Upland Brewing Secret Barrel Society

[Shilt]

Will take you up on that Sam. Driving down to RVA on the Columbus day weekend. will text ya.

****. Really? That's my bday weekend. Having a share at my place that Saturday the 11th. Opening the BA cakes, an Upland, and who else knows. Text or BM for details if you'd like to join

 

[MordorMongo]

Love connection made.

My job here is done.

 

[snowrs1]

Sign up for 2015 starts today.

 

[daniel1]

If that URL gets out, anyone can join though, right? Seems like the first right of refusal isn't in play here. Am I just missing something?

 

[daniel1]

Got this in an email asking about the first right of refusal:

All 2014 members can maintain membership by renewing, none will be refused. We put the language "first right of refusal" before we understood that by law we couldn't restrict the program to a list of individuals and must offer it to everyone. Sorry for any confusion.

So all the other breweries that let current members sign up before the public are breaking the law or is this some stupid Indiana law (are we going to do this again?)?

They did say any 2014 members will get in as long as they sign up before Jan 1.

Hurry guys. 493 left.

 

[daniel1]

No certificate. I'm out.

 

[Dmkaz]

As returning members we even get a VIP Ticket to SWFF! Wait that was just included last year...

 

[mpayne5]

Upland sucks at this whole society thing.

 

[snowrs1]

Upland sucks at this whole society thing.

They do but I will pay the extra dollar a bottle to assure I don't have to enter the lottery.

 

[StevonHanby]

It should be two VIP tickets. Funk Fest was worth showing up for but sour drunk is a very weird drunk. I'm interested what they'll throw at us for this end of the year event they mentioned before.

 

[snowrs1]

I w

It should be two VIP tickets. Funk Fest was worth showing up for but sour drunk is a very weird drunk. I'm interested what they'll throw at us for this end of the year event they mentioned before.

as hoping for BA TBK but doesn't look promising.

 

[Dmkaz]

I shot Caleb/Andrea and email earlier, but strangely haven't had a reply yet:

Andrea / Caleb,

I wanted to express my extreme disappointment for Upland Brew Co as a whole. I bit my tongue paying $250 last year as a 'donation', but you take away benefits, dangle a 'VIP Ticket' to SWFF (which was already included in last year's membership) and expect me to renew? You've also given your privileged SBS members zero opportunity to renew before the general public.

We all took a huge financial gamble last year when all inaugural SBS members signed up. I guess that survey that you circulated earlier in the year was sent to the trashcan.

Caleb, you made some stellar sours, but this isn't the way to treat your 'society members'. I simply can't afford make a hefty 'donation' year after year to fund your program.

Regretfully,

Dmkaz

 

[mpayne5]

I shot Caleb/Andrea and email earlier, but strangely haven't had a reply yet:

Andrea / Caleb,

I wanted to express my extreme disappointment for Upland Brew Co as a whole. I bit my tongue paying $250 last year as a 'donation', but you take away benefits, dangle a 'VIP Ticket' to SWFF (which was already included in last year's membership) and expect me to renew? You've also given your privileged SBS members zero opportunity to renew before the general public.

We all took a huge financial gamble last year when all inaugural SBS members signed up. I guess that survey that you circulated earlier in the year was sent to the trashcan.

Caleb, you made some stellar sours, but this isn't the way to treat your 'society members'. I simply can't afford make a hefty 'donation' year after year to fund your program.

Regretfully,

Dmkaz

What happened to the included beer option they were throwing around months back? I think a majority of the memberships would be gone already if that were the case...

 

[gpawned]

What happened to the included beer option they were throwing around months back? I think a majority of the memberships would be gone already if that were the case...

Pretty sure that was the whole issue last year and they said that it is illegal in the state of Indiana to pre-sell beer, so they can't include bottles.

 

[gregkoko]

Pretty sure that was the whole issue last year and they said that it is illegal in the state of Indiana to pre-sell beer, so they can't include bottles.

I'm sure there's a way to work around it. Pay $250 for a membership and your first 10 bottles of beer are only $1 or some such nonsense

 

[daniel1]

Pretty sure that was the whole issue last year and they said that it is illegal in the state of Indiana to pre-sell beer, so they can't include bottles.

If I remember correctly, It was an option on the survey. Either they figured out there was no loophole and couldn't offer included bottles or not enough people voted for it. Or they just decided to roll the dice and see if they could get $250 again for no beer.

 

[daniel1]

They've sold 20 in the first three hours. Selling like hot cakes.

 

[mpayne5]

Pretty sure that was the whole issue last year and they said that it is illegal in the state of Indiana to pre-sell beer, so they can't include bottles.

I know that was the original issue, but back when they asked SBS members for 2015 options, they brought up a package with included beer again..

