Upland Brewing Secret Barrel Society

[JulianB1]

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

Well, it's a better deal than the Turtleback Ridge Society.

 

[daniel1]

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

The fact that they've only sold 22 memberships in nearly five hours says otherwise.

 

[Dmkaz]

The fact that they've only sold 22 memberships in nearly five hours says otherwise.

Look again, back up to 499 'in stock'.

 

[mpayne5]

Look again, back up to 499 'in stock'.

I added one to my cart for ***** and giggles, so that may be the only one missing.

 

[MordorMongo]

Should have asked him if he could maybe make these bastards a little more sour.


I mean might as well go for broke.

 

[Dmkaz]

They must have found a few more barrels in the back - '645 in stock'.

 

[JulianB1]

What level of hubris does it take to honestly believe this is a good value for your customers?

 

[awhipker]

So, doing some simple math:

19 different beers released x 6 of each (if production allows) x 645 (if they sell out of memberships)=73,530 750ml bottles at $25 a bottle is $1.8 million.

Assuming that these all hold true (I'm pretty sure that memberships won't sell out) does Upland have the capacity to release that many bottles over the course of a year?

 

[PHBoiler]

Should have asked him if he could maybe make these bastards a little more sour.


I mean might as well go for broke.

He said at that BtB event that they have numerous barrels turn to malt vinegar that they use at the restaurant. I have no clue why they need to shoot for that level of acidity.

 

[MordorMongo]

So, doing some simple math:

19 different beers released x 6 of each (if production allows) x 645 (if they sell out of memberships)=73,530 750ml bottles at $25 a bottle is $1.8 million.

Assuming that these all hold true (I'm pretty sure that memberships won't sell out) does Upland have the capacity to release that many bottles over the course of a year?

You forgot to add in 645 X $250.

Just sayin'.

 

[mpayne5]

So, doing some simple math:

19 different beers released x 6 of each (if production allows) x 645 (if they sell out of memberships)=73,530 750ml bottles at $25 a bottle is $1.8 million.

Assuming that these all hold true (I'm pretty sure that memberships won't sell out) does Upland have the capacity to release that many bottles over the course of a year?

Explains why they discontinued the certificate. That's obviously not enough money

 

[Usofar]

So I'm one of the suckers that renewed. They didn't even have the courtesy to recognize me as a returning member. I didn't even get the VIP upgrade. Poor customer service indeed. If I didn't need more reasons to send claaark13 beer I would feel really ashamed right now.

 

[awhipker]

More people might be apt to join if they included a trip to the dentist for enamel replacement....

 

[MordorMongo]

More people might be apt to join if they included a trip to the dentist for enamel replacement....

Or at least a year supply of Tums.

 

[awhipker]

You forgot to add in 645 X $250.

Just sayin'.

Did you blindly sign up again as soon as you saw the email?

 

[MordorMongo]

Did you blindly sign up again as soon as you saw the email?

I prepaid last year. I'm the sucker born every minute.

 

[awhipker]

I prepaid last year. I'm the sucker born every minute.

That must be the Double Secret Barrel Society I've heard rumors about.

 

[MordorMongo]

That must be the Double Secret Barrel Society I've heard rumors about.

It included TWO certificates. One was written in invisible ink.


Ultra.rar.


No soup for you.

 

[Dmkaz]

It included TWO certificates. One was written in invisible ink.


Ultra.rar.


No soup for you.

Maybe the 2015 edition is TRIPLE secret. Certificate in invisible ink written on invisible paper. The SWFF tickets are invisible too.














So is the enamel on your teeth.

 

[daniel1]

If they aren't re-adding to the quantity available, they've sold two today.

 

[daniel1]

SBS story time!

I found out earlier this year that my wife was pregnant with our first child. I decided buying thousands of dollars worth of Upland was not the wisest move, so I let someone take over my membership. He emailed me about a week ago inquiring about the two SBS glasses included in the membership fee. I emailed them and they told me they'd ship them so I gave them his address and they were promptly shipped.

