Whale Hunter

[Dunt1]

How did you guys know some of these beers existed in the first place?

Too much time on my hands

 

[stupac2]

1.) Selectie C or Olutravintola Pikkulintu. I've seen one or two Selectie C out in the wild, but never seen an Olutravintola. I was in Helsinki for a quick stop in November, but couldnt get the wife to come to Pikkulintu with me and it was our honeymoon so I didnt push the subject.

2.) Don Quijote, Loerik, and Goldackerl for lambics and SA Millennium for everything else.

3.) Dave was probably one of the worst whales Ive had. It's boozy as ****, even after all this time. I loved Goldackerl, it was one of the most unique Cantillon I've had to date. I dont think it gets near the hype it deserves.

4.) Girardin black label, 3F Oude Geuze, and Hoponius Union

5.) 3F Oude Geuze or Saint Lamnivus

I don't think you'll ever see a lot of love for Goldackerl because it's so ******* weird. I liked it, and appreciated it for its uniqueness, but I don't think I'd ever buy it again (and I just ordered it at Akkurrat so I got it pretty cheap).

 

[GrumpyOldTroll]

How did you get started whale hunting? I assume trips to Europe are the answer, but was it more about knowing someone who could get these whales? eBay sales? Quantity for quality trades?

All of the above - big time whales usually trade hands for $, not other beer. So it's a matter of finding them and then getting them as cheap as possible.

How did you guys know some of these beers existed in the first place?

Answer:

<------------

 

[Stubs]

Nicer?


Hahahahahahhahahaha



(Just speaking for myself as one of the "banned" that seemed to start this last exodus along with dontdrinkbeer and GrumpyOldTroll)

Look, that wasn't like a total ass kiss. It's a serious question. I'm sure there's some animosity but I frequented that site, found out about the whole thing several months later cause well, I'm not exactly perceptive and it seems as if my disdain for the whole thing is greater than those affected directly.

While not speaking directly to a lot of people (who are now here) I wouldn't know what 90% of this stuff is (Whales, trading in general) and there's an entity profiting from it at and acting like it is correct.

A lot of these guys are the ones who not only acquired the information about whales and all of this and spread it without any hope of gain. What do you do? Just start another site and have a LIF where some ******* from Indiana gets to crush some Dave and 4loko and just move on. That really takes an awesome amount of character.

Then again, I came here realized all of this is possible AND people can have fun while they're at it and I'm enjoying every second of it.

 

[Stubs]

I digress and shouldn't worry too much about the past, serious question: Were you guys collectors of other things before getting into the hard to find beer scene?

 

[MordorMongo]

Look, that wasn't like a total ass kiss. It's a serious question. I'm sure there's some animosity but I frequented that site, found out about the whole thing several months later cause well, I'm not exactly perceptive and it seems as if my disdain for the whole thing is greater than those affected directly.

While not speaking directly to a lot of people (who are now here) I wouldn't know what 90% of this stuff is (Whales, trading in general) and there's an entity profiting from it at and acting like it is correct.

A lot of these guys are the ones who not only acquired the information about whales and all of this and spread it without any hope of gain. What do you do? Just start another site and have a LIF where some ******* from Indiana gets to crush some Dave and 4loko and just move on. That really takes an awesome amount of character.

Then again, I came here realized all of this is possible AND people can have fun while they're at it and I'm enjoying every second of it.

I think you answered your own inquiry a bit there. The solid people that got ****** out of that other place were awesome people in spite of that place, so once in a freer environment it was only natural to get better/nicer/more fun, etc. Sort of like how Google or whatever figured out if you let people play ping-pong during breaks they are more productive overall.

Savvy?

 

[Stubs]

I think you answered your own inquiry a bit there. The solid people that got ****** out of that other place were awesome people in spite of that place, so once in a freer environment it was only natural to get better/nicer/more fun, etc. Sort of like how Google or whatever figured out if you let people play ping-pong during breaks they are more productive overall.

Savvy?

Thanks.

Let's leave it at that. I won't bring it up again.

 

[falc0n26001]

All of the above - big time whales usually trade hands for $, not other beer. So it's a matter of finding them and then getting them as cheap as possible.


Answer:

What's the most expensive beer you guys paid for? Dave for $2k? What's the price range for the rare Cantillons, for instance? Just asking because I am ignorant; if you don't want to talk about money I understand.

