The Crooked Stave Cellar Reserve Thread

[DenverBeerDrinker]

$78 more for the membership, crappier extras and $2.55 more a beer because they're worth it???????

 

[poonamibaxter]

Bottles were $8.80 the first year( once they switched to 375s). $10.20 this year and now $12.75(probably plus tax) next year. Are we looking at $16 in 2015?

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

Bottles were $8.80 the first year( once they switched to 375s). $10.20 this year and now $12.75(probably plus tax) next year. Are we looking at $16 in 2015?

I won't be

 

[claaark13]

i think regular origins was my only letdown, so thats impressibe. however, i was annoyed by the increase in membership price, but that has been increased to highly irritated by the bottle price increase. i really hope this is genuine based on production costs and not some ******** like what FFF pulls when they increase prices. or like with Upland trying their "membership". dont make me choose between cs sours and bruery barrel aging program in 2015. that may actually kill me.

 

[Gene1]

Factor in the cost of the membership, the increased cost of bottles, shipping, and the inability to make use of the special events, and the cost-per-bottle for these 375's is basically exceeding what I pay for 750's of Cantillon and 3F shipped from Belgium. Sooooo...

 

[MordorMongo]

First Upland and then Crooked Stave.

At least it won't hurt when I poop for a while.

 

[Shmeal]

.....and then we have De Garde's membership which cost $125.


Yeah.......glad I got me some of those.

 

[drgarage1]

All of this continues to make the first-year price for Rare Barrel ever-more hilarious.

 

[lazerviking]

i think regular origins was my only letdown, so thats impressibe. however, i was annoyed by the increase in membership price, but that has been increased to highly irritated by the bottle price increase. i really hope this is genuine based on production costs and not some ******** like what FFF pulls when they increase prices. or like with Upland trying their "membership". dont make me choose between cs sours and bruery barrel aging program in 2015. that may actually kill me.

This quote from the email really makes me question if production costs have much of anything to do with the increase: "Given the quality of these beers, their exclusivity for members, and the current market rate of shelf sours in Colorado, we feel that the price fairly reflects the quality and is still discounted for members."

It sounds to me that we can chalk a lot of the increase up to "because we can."

 

[bauermj]

I thought the email was pretty lame. Everything is up 25%+ this year.
1) Club price increase +$78 or 26%
2) Bottles now $12.75/375ml (perhaps +tax?). Up 25% vs 2013, up 45% vs 2012
3) slightly weaker swag
4) more restrictive pickup windows
5) elimination of tribute bottle?

I guess it's cool if you are local and want to eat some "fancy" food

 

[lazerviking]

I thought the email was pretty lame. Everything is up 25%+ this year.
1) Club price increase +$78 or 26%
2) Bottles now $12.75/375ml (perhaps +tax?). Up 25% vs 2013, up 45% vs 2012
3) slightly weaker swag
4) more restrictive pickup windows
5) elimination of tribute bottle?

I guess it's cool if you are local and want to eat some "fancy" food

It's really lame that they didn't send the information about the price per bottle increase at the same time as they sent out the information about 2014 membership details. I'm not saying that it would have changed my decision to join, but it may have for some people. The only real cost increase cited in their email that is at all associated with the society is storage, and there is no way a 25% across the board increase is necessary to account for those costs. If the price goes up like that again next year I may not join.

 

[Gene1]

Alas, the memberships will sell out, and they'd sell out at even higher prices too.

 

[sobeleg]

Didn't see a clear answer in the last couple pages, so I have to ask, is the party on the 9th going to be held at The Source?

I am not a Reserve member, but I will be in Denver the weekend of the 9th and 10th. If this is at the source, will it be for members only? If it isn't there, will the source still be open that Saturday? Thanks for any help!

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

Didn't see a clear answer in the last couple pages, so I have to ask, is the party on the 9th going to be held at The Source?

I am not a Reserve member, but I will be in Denver the weekend of the 9th and 10th. If this is at the source, will it be for members only? If it isn't there, will the source still be open that Saturday? Thanks for any help!

The party is at the old taproom. The Source will be open.

 

[sobeleg]

The party is at the old taproom. The Source will be open.

Thanks for your help. I assume the party will be open to members only? Also if anyone wants to meet at The Source for a beer, let me know.

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

It's members only. Haven't been to one yet so I don't know how strict they are with checking ID cards. Should be a great bottle share though.

 

[quirkzoo1]

Thanks for your help. I assume the party will be open to members only? Also if anyone wants to meet at The Source for a beer, let me know.

Of all the informal "members only" events like this, they are not checking anything. Also, they usually say that any member can bring a guest (or two, just be reasonable). Typically they have something nice on tap and there is a big bottle share out back.

 

[domtronzero]

While I am a bit dissappointed at the increase in both membership and bottles, I will be renewing this year. I split it with a friend so it's not so bad, but I've expected this to happen all year so I was prepared peppered for it.

