Post-release Re-cap 1-24-11: MY GRATITUDE FOR GRATITUDE RELEASE DAY: 

We're almost back to normal here - picture what it's like in your house after having a few hundred of your GOOD FRIENDS over for drinks and a bite.  It take a bit to get things back in place... but here's the report-out:

• STACKED VERTICALS ARE ALL GONE.  In fact, they were all committed (in 6yr form), to people waiting in line early that morning, before we even got the door open.  We used wristbands to keep everything nice and fair, and that was clearly the right call.  If you got one, you certainly earned it waiting on the sidewalk in the single digit temps at 9:00am.  Ah, Barleywine weather!
• The extra GRATITUDE 2006 HAS BEEN DEPLETED, as are the "Surprise Upgrade Cases" with 2009 stock that we added at the last minute.  Apologies to those that didn't get any of the older stock (especially if you drove here from Michigan!), but hopefully you still managed to share a beer or two with some new GOOD FRIENDS, grab some 2010, and enjoy your visit.
• WE STILL HAVE ~500 BOTTLES of GRATITUDE 2010 left here.  Which means you guys took home roughly 1,000 bottles on Saturday.  WOW -Thanks everyone!
• We have the coolest customers ever - Like Al from Al's of Hampden in Harrisburg who got here at 9am to get his 6yr Stacked Vertical Pack, and then immediately opened his 2005 Gratitude for everyone to share.  How cool was that?
• Hot tip: If you're going to wear your wedding ring to a Barleywine Release, keep it on your finger.  It's a lot harder to lose that way, and I'll mail it to you shortly. 

GRATITUDE CELLARING TIPS:  Now that you have some Gratitude, and you'd like to age it a bit, here's a few tips...

• Store your Gratitude at either room temperature, or lower.  This will allow the beer to continue it's long bottle conditioning process, let the beer develop a little more carbonation (which brings out the flavor and aroma more), and permit the flavors to evolve and transform over time.  "Cellar temperatures" are probably perfect.  That shelf above the stove, is perfectly wrong.
• Don't store it in your window or in direct sunlight.  In spite of the paper overwrap, sunlight will eventually ruin the beer, and it will become light-struck... also known more commonly as "skunky".
• Keep your Gratitude away from bottle openers and thirsty housemates with a taste for bottom shelf vodka.  It will last much longer this way.
• When you're ready to open it, an edge-on style bottle opener (like you find on a pocket knife) will be much easier to use on the waxed top, than the more common flat style of opener.  Drink it out of a fancy stemmed glass if you've got one, but mostly be sure to share it with a GOOD FRIEND, as instructed on the label.  The results will be better, I assure you.

Here's a link or two to photos from the release, and there are more rolling in... If you've got more photos that I should include here, drop me a line here with a link, and I'll be happy to add it to the list.

• Jason's (aka Crazymacharris) pics.

You GOOD BEER Fans are truly the best I could ever imagine, and I really appreciate all of you making the trip, waiting in the cold, and growing this event year after year.  And of course, thank you for all the beer and eats you brought in to share with everyone, and for all of your kind words throughout the day.  I've said it before, but this beer community is what makes doing this for a living so incredibly enjoyable and I'm just thrilled to be a small part of it.

Hope to see you here again soon!  Cheers - Scott

---

IT'S FINALLY READY...or at least it will be on January 22nd:

The beer has been in bottles for a few months now, the labels have been printed and applied (thanks World's Best Brewery Volunteers!), and they're nearly dry.  That means it's time for me to start waxing, signing, and numbering here - and book the release day!  Here's what I know about the details so far.  I'll fill in more info on the older vintages once I've had a chance to do some counting:

Please scan this whole page for INDIGO TEXT updates from 1/19/11 on the Stacked Verticals, and on 2006 Gratitude availability as part of "Upgraded Cases".

AT THE BREWERY ON THIS DAY ONLY, WE'LL HAVE...