 

[BeersMorgan]

4.) Girardin black label, 3F Oude Geuze, and Hoponius Union

Been looking for that Black Label, is that easy for you to get or do you have a lot of it?

 

[regularjohn]

my friends cant grasp the concept of pricey beer, even if its a vintage, limited release, retired etc etc the whale game is pretty crazy but they just don't seem to get it, has it affected your relationships in any sort of way? whether its friends, girlfriends etc

 

[regularjohn]

meant to edit my first post oh well

1) what was the first rare beer you acquired individually or as a group? would you say you were pretty much hooked at that point and knew you could get almost anything if you put in the effort and the opportunity was there?

2) how many years deep have you guys been into the hunt? was it not that long after you were first introduced to craft?

3) are sours pretty much the go to for you guys or what do you enjoy going after personally? whether its a BA stout or something else

4) would you say traveling internationally was a key factor and landing most of the bottles you've gone after? or was it just a start to find people that had them?

 

[Jnorton00]

Been looking for that Black Label, is that easy for you to get or do you have a lot of it?

It used to sit around here all the time until they stopped sending it.

 

[SeaWatchman]

If i could sell every bottle i own and or trade for whisky id be happy walking away for good.

Someone get this man some whiskey.

 

[JulianB1]

I love threads like this, despite not having any skin in the whale game whatsoever. I guess it's my affinity for historical information about whatever hobbies/activities I'm involved in.

 

[1v1willwreku]

1.) Selectie C or Olutravintola Pikkulintu. I've seen one or two Selectie C out in the wild, but never seen an Olutravintola. I was in Helsinki for a quick stop in November, but couldnt get the wife to come to Pikkulintu with me and it was our honeymoon so I didnt push the subject.

2.) Don Quijote, Loerik, and Goldackerl for lambics and SA Millennium for everything else.

3.) Dave was probably one of the worst whales Ive had. It's boozy as ****, even after all this time. I loved Goldackerl, it was one of the most unique Cantillon I've had to date. I dont think it gets near the hype it deserves.

4.) Girardin black label, 3F Oude Geuze, and Hoponius Union

5.) 3F Oude Geuze or Saint Lamnivus

And not a single Fantome was seen that day.

 

[Dunt1]

And not a single Fantome was seen that day.

I haven't tried hard enough yet, my personal whale list is a very fluid thing

 

[Treatise]

I have a few questions too, if you'll pleasure me.

1) (similar to regularjohn's number 2) How long had you been into craft before you got into whales? Was it a gradual process where you tried something like dark lord, then something like a somewhat rarer loon, then something even more rare etc. or did you start chasing the big guns from the beginning?

2) do you still enjoy everyday beers as much as if you weren't into whales? are there any beers which you'd be inclined to drink a six pack of in a night which are not even remotely limited or hard to find?

3) if you knew 100% that a beer would taste like **** (e.g. if it was from the 1940s and all known bottles were ridiculously oxidised), yet it was insanely rare and (for some reason) highly sought after by others, would you go after it?

4) what is the most money you're aware of changing hands for a beer? (feel free to not answer, I get the impression this one might be unwanted)

Cheers

 

[Totoropanda]

1. What proves to be the hardest beer for you to hunt down? Probably the Veritas 05 or Cantillon Loerik. Although like Mike said.. once we found one.. we found 2 others of the veritas 005
2. What was the best tasting rare beer? Muscat reed geuze or M
3. What was the most surprising rare beer (good or bad)? Good-spuyten, bad-Groseille cantllon
4. What's your favorite daily drinker? Alpine IPAs, Golden Blend, alpine Great
5. If you could fill your cellar with one beer, what would it be? Probably Solstice D'ete framboos! ISO!

 

[yeahnatenelson]

It used to sit around here all the time until they stopped sending it.

Not true. My local shop got a new shipment of Girardin within the last three weeks.

 

[Jnorton00]

Not true. My local shop got a new shipment of Girardin within the last three weeks.

Whaaaaaat???! Is this new again? Didn't they stop sending to the US a few years ago due to not meeting their demand in Europe?

 

[Ding]

How would you respond to the following sentence?

'Whale hunting (and the associated activity), is the antithesis of the relaxed, non-event based beer culture that is actually, truly at the heart of a sustainable beer culture'.

 

[pjl44]

How would you respond to the following sentence?