Either way, they make great beer and I'm happy to have more bottles coming next year. However, with the Bruery's Hoarders membership and CS membership, I think 2014 may be the last year I am enrolled in either of their programs.

Who am I kidding? Nobody.

 

[FishPondManager]

This quote from the email really makes me question if production costs have much of anything to do with the increase: "Given the quality of these beers, their exclusivity for members, and the current market rate of shelf sours in Colorado, we feel that the price fairly reflects the quality and is still discounted for members."

It sounds to me that we can chalk a lot of the increase up to "because we can."

I'm jumping back on my high horse and saying that breweries are businesses first and should price their products to achieve maximum profitability. If you can sell something for $3 more you should do it. It doesn't matter if inputs or overhead have increased. These breweries are not some low margin, high volume retailer that should strive to make their product the most affordable to a wide group of people. They are focusing on a small niche (sour drinkers) of a small percentage of a market (craft beer).

IMO, Chad, Robert, and the ground level investors at crooked stave should do everything they can to squeeze a dollar out of us. In a way, we as Cellar Reserve members are also investors in Crooked Stave. However, we realize no investment gain and instead realize the gain via the continued and increasing quality of the beer, which usually costs the consumer more money.

Now that return diminishes as the price goes up for most of us since, I'm assuming, we live middle class lives. We have to buy less or make sacrifices. This is the same trade off we face with all luxury goods. I'd love to drive a Mercedes, eat prime beef every night, wash that down with a pour over Kopi Luwak, and bang my wife in a 10,000 square foot house. But I can't, and I don't go SteakTrader.com and complain every time Allen Brothers jacks up the cost of beef. Instead, I make do with my 7 year old Volvo, a choice NY strip on the weekends here and there, a pour over using the best I can find, and shag in a 2,500 SF cookie cutter house.

Price increases like this every year will obviously put many of us out of the club, but I don't think we're quite there yet. I think Crooked Stave is trying to find the proper equilibrium in regards to Cellar Reserve. I'll continue to join as long as the quality of beer continues to increase and no truly feasible alternative to obtain a quantity of this style presents itself. But Gene is right. As a local to crooked stave, as soon as it's just as cheap to order a case of Cantillon 375s from Etre, or RR sours go back to being shelf turds here, I'd start reconsidering.

I understand this is a much different decision process for those who do not live within 100 miles of Denver, but the basic argument about the increasing price of beer stands.

Beer price increase complaining rant over

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

I'm jumping back on my high horse and saying that breweries are businesses first and should price their products to achieve maximum profitability. If you can sell something for $3 more you should do it. It doesn't matter if inputs or overhead have increased. These breweries are not some low margin, high volume retailer that should strive to make their product the most affordable to a wide group of people. They are focusing on a small niche (sour drinkers) of a small percentage of a market (craft beer).

IMO, Chad, Robert, and the ground level investors at crooked stave should do everything they can to squeeze a dollar out of us. In a way, we as Cellar Reserve members are also investors in Crooked Stave. However, we realize no investment gain and instead realize the gain via the continued and increasing quality of the beer, which usually costs the consumer more money.

Now that return diminishes as the price goes up for most of us since, I'm assuming, we live middle class lives. We have to buy less or make sacrifices. This is the same trade off we face with all luxury goods. I'd love to drive a Mercedes, eat prime beef every night, wash that down with a pour over Kopi Luwak, and bang my wife in a 10,000 square foot house. But I can't, and I don't go SteakTrader.com and complain every time Allen Brothers jacks up the cost of beef. Instead, I make do with my 7 year old Volvo, a choice NY strip on the weekends here and there, a pour over using the best I can find, and shag in a 2,500 SF cookie cutter house.

Price increases like this every year will obviously put many of us out of the club, but I don't think we're quite there yet. I think Crooked Stave is trying to find the proper equilibrium in regards to Cellar Reserve. I'll continue to join as long as the quality of beer continues to increase and no truly feasible alternative to obtain a quantity of this style presents itself. But Gene is right. As a local to crooked stave, as soon as it's just as cheap to order a case of Cantillon 375s from Etre, or RR sours go back to being shelf turds here, I'd start reconsidering.

I understand this is a much different decision process for those who do not live within 100 miles of Denver, but the basic argument about the increasing price of beer stands.

Beer price increase complaining rant over

Then just say that the price increase is because we think you'll pay it instead of "my costs went up because people weren't picking up their beers so we have to pass that along".

Since they raised the price of the sours from $10 to $12 a bottle the price also went up for a pour in the tap room from $8 to $10. Curious what is the price going to be for a pour in the taproom now?

 

[lazerviking]

I'm jumping back on my high horse and saying that breweries are businesses first and should price their products to achieve maximum profitability.

IMO, Chad, Robert, and the ground level investors at crooked stave should do everything they can to squeeze a dollar out of us.