1. Gratitude Barleywine 2010 ($18/ea, Case of 12 for $200) Actually, we'll probably have this one for a while.
2. Older vintages of Gratitude 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 will only be available in these Stacked Vertical packs.
3. Exception to that last item: 2006 was the first year we did a double-batch, so there's a little more of it here.  I still need to count it to see exactly how much, and figure out a way to give everyone a chance to get some.  (One idea is to sell a full case of 2010, but replace 1 bottle w/ a 2006, using the price schedule below.  I'm open to suggestions here...)
4. Other Stuff, detailed below.

Three-year "Stacked Vertical" is...

• 3 bottles of Gratitude 2010
• 2 bottles of Gratitude 2009
• 1 bottle  of Gratitude 2008

Four-year "Stacked Vertical" is...

• 4 bottles of Gratitude 2010
• 3 bottles of Gratitude 2009
• 2 bottles of Gratitude 2008
• 1 bottle  of Gratitude 2007

Five-year "Stacked Vertical" is...

• 5 bottles of Gratitude 2010
• 4 bottles of Gratitude 2009
• 3 bottles of Gratitude 2008
• 2 bottles of Gratitude 2007
• 1 bottle  of Gratitude 2006

Six-year "Stacked Vertical" is...

• 6 bottles of Gratitude 2010
• 5 bottles of Gratitude 2009
• 4 bottles of Gratitude 2008
• 3 bottles of Gratitude 2007
• 2 bottles of Gratitude 2006
• 1 bottle  of Gratitude 2005

... but you probably figured that out after the first two.

PRICING: Each year we hold the beer, we bump the price up by 7 bucks per bottle.  This is the best way I've come up with to give everyone a chance at the limited quantities of the older years.  If you really want a 6 year old bottle of Gratitude for a super-nice price, my advice is to pick up a bottle of the 2010 and hang on to it for 6 years. Delayed Gratitude-ification?

We're a cash-only operation - no plastic. All prices include PA Sales Tax. There are no deposits and no returns on Gratitude bottles, but please recycle them when you're through.

So with all that said, here's the price and the breakdown of each pack:

6yr Stacked Vertical:				$600
2005	53
2006	46	46
2007	39	39	39
2008	32	32	32	32
2009	25	25	25	25	25
2010	18	18	18	18	18	18
5yr Stacked Vertical:				$400
2006	46
2007	39	39
2008	32	32	32
2009	25	25	25	25
2010	18	18	18	18	18
4yr Stacked Vertical:				$240
2007	39
2008	32	32
2009	25	25	25
2010	18	18	18	18
3yr Stacked Vertical:				$130
2008	32
2009	25	25
2010	18	18	18

STACKED VERTICAL UPDATE 1/19/2011:

We've done our counting, and I'm happy to report that we will have 17 of our Six-Year Stacked Vertical Packs available at the release day on Saturday.  This number is limited by the amount of 2008 (Green Wax) Gratitude we have available for this release... which unfortunately means that there is none left to build any 3, 4, or 5, year vertical packs.  So unless we have leftover 6 year packs to break down, they won't be available.

In talking with people over the last few weeks, the only questions I have had about the Stacked Verticals were related to the 6 Year Packs, so I'm hoping this will be the best approach...  So here's how this is going to work: Everybody wanting to pick up a 6 Year Stacked Vertical Pack will get first crack until there is no one else in line.  Then anybody who wants a 5 Year gets a turn, then the 4 Year, and then finally the 3.

Last year, we somehow managed to have a Stacked Vertical of any size for everyone who wanted one.  But I have a feeling this year we will not be so lucky.  If you have your heart set on taking one home, getting here at or before Noon will likely serve you well.

I plan to assess what demand is like before we open the door, and while I'm keeping the per-person limit at 2 Stacked Verticals for the time being, I am reserving the right to knock that back to one per person on the day of the release, if it's looking like we'll run out immediately. (So if you want 2, the safe move is to bring a friend.)

Again, this is the best way I can come up with to make sure everyone gets a chance at some of the older vintages, short of some elaborate lottery system.  But maybe we'll save that for next year.