After he received the glasses, he emailed me to let me know they shipped regular glasses and not the SBS glasses. I let them know of their mistake and they told me they are out of the 2014 SBS glasses and I could pick some other glasses instead.

This is pretty amazing. I don't even know where to begin. Paying $250 just for the right to buy beer and they can't even get you the actual things that were included in the membership fee.

 

[user 305778]

How does that even make sense? They know exactly how many glasses they need since they know how many people signed up!

 

[Usofar]

SBS story time!

I found out earlier this year that my wife was pregnant with our first child. I decided buying thousands of dollars worth of Upland was not the wisest move, so I let someone take over my membership. He emailed me about a week ago inquiring about the two SBS glasses included in the membership fee. I emailed them and they told me they'd ship them so I gave them his address and they were promptly shipped.

After he received the glasses, he emailed me to let me know they shipped regular glasses and not the SBS glasses. I let them know of their mistake and they told me they are out of the 2014 SBS glasses and I could pick some other glasses instead.

This is pretty amazing. I don't even know where to begin. Paying $250 just for the right to buy beer and they can't even get you the actual things that were included in the membership fee.

Caleb told the same thing via email, but when I opened the package Upland sent it was two Upland 2014 SBS glasses.

 

[stupac2]

SBS story time!

I found out earlier this year that my wife was pregnant with our first child. I decided buying thousands of dollars worth of Upland was not the wisest move, so I let someone take over my membership. He emailed me about a week ago inquiring about the two SBS glasses included in the membership fee. I emailed them and they told me they'd ship them so I gave them his address and they were promptly shipped.

After he received the glasses, he emailed me to let me know they shipped regular glasses and not the SBS glasses. I let them know of their mistake and they told me they are out of the 2014 SBS glasses and I could pick some other glasses instead.

This is pretty amazing. I don't even know where to begin. Paying $250 just for the right to buy beer and they can't even get you the actual things that were included in the membership fee.

Also you can just make more glasses. It's not like beer where you could run out and just be screwed, it's pretty trivial to just order more glasses.

 

[daniel1]

Here's the reply I got from Caleb:

We have provided you with two glasses of equal value to the ones we no longer have on hand, and provided them to you by mail at our cost, instead of the standard method of picking them up with your first bottle purchase. We also offered an additional piece of merchandise for the unavailability of the SBS glassware. I feel this part of your membership benefit has been adequately taken care of on our part. If you are dissatisfied with your membership in any other way we want to make it right, within reason of what was originally part of your membership package.
Cheers,
Caleb

Here's the email I sent back:

Then why were the glasses not given to my proxy when he picked up the first allocations of the year then? Or the second? Or the third? Further, you knew EXACTLY how many glasses you needed as you knew the exact number of SBS members. What exactly happened to the two that should have been allocated to me? Did you sell them since you already had my $250? Did you figure since I'm dumb enough to pay $250 for the right to purchase beer that I wouldn't care about two little glasses? I would like to think for as much heat as you guys have taken regarding the SBS, you could manage to get the little things right. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[Usofar]

I can't believe he is really that dense. Then again my ex from that area didn't want to vote for Obama because he was the false profit and the anti-Christ. It's a different world than what I live in.

 

[user 305778]

I love it. It's just a baffling response.

edit: It really fits well with the whole society. You should consider yourself honored.

 

[snowrs1]

I can't believe he is really that dense. Then again my ex from that area didn't want to vote for Obama because he was the false profit and the anti-Christ. It's a different world than what I live in.

Yep because you can judge an area by 2-3 people.

 

[Usofar]

Yep because you can judge an area by 2-3 people.

All it took was MordorMongo, the extras were an added bonus. I've been to the area several times for Dave Matthews concerts.

 

[MordorMongo]

All it took was MordorMongo, the extras were an added bonus. I've been to the area several times for Dave Matthews concerts.

hahahahahhaha yet WE are the morons?


DMB??

Get the **** out of here, you cannot be serious right now.