me. Is their a limit on their members only beers?

 

[RyanG1]

That def sounds like it is worth it to me. Is their a limit on their members only beers?

2 per release with five total releases

 

[bdogg1]

2 per release with five total releases

Not bad at all.

 

[bdogg1]

Thank you for the heads up Ryan G.

 

[Sage1]

I’ve been really happy with my membership. The other benefit that most people don’t end up talking about is the pricing on the bottles that aren’t part of the initial 10 – I maxed out on all of my additional allocations, and just ran the numbers and they’ve averaged out to exactly $20 a bottle (the majority of the bottles were $18–22 with only a few going more than that). Not bad for California sours.

Now if only I could’ve bought half a case of Home Sour Home.

 

[cardinalbruintriton]

How spaced apart have the Founder's only releases been this year?

 

[johnnyramirez]

I don't like that we only have 10 days to renew since I'm still kinda on the fence. Bruery gave us like a month last year. Though De Garde only gave us like a day or 2 and it was back in May. I'll likely end up renewing but I haven't been that thrilled this year given their price per bottle and the quality of the beer. I want more Berliners, which Jay and Alex had told me before they opened would be a staple of their offerings but has since changed his mind and I doubt we'll see Berliners on tap anytime soon from them. I have enjoyed most of the beers, but not at the price and I am one of the few people who hasn't enjoyed the Founders releases. Home Sour Home was not my jam at all. Ensorcelled was decent but I much preferred SARA's Cellar Palette. Fields Forever is pretty tasty. I'm hoping next year is better but if it's similar to this year I'll probably drop the membership and order gueuze online

 

[johnnyramirez]

How spaced apart have the Founder's only releases been this year?

Was something like February for Home Sour Home, beginning of June for Ensorcelled, end of July or early August for Fields Forever

 

[ABSTRACTlegend]

I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't re-up because their beers are insanely expensive, on par with Ale Apothecary prices without the complexity and craftsmanship. And taste.

And comparing to De Garde, there is no comparison.

this def has me questioning it "This year the cost for the growler fill has ranged from $20 to $23 dollars for a 32oz" I can only see this price going up once they start to open growler fills to the public.

 

[CharlieMurphy1]

Not renewing. Oh, wait...

 

[pablito]

Does anyone know if Rare Barrel will continue filling the current Founder's growlers once the new "Ambassasdor's" growlers are released? Additionally, do you think that a Founder's growler will qualify to get both the ambassadors and general public fills?

 

[RyanG1]

Does anyone know if Rare Barrel will continue filling the current Founder's growlers once the new "Ambassasdor's" growlers are released? Additionally, do you think that a Founder's growler will qualify to get both the ambassadors and general public fills?

Yes and Yes

 

[abecall98]

Yes and Yes

I am gonna have sour growler fills for days. Double fills every month is gonna make me happy.

 

[johnnyramirez]

Idk why but I'm renewing. I'm hoping it's a better membership next year

 

[abecall98]

Idk why but I'm renewing. I'm hoping it's a better membership next year

Dude, two growler fills with each visit.

 

[grrrah]

Idk why but I'm renewing. I'm hoping it's a better membership next year

Well as far as beer quantity, they have enough to open another day (Sunday's), and the place *looks* like it has 3-4x the amount of barrels now vs when they first opened. Fingers crossed.

 

[bdogg1]

I am going to try and join myself. I have enjoyed their beers. So much so I am going there today.

 

[golden1]

Dude, two growler fills with each visit.

More if you buy public growlers whenever they become available. Perhaps they will limit the number you can fill with each visit...
I'm stoked for that apricot sour fill this weekend, I'm especially excited that thirstyrob is doing the legwork.

 

[stupac2]

I've decided to renew, but I'll definitely be out next year if there's not an increase in quality. Their beer is all good, but none of it is great, and if that doesn't change this year then it probably never will.

 

[abecall98]

I've decided to renew, but I'll definitely be out next year if there's not an increase in quality. Their beer is all good, but none of it is great, and if that doesn't change this year then it probably never will.

Just stay a member until they release their "Gueuze".

 

[RyanG1]

I am skipping out on my membership, I can use my growler for kombucha or to making kimchi, unless someone wants either.

 

[johnnyramirez]

Just stay a member until they release their "Gueuze".

$900 is a lot to invest for 1 beer. And that's assuming they release it in their 3rd year.

 

[matedog]

Just stay a member until they release their "Gueuze".

It better not be like their "gose" which was a gose pretty much in name only.

Sounds like they had no plans to do spontaneous fermentation in the near future either.

 

[RyanG1]

Do berliners or just keep doing red sours for ever

 

[johnnyramirez]

I am skipping out on my membership, I can use my growler for kombucha or to makle kimchi, unless someone wants it and or my membership. Pretty sure they will be plenty come the public opening.

There will be. I get the feeling that they wanna get as big as The Bruery which is great for them, but they should focus on quality of beer not necessary the quantity.

 

[abecall98]

It better not be like their "gose" which was a gose pretty much in name only.

Sounds like they had no plans to do spontaneous fermentation in the near future either.

I think they are currently making one right now. I remember their first batch of beer was for this. I think they should be making the 2nd year batch for it and next year the third and plan on blending a year after that to make it traditional I think. Not sure if it's spontaneous or anything about it other than they are making something similar to the traditional.

Never had their Gose, was it completely something else?

 

[stupac2]

Just stay a member until they release their "Gueuze".

According to my buddy who worked there they're never going to do spontaneous fermentation. Everything is from cultures. So I don't know why I would wait for that, it's probably not going to be significantly better than their best golden sour.

 

[matedog]

I think they are currently making one right now. I remember their first batch of beer was for this. I think they should be making the 2nd year batch for it and next year the third and plan on blending a year after that to make it traditional I think. Not sure if it's spontaneous or anything about it other than they are making something similar to the traditional.

Never had their Gose, was it completely something else?

So it'll be similar to Rueuze, I presume. A blend of 1-3 year old barrel aged golden sours.

From their blog: Gose Without Saying is a pale sour beer aged in oak barrels that clocks in at a refreshing 5.3% alcohol by volume. In our loose representation of a gose-style beer, a lemon tartness is the most defining characteristic of this beer. While gose style beers often have salt and coriander, we decided we like this beer better without those two ingredients (hence the "Without Saying" in the beer name). It goes without saying that this new sour is incredibly refreshing.

Okay, rereading their interpretation, it's not so bad. Basically they made a beer and thought it vaguely resembled a gose eventhough it wasn't made in the same manner (I'm assuming the oak barrel aging probably added a lot of time, money, and effort compared to a regular gose).

 

[johnnyramirez]

I think they are currently making one right now. I remember their first batch of beer was for this. I think they should be making the 2nd year batch for it and next year the third and plan on blending a year after that to make it traditional I think. Not sure if it's spontaneous or anything about it other than they are making something similar to the traditional.

Not spontaneous. Just a blend of 1,2,3 year sour beer is what they're going for last I heard. I don't even know if it'll ended up being similar to a gueuze at all but it'll probably cost double the price of gueuze to purchase.

Never had their Gose, was it completely something else?

Was a sour blend that made it taste similar to a gose but without salt, coriander or wheat iirc. Was basically a gose in name only.

 

[johnnyramirez]

I already miss Crooked Stave's cellar reserve.