I disagree with these two statements. I'm not saying that CS or any brewery shouldn't attempt to make good money off of their products. But I think attempting to "squeeze" money out of its customers is not necessarily in the long-term interests of a brewery, as it has potential to turn customers away.

I also have to say, I'm a big fan of the CS beers, but with the exception of the L'Brett Plum, I haven't had one that I would pay a full $15 for on a regular basis.

 

[FishPondManager]

I disagree with these two statements. I'm not saying that CS or any brewery shouldn't attempt to make good money off of their products. But I think attempting to "squeeze" money out of its customers is not necessarily in the long-term interests of a brewery, as it has potential to turn customers away.

Squeeze may have been the wrong term. Price increases are absolutely going to turn customers away. That's evidenced in this thread. But my point is that even with this increase membership will be full. If they do it again next year, maybe it won't fill and then they've set their equilibrium at around $375 and $12.50 a bottle for the time being. But they shouldn't leave at least $50,000 on the table just to keep everyone happy.

I also have to say, I'm a big fan of the CS beers, but with the exception of the L'Brett Plum, I haven't had one that I would pay a full $15 for on a regular basis.

And this is perfect evidence of the wide variation in taste preferences and price decisions. L'brett D'plum was my least favorite of the whole year, but I'd happily pay $13 for every other bottle that was released this year.

 

[FishPondManager]

Then just say that the price increase is because we think you'll pay it instead of "my costs went up because people weren't picking up their beers so we have to pass that along".

Since they raised the price of the sours from $10 to $12 a bottle the price also went up for a pour in the tap room from $8 to $10. Curious what is the price going to be for a pour in the taproom now?

Probably higher. But I bet I still run into you there every time I'm down.

 

[lazerviking]

And this is perfect evidence of the wide variation in taste preferences and price decisions. L'brett D'plum was my least favorite of the whole year, but I'd happily pay $13 for every other bottle that was released this year.

I actually think my favorite part of being in the CR has been my ability to order Vielle and St. Bretta at a discount. I love those beers. I prefer them over most of the CR beers.

 

[FishPondManager]

The only piece of advice I'd give to the CS guys would've been to just start charging tax last year instead of rolling it into the retail price. No one would have complained and the increase in membership cost this year wouldn't have been exacerbated by the additional tax. I even sent them an email last fall when I bought my membership asking why they weren't charging tax. Rolling sales tax into the price of your product is not smart.

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

Probably higher. But I bet I still run into you there every time I'm down.

Only been to the new place a couple times. Haven't seen any of the familiar faces I saw every time I was at the old place. Doesn't have the same vibe to me. Not saying I'm not going to be there but probably not as often. And less if the price of a pour goes up much.

 

[poonamibaxter]

My problem(wife is bringing this up) is that they have put themselves in the same price range as pretty nice bottles of wine that have twice the abv. I can get a nice case of wine for $380 especially if I prepay for it, then I have more ozs at more abv. And paying 12.75 plus tax puts the extra bottles at damn near $14. Ain't too many, if any, 7% beers I'll pay that for on a regular basis. If you want to get chapped pull up your receipts for l'brett d'or from last year and see what you paid then look at what you'll pay this year.

The tap room used to be a cheap place to go drink, that's over. Wife and I went during GABF and had over a $100 tab and didn't leave with any bottles, never done that before.

I'm a check it or respect it kind of guy. I renewed so I didn't check it so this will be my last post bitching about it hopefully.

 

[poonamibaxter]

The only piece of advice I'd give to the CS guys would've been to just start charging tax last year instead of rolling it into the retail price. No one would have complained and the increase in membership cost this year wouldn't have been exacerbated by the additional tax. I even sent them an email last fall when I bought my membership asking why they weren't charging tax. Rolling sales tax into the price of your product is not smart.

So you're the reason we are paying tax. Did you also tell em how much you enjoyed the tin tacker?

 

[huckyourmeat]

My problem(wife is bringing this up) is that they have put themselves in the same price range as pretty nice bottles of wine that have twice the abv. I can get a nice case of wine for $380 especially if I prepay for it, then I have more ozs at more abv.

But the problem with that is then you have to drink ******* WINE. God damn, that'd suck. I'd rather drink Mickey's or Popov.

 

[FishPondManager]

Only been to the new place a couple times. Haven't seen any of the familiar faces I saw every time I was at the old place. Doesn't have the same vibe to me. Not saying I'm not going to be there but probably not as often. And less if the price of a pour goes up much.

I can agree here. I think all of us who've been hitting the barrel cellar over the past 15 months are going to miss it. We knew what Chad was throwing down long before WWB's went nuclear and we reaped the benefits. I'm going to miss going there on a Friday at 1pm and being the only one there to ******** with Nick, Ben, or Danny. I'll miss the cheap prices too.

But time marches on. ****, I remember when Chad had long hair and only had three taps at Funkwerks. That seems like sooooo long ago.