The San Diego area thread

[sdreaper]

Just not a good look among the other price increases. Lots of promises for next year won't take effect immediately next member year, either. She mentioned the locker build out (perks for tiers two and three) won't happen until registration closes... which she said would probably be some time in June. Guess I just soured on "promises" from these programs. Establish yourself, prove the value is there, and then I'll consider.

And they don't seem to be committing to web shop pick ups in house, either. Someone asked in the member group if it would resume after March and it was a very vague response about still having "discussions" about it (or something along those lines... can't see it since I'm not longer a member. They are somehow the only brewery in town that can't handle it, and many much smaller breweries have no issues holding orders.

This probably all sounds very whiny. Not intending for it to be that way, but maybe it's just me finally seeing the light with regards to many of these programs being a pure cash grab. Kudos to handful of member programs that really seem to do it right.

While sounding whiny I think you got it all right. I opted not to renew for this year mostly because I need to dwindle down my 8 memberships (now 7 since this one ended) to probably 2 or 3. But yeah, some of the promises are great on paper/browser but in actual practice it takes more work to implement. So there were a few instances of over-promising and under-delivering that rubbed me the wrong way. Rachel is trying to turn around the membership and is very very open to criticism. Her answers aren't always crystal clear, as you had mentioned....but asking her in person usually gets a better response. I know that isn't easy for everyone and rather inconvenient but it does happen.

I might rejoin next year depending on how friends tell me this year was. I'll also still be visiting the tasting room quite a bit and hopefully the friends I made there can help me out by "looking the other way" when they pour me a viking-only taster. But I won't go there counting on it.

 

[DannyFullpint]

While sounding whiny I think you got it all right. I opted not to renew for this year mostly because I need to dwindle down my 8 memberships (now 7 since this one ended) to probably 2 or 3. But yeah, some of the promises are great on paper/browser but in actual practice it takes more work to implement. So there were a few instances of over-promising and under-delivering that rubbed me the wrong way. Rachel is trying to turn around the membership and is very very open to criticism. Her answers aren't always crystal clear, as you had mentioned....but asking her in person usually gets a better response. I know that isn't easy for everyone and rather inconvenient but it does happen.

I might rejoin next year depending on how friends tell me this year was. I'll also still be visiting the tasting room quite a bit and hopefully the friends I made there can help me out by "looking the other way" when they pour me a viking-only taster. But I won't go there counting on it.

I just want to take a moment to compliment you on your stellar metabolism.

 

[jwacky]

I might rejoin next year depending on how friends tell me this year was. I'll also still be visiting the tasting room quite a bit and hopefully the friends I made there can help me out by "looking the other way" when they pour me a viking-only taster. But I won't go there counting on it.

Same. Definitely a "prove it" year for me. Not like I'm hurting for ways to blow my beer budget. I do hope she turns it around and does well. Time will tell.

 

[chemman141]

I just want to take a moment to compliment you on your stellar metabolism.

I think the secret may be lambic, IDK.

 

[sdreaper]

I just want to take a moment to compliment you on your stellar metabolism.

15yrs of running cross country will do that. Followed by almost a decade of rock climbing. I need to get back into running though. DaveRunsForBeer might be the new handle when that happens. Although I won't be able to post 83mile+ journeys in 6ish hours like benbikes4beer does.

 

[rrryanc]

I think the secret may be lambic, IDK.

Man, I wish.

 

[souredstouts]

Damn, I knew it! I even sent a message to Rachel asking as such.

Rachel really came through and helped the program out in many ways. I think with time (this year hopefully) the issues that were brought up she will fix. Still going to sit this year out to see if it get smoothed out.

 

[jwacky]

Rachel really came through and helped the program out in many ways. I think with time (this year hopefully) the issues that were brought up she will fix. Still going to sit this year out to see if it get smoothed out.

Considering that she was taking over a complete dumpster fire, yes, I agree with this. Mostly just a "fool me once" situation for me. With so many memberships available there is really no worry of missing out on anything because you won't have the priority renewal.

 

[arren]

15yrs of running cross country will do that. Followed by almost a decade of rock climbing. I need to get back into running though. DaveRunsForBeer might be the new handle when that happens. Although I won't be able to post 83mile+ journeys in 6ish hours like benbikes4beer does.

I can't wait until the Speedway catches up to you all at once and you turn into old Marlon Brando overnight

 

[sdreaper]

I can't wait until the Speedway catches up to you all at once and you turn into old Marlon Brando overnight

Lets hope that when that happens I'll already be a day or two away from becoming worm-food.

 

[SerenityNow]

**** memberships. I’ve done enough to realize they are pretty much all cash grabs. Down to only 2, and have my doubts even for those!

