Damn near rioting over craft beer. Oh, Florida/

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

So every year since 2010, Cigar City Brewery has held a release party for their award winning and highly coveted Hunahpu Imperial Stout.
The first event was very relaxed as there were only a few hundred in attendance. As the brewery and the beer became more popular (and more valuable), the event grew to unmanageable proportions, and this year they tried, and failed miserably, to control the release day a little better.

It failed.... BADLY.
People flew in from other states to get their hands on a few bottles of this black gold, and when things went wrong. They went really wrong.

http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/food/spirits/cigar-citys-hunahpus-day-a-mess-but-so-was-angry-mobs-response/2169515

http://thefullpint.com/events/cigar-city-hunahpus-day-2014-fallout-pics/

http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/food/spirits/cigar-city-ends-hunahpus-day-after-angry-crowds/2169435

The last one I attended was 2012. It just started getting too big and too crowded. I don't do crowds, so I'm glad as hell that I didn't attend this year's either.
They tried to put a cap on it at 3500, but that didn't go as planned, since people started forging tickets from eventbrite, and you know, nobody thought to buy an extension cord and keep their phones charging while they had to scan the 6,000 or so people who showed ups tickets.
The crowd got hotter, drunker, and angrier as the day progressed, and then it happened.
They ran out of the beer before everyone got the three bottles that their $50 ticket promised them.

Oh hell.
People got unruly, threw empty bottles at volunteers and staff, everyone was forced out by police, yelled, pushed, and chanted "Cigar City Sucks"... all over piss poor event planning.

Now, I love this brewery and I do back them and their product. However, I do not feel a bit sorry for them for this day.
They've grown too big for their britches, should have spent the money on an event coordinator, not trusted the public to just be cool and drink good beer.
The consumer whorism within the beer community is disgusting. People were buying up to 10 cases each at $20 a pop before others that were promised their three bottles even had the chance to get to the tables. Why?
Let me show you:

It's rated a solid 100 on beer forums http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/17981/47022/

It RESELLS online through beer forums for anywhere between $100-$300.
WHAT. People buy this stuff, turn around and trade or resell it for ridiculous amounts of money.

Cigar City failed that day, and their reaction is to flip a table and fuckitty bye.
No more Hunahpu Day.

The backlash on the internet has been hilariously gross.
The fake Ebay listing I found was so awesome, till they took it down.




You see this? He almost DIED TO DEATH to get them.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

That's too much work for a drink whose manufacture can't be trusted in the hands of Americans.

I just walk down the street and drink Belgian beer.  It's pricey, which is a good thing, because there's never a crowd.  And my natural instincts are kept under control by my wife, so it's

QUIET

Which, to me, is worth the difference between a Duvall and something that scored 100 on the beer chart.

[Roly Poly Oly-Garch]

So have you had this beer? I've never met an Imperial Stout I like. Extremely curious what one that could start a riot must taste like.

Also, I've pretty much decided that if a given beer festival isn't already a clusterfuck, it's just standing in a long, sweaty, day-drunk line to become one.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

I've had it every year (still have 2011, 2012, and 2013 in my beer fridge). I will say it is a good beer, but definitely not worth the trouble people go through to get it. There are way better beers out there. Mexican Cake http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/24134/78011/ is a good example, but because it doesn't have a solid 100/100 rating, people don't kill each other over it.

[The Johnny]

That's the power of hype and marketing... i sometimes get looked down upon because i choose to drink JohnnyWalker Red (which has a nicer flavour) instead of JohnnyWalker Black (which is simply more expensive).

But we know hype isnt exclusive to beer or alcohol, it happens in EVERYTHING... once enough people like something then a ton of processes begin to become involved, in which people dont do it because its good or practical or whatever, it becomes a social phenomenom.

We might as well could be talking about social norms or a cultural practice which seem to work that way too.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Yeah.
So, with all this hissy fitting, the beer will now just be set out for distribution.
This means two things:
A) I might be able to score a keg of it for the bar, which will be difficult, as I'm competing with a place called Redlight Redlight, who's world known
and
B) People will be camped out outside of the liquor stores overnight to get their hands on, most likely, a one bottle limit per customer, and start multiple small fights when the cases go shifting out the back door by the employees.

Could be a good thing, as it may be able to be enjoyed by more people, or could be bad depending on how well the retailers handle it.

There wasn't a lot of trouble with the Cinnamon Roll'd and White Chocolate Wake N' Bake when it went out, so we'll see what happens.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Jesus, that's dumb.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

People are dumb.

[Eater of Clowns]

If I recall, you and Mr. Squid passed some tastes of that around at the 2011 Meatup? I'm pretty happy to have had a beer that people got bludgeoned over. It makes my beerpeen swell with pride.

I'm sorry it got ruined for you, I remember when you were really excited for Hunahpu and Hunahpu Day.

On the plus side, the other hit beverage of the weekend - Budweiser & Clamato Cheleda in a Can, is bountiful and easily acquired. My review, mysteriously, never made it onto Beer Advocate.

[Cramulus]

On a long enough time line, and with enough supply & demand see sawing, everything of value will get the Walmart on Black Friday treatment.

Mark my words - By 2020, you'll see riots at movie openings, marijuana dispensaries, the apple store, you name it.



Cigar City makes some fucking kick ass beer though.

On the plus side, the other hit beverage of the weekend - Budweiser & Clamato Cheleda in a Can, is bountiful and easily acquired. My review, mysteriously, never made it onto Beer Advocate.

                Eewwww! I'll take the crab juice!
                             \

[Richter]

The populace has reached the level of value-destitution that they will let they freedoms get flensed without a whimper, but will riot when they can't have their special stuff they're having just to have. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The populace has reached the level of value-destitution that they will let they freedoms get flensed without a whimper, but will riot when they can't have their special stuff they're having just to have. 

ALL OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION SINCE THE YEAR DOT SAYS "HELLO!"

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Jesus, that's dumb.

Yes.

People are dumb.

Oh yes.

If I recall, you and Mr. Squid passed some tastes of that around at the 2011 Meatup? I'm pretty happy to have had a beer that people got bludgeoned over. It makes my beerpeen swell with pride.

I'm sorry it got ruined for you, I remember when you were really excited for Hunahpu and Hunahpu Day.

On the plus side, the other hit beverage of the weekend - Budweiser & Clamato Cheleda in a Can, is bountiful and easily acquired. My review, mysteriously, never made it onto Beer Advocate.

Yes you did, I remember it surviving the flight and me being very surprised.
"Budweiser & Clamato Cheleda in a Can"

The populace has reached the level of value-destitution that they will let they freedoms get flensed without a whimper, but will riot when they can't have their special stuff they're having just to have. 

ALL OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION SINCE THE YEAR DOT SAYS "HELLO!"

^^ Alla dat