Scenario 2

Modify the membership benefits, priced at $300:

- Includes 9 bottles of sours, bottles are included as part of membership price
- Pre-purchased bottle varieties to be determined, the first pickup will be a package of bottles
- Ability to reserve additional bottles per style before public lottery, when available
- Exclusive access to a few smaller releases
- First in line access to reserve and purchase a Sour Fest VIP ticket
- 2 custom pieces of glassware
- Secret Barrel Society Membership Card

 

[mpayne5]

If I remember correctly, It was an option on the survey. Either they figured out there was no loophole and couldn't offer included bottles or not enough people voted for it. Or they just decided to roll the dice and see if they could get $250 again for no beer.

It's hard to believe that nobody voted for it, as it was the biggest complaint when this society was rolled out. The extra $50 is offset by $270 in beer almost.

 

[Dmkaz]

I know that was the original issue, but back when they asked SBS members for 2015 options, they brought up a package with included beer again..

From what I recall *all* of the options they proposed were better than what we ended up with. I'm betting they saw the cash come in and took a roll of the dice as someone else mentioned.

The issue became whether or not they're allowed to discount beer in any fashion. I heard through the grape-vine they were *pretty* sure they could, but didn't chance it at the time. It seems like they just threw that out the window altogether.

Hell, we don't even get a food/merch discount that almost every other society-esque membership usually has.

 

[Shilt]

Was seriously considering this now that the sister-in-law is in the Indy area, but not with the current format of the society. Will roll the dice on the Lottery and send her to the brewery for the Public Sales. It's a shame they don't include beer and are actually making this worse than last year's. But if the money flows....

 

[mpayne5]

From what I recall *all* of the options they proposed were better than what we ended up with. I'm betting they saw the cash come in and took a roll of the dice as someone else mentioned.

The issue became whether or not they're allowed to discount beer in any fashion. I heard through the grape-vine they were *pretty* sure they could, but didn't chance it at the time. It seems like they just threw that out the window altogether.

Hell, we don't even get a food/merch discount that almost every other society-esque membership usually has.

Yeah, I remember Caleb beating around the bush when he was asked about it and stated they weren't sure it was illegal, but the society was fair value somehow.

 

[Dmkaz]

Yeah, I remember Caleb beating around the bush when he was asked about it and stated they weren't sure it was illegal, but the society was fair value somehow.

Totally fair value because we get to see the sweet things they bought with our money like Sir Mix-A-Lot.

Also comment to the SWFF after-party. I'm loving how they're trying to hype it up when it basically was a bunch of dudes in some awkward caverns as Upland poured their Berliner and Dragonfly...

 

[MordorMongo]

Hahahaha bunch of ******* amateurs

They send us a toe, we're supposed to **** ourselves with fear?

Jesus Christ.


******* amateurs.

 

[daniel1]

I like that the SBS is listed under the gift cards category.

 

[MordorMongo]

I mean I'm so mentally challenged I signed up when it was a 8 beer guarantee and a piece of paper.

100 beers?


Give me 5 of them mother fuckers.

 

[MordorMongo]

Actually all **** aside if this next release is as sour as they've been this year then I'm out.

I'm old and my enamel has taken enough of a beating.

I'll just trade or lottery for the ones I have to have and spend my money on lottery tickets.

 

[PHBoiler]

I'll say this for the 2015 Society. They added Pawpaw to the list. That was pretty delicious as an experimental at Beyond the Brew: Sours at Jake Melnick's last November.

 

[snowrs1]

From what I recall *all* of the options they proposed were better than what we ended up with. I'm betting they saw the cash come in and took a roll of the dice as someone else mentioned.

The issue became whether or not they're allowed to discount beer in any fashion. I heard through the grape-vine they were *pretty* sure they could, but didn't chance it at the time. It seems like they just threw that out the window altogether.

Hell, we don't even get a food/merch discount that almost every other society-esque membership usually has.

Actually the members that sign up again are getting exactly what they proposed for option 1, minus our fancy fancy membership cert. if you attend the dinner and Sour Fest what we get really isn't that out of line.

 

[Dmkaz]

Caleb's response:

Dmkaz,

I disagree with any greater financial gain on our part or subtraction of any significant benefits.

The 2015 SBS membership is hands down a better offer than the 2014 SBS membership. We are offering a much greater amount of bottles for reservation in 2015, and the 2014 SBS membership originally included a general admission ticket that we upgraded to a VIP ticket. Other than that, minus the certificate and first right of refusal language, nothing has changed. All 2014 SBS members will be allowed to renew for 2015 if they choose to do so, and they get an automatic upgrade to a SourFest VIP ticket over a general admission for being renewing first year members. We are also going to provide more SBS-only events throughout next year than we provided in 2015. Per member it is going to cost us more, not significantly, but more, than it did last year.

We based this offer from survey feedback we received, with emphasis on making it a better program for 2015 members, with more exciting beers and more exciting events than previous. Most 2014 members responded that they were satisfied with the details of the first year membership, so we kept the format that way.

I think we are offering a good program that treats well the folks who support our sours brewery, past, present and future. Open to feedback if you are looking for some specific benefit for renewing membership, but let's be positive and productive, we appreciate your support.

Cheers,

Caleb