 

[Tyrsis]

Hell I only have one, and I've been drastically cutting back lately.

 

[mjlevy231]

Hell I only have one, and I've been drastically cutting back lately.

Not sure if being a Modern Times Whore-der only counts as one

 

[Tyrsis]

Not sure if being a Modern Times Whore-der only counts as one

heh, true. I'm definitely buying less of the $20 IPA four packs. There are just too many good IPA's out there, so I'm going to stop wasting my IPA budget on just MT. El Segundo really tickles my fancy at the moment.

 

[riko1]

I bought zero of the last MT release. Citraholic four-packs have been my jam this year.

 

[smithj21541]

**** memberships. I’ve done enough to realize they are pretty much all cash grabs. Down to only 2, and have my doubts even for those!

 

[smithj21541]

heh, true. I'm definitely buying less of the $20 IPA four packs. There are just too many good IPA's out there, so I'm going to stop wasting my IPA budget on just MT. El Segundo really tickles my fancy at the moment.

Now you can buy $20 4/pks of helles!!
MT helles
Me...

Disclosure... I have no idea what these will be priced at but thinking I'm not far off.

 

[arren]

It's hard to justify buying a 4-pack of anything hoppy in this city when there's a sixer of 16oz Pizza Port perfection sitting right next to it for considerably cheaper.

 

[riko1]

It's hard to justify buying a 4-pack of anything hoppy in this city when there's a sixer of 16oz Pizza Port perfection sitting right next to it for considerably cheaper.

Totally agree -- if the PP cans are reasonably fresh. So often I find Swami's or Ponto that is three months old or older. Even newly delivered cans are often several weeks old.

 

[arren]

Totally agree -- if the PP cans are reasonably fresh. So often I find Swami's or Ponto that is three months old or older. Even newly delivered cans are often several weeks old.

That doesn't bother me in the slightest. I found a year-plus old can of Ponto in my cabinet a few months back and drank it out of curiosity/desperation. It wasn't the best pint of Ponto, but man, it was serviceable.

 

[Xul1]

Pretty stoked for the Shredd Session release tomorrow. I was a big fan of the original batch last year, having it in six pack format, sitting in my fridge, will be even more awesome. The fact that it has quite possibly the best can art ever also doesn't hurt.

 

[chemman141]

I bought zero of the last MT release. Citraholic four-packs have been my jam this year.

That beer is so ******* good.

 

[SDBeerInsider]

Everyone seems to be losing love for MT, and yet they continue their rampant expansion with yet another (Santa Barbara) outpost announcement.

Any hot takes on whether they are managing growth/debt(?) in a responsible fashion?

Point Loma
North Park
LA
Portland
Anaheim*
Encinitas*
Santa Barbara*

 

[Tyrsis]

I sure hope so, because that is a fuckload of expansions. Given all the issues that the League has had this year, they need to step it up.

 

[riko1]

Everyone seems to be losing love for MT

Really? It seems like it's always crowded when I go there and the monthly releases seem to be selling well. I personally have hit a little bit of fatigue with the same few beers, slightly different adjuncts/barrels releases, but I thought others are still hot for them.

 

[blackzag05]

What issues have you had as a member? I’m genuinely curious btw because I’m not a member.

I sure hope so, because that is a fuckload of expansions. Given all the issues that the League has had this year, they need to step it up.

 

[blackzag05]

Btw Alien Prince, our MT collab (brewed at SP) came out delicious. It’s on now!

 

[sdreaper]

Btw Alien Prince, our MT collab (brewed at SP) came out delicious. It’s on now!

So it will be extraterrestrial royalty when it goes on at MT locations? =P

Also I am curious what issues have cropped up as well. Minus the membership card thing, I think Steven is working himself to the bone to cover roughly 1k ppl and 3 different pickup locations.

 

[jwacky]

So it will be extraterrestrial royalty when it goes on at MT locations? =P

Also I am curious what issues have cropped up as well. Minus the membership card thing, I think Steven is working himself to the bone to cover roughly 1k ppl and 3 different pickup locations.

Yeah, I haven't had any issues. There have been occasional hiccups with availability in LA I believe but nothing that wasn't rectified quickly. Seems like more and more people are falling in love with MT, especially after Monster Tones.

 

[Tyrsis]

What issues have you had as a member? I’m genuinely curious btw because I’m not a member.

They were obviously ill prepared for two separate tiers of the league, opening two brand new expansions at the same time, and supporting pickups between the three. There's been issues of them running out of beer, not having beer to pick up, not having merch to pick up, not having our perks ready, etc.

None of these things are dealbreakers, but they can add up. They're working hard, and I give them that, but it feels like they bit off more they can chew.