'Whale hunting (and the associated activity), is the antithesis of the relaxed, non-event based beer culture that is actually, truly at the heart of a sustainable beer culture'.

I don't buy into the idea of a singular beer culture. The volume of breweries and beer available allows for people to enjoy beer in a number of different ways. Those who hunt whales and those who just want to drift down to their local brewpub a couple times a week (and everything in between) should coexist fine, perhaps only bumping into each other at a festival here and there.

 

[Ding]

I don't buy into the idea of a singular beer culture. The volume of breweries and beer available allows for people to enjoy beer in a number of different ways. Those who hunt whales and those who just want to drift down to their local brewpub a couple times a week (and everything in between) should coexist fine, perhaps only bumping into each other at a festival here and there.

I agree that are are many different facets to the 'culture', but the question is, what is sustainable (and 'good') in the long run?

 

[pjl44]

I agree that are are many different facets to the 'culture', but the question is, what is sustainable (and 'good') in the long run?

All of it. I don't see any specific activity that's going to hurt the craft beer market. Do you believe whale hunting will have a detrimental effect in the long term? How do you see that playing out?

 

[Ding]

All of it. I don't see any specific activity that's going to hurt the craft beer market. Do you believe whale hunting will have a detrimental effect in the long term? How do you see that playing out?

I think that there is a whole generation of American geeks that don't understand the basics of beer, are wowed by the whale, and as such are likely to get bored and move on as the fad fades for them. In terms of finances, effort and time, perusing such things in perpetuity is unfeasible for many, as work, children, money and life get in the way. As a result, it's entirely possible that the American scene will lose a large cadre of beer drinkers, and the underlying sub-culture will be depleted/damaged. That's to say nothing of the brewers that are neglecting to perfect simple styles, techniques and sustainable production at the expense of the next limited release.

 

[pjl44]

I think that there is a whole generation of American geeks that don't understand the basics of beer, are wowed by the whale, and as such are likely to get bored and move on as the fad fades for them. In terms of finances, effort and time, perusing such things in perpetuity is unfeasible for many, as work, children, money and life get in the way. As a result, it's entirely possible that the American scene will lose a large cadre of beer drinkers, and the underlying sub-culture will be depleted/damaged. That's to say nothing of the brewers that are neglecting to perfect simple styles, techniques and sustainable production at the expense of the next limited release.

Where we agree: I think there are definitely breweries who have skipped past perfecting simple styles and right into experimenting with wild ingredients and barrel-aging. As one would expect, the results vary wildly and some are in way over their head. But, again, so many breweries and so many more popping up every month. The cream will rise to the top and there will always be tasty options.

Where we disagree: I think it's really unfair to project how much or little any individual or group understands about beer. I also think you're vastly overestimating how much of the craft beer market these individuals represent. Craft beer is still a small percent of the overall beer market and those of us who frequent the internet to talk about beer make up a smaller percentage of that segment than we care to admit. Even if you're right and those collectors leave the scene for something else (bourbon?), it won't even be a blip on the radar.

 

[Michigan1]

Ding,

It seems like you think that other people are experiencing beer incorrectly. If "other people having experiences incorrectly" is annoying to you, think how unbearable it must be to have a condescending stranger tell you they hate the way you're experiencing your life at just the moment you've found something you enjoy.

Why the **** do you care how someone else enjoys a beer?

 

[Ding]

Ding
Why they **** do you care how someone else enjoys a beer?

I don't, rather I am trying to point out how I think it might have a detrimental effect on your beer scene.

 

[Michigan1]

I don't, rather I am trying to point out how I think it might have a detrimental effect on your beer scene.

I didn't know there was a right and wrong way to be craft beer person. If you let the actions of others affect your enjoyment of the craft beer world (and I should think you don't based on your strong-held beliefs on how a beer should be enjoyed), you're doing it wrong. Why can't you just have some fun with this? I hope beer never becomes what you want it to be; a rigid culture following a fixed set of beliefs and practices, and rules dictating how, when, and where a beer can be enjoyed.

 

[jedwards]

I wouldn't worry about it, our beer scene seems to be doing fine. Plenty of good, accessible beer for people who want that and some harder-to-find stuff for people who enjoy that adventure. Something for everybody. New breweries that are on shaky ground with their beer-making fundamentals seem to be coming less from trying to make "whales" and more from the fact that demand for craft so outstrips supply that pretty much anyone can jump in and give it a shot.