 

GRATITUDE 2006 Availibility Update 1/19/11:

We've got a couple extra boxes of 2006 Gratitude that we will be offering as part of an "Upgraded 2010 Case".  So, if you're planning to pick up a case of 2010 Gratitude, you can upgrade that case to include some 2006 Gratitude, and I've worked a modest discount into it as well, compared to the per-bottle prices.  But I will warn you: Some of these 5 year old labels are not exactly "pretty".  And the numbering... well, we lost track of that a while back.  Neither of these things effect the beer though.

- Upgraded Case: 11 bottles of 2010, 1 bottle of 2006 $225 (Corrected)

- Double (Imperial?) Upgraded Case: 10 bottles of 2010, 2 bottles of 2006 $250 (Corrected)

- Triple (Trippel? Tripel?) Upgraded Case: 9 bottles of 2010, 3 bottles of 2006 $275 (Corrected)

 

REGULAR TABLE MANNERS APPLY:
So that everyone gets a chance to get some at "brewery prices", I'm imposing some purchasing limits on what you can take out of here, per person, per visit.  This means that you can get some, put it in the car, and get back in line for seconds after everyone has had been fed. Short of dipping everyone's thumb in purple ink, this is the best I can come up with.  And we'll see how it goes, especially since I'm getting low on pretty much all of the older years.  I might break out some wristbands or numbered tickets if it's looking a little chaotic.

Traders are welcome. Ebay resellers will be given a long boring lecture about the glories of GOOD BEER, several dirty looks from the crowd, and sent off to the local swap meet in search of Franklin Mint Commemorative Dishware.  Come early, come often, no frontsies, no backsies (I called it!), share with your neighbors, play nice.

So, here's the limits per person:

• 2010 Gratitude - 12 bottle limit per "visit", as long as there is a line.
• Stacked Vertical Packs - 2 total pack limit, as long as there is a line. (See note above about this limit.)
• Upgraded Cases (2010 cases with some 2006, detailed above) - 1 per visit, as long as there is a line.

NOW FOR THE OTHER STUFF: We'll also have...

• Free tasters of Gratitude 2010, maybe a little 2006 if it's not too nuts in here.
• Eight beers on tap for tasting/Growler Fills. Regular Growler Hours going on in the front of the house.
• One of those will be our Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout, newly released for this day (and Valentine's Day).
• Eye Opener Coffee Porter and Homewood Reserve 2010 bottles also available up front, though I'm guessing one or both will run out this day.
• A BYOBeer table, where you are welcome to bring in any homebrew or commercial beers from your cellar to share with whoever you like...or don't like. We're going to set up a larger space for it this time.  And there is rumor of a post-release beer gathering in the making, probably on the S. Side.
• A BYOFood table, where you can do the same thing with snacks, potluck style. We'll have some plates and napkins here, and I'll pick up some cheeses and other snacks to go with the Barleywine.
• Like last year, I'll even put the heat on.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTES:

• Well supervised kids are always welcome at the brewery during our regular Growler Hours, and that includes this event.
•  East End Brewing is far from ADA compliant, but we'll do what we can to accommodate your needs, including bringing bottles or Growlers right to your car. (Sorry, no tasters outside the building though.)  Just give us a call in advance if you need a little extra attention, and we'll be happy to do what we can to help.

See you here! Cheers - Scott

---

AND AFTER THE RELEASE...

There's an informal get together of GOOD BEER Fans happening after the Gratitude Release.  And what's more, it's happening at a place with things like chairs, tables, and a menu.  (Crazy, I know!)  This is a FREE event where you can come and go as you please, and people bring rare and not-so-rare beer to share from their own personal stash.  So in effect, bringing something to share with the group is your price of admission.  Cool, eh?

Also, since the host location is not charging anyone to drink "outside beer" in their place, it's good manners to buy something to eat while you're there.  Or something to drink - that's permitted too of course.  And maybe save a few tastes for the staff while you're at it!

It's happening at OTB Bicycle Cafe on the S. Side, and it starts at 4pm.  I hope to join you there, if I'm still on my feet.

These gathering happen on a somewhat regular basis, so if you're interested in keeping up, follow @PittCraftBeer on Twitter.