90

11/28/2014 11:36:56 PM

Just got a couple of these:



Not big on saving beers, but might store one of these for a special occasion. Heard good things and I normally love wake-n-bakes.

12/4/2014 6:15:41 PM

Oh, The Abyss, how I've missed you. Please don't ever leave me again. <3

12/5/2014 10:53:33 PM

Waited in line nearly 2 hours for it, but my patience was rewarded.

12/7/2014 5:08:18 AM

Picked up some N'Ice Chouffe and a bottle of Rum Barrel Pumking to try today.

Was shocked to see a bottle of Sam Adams Utopia on the shelf but I guess the $299 price tag scares most away.

12/13/2014 2:09:36 PM

been making some glasses out of 22oz bombers today. fun stuff. lots of sanding. wow.

12/13/2014 3:56:25 PM

Stocked up for a week in Connecticut with the in-laws. They have tons of wine and liquor, so don't need too much...but still have a nice variety for pre and post-dinner:











Add in some Sammy Smith Winter Welcome and Founder's Breakfast Stout...and I think I'm good.

12/20/2014 11:50:06 AM

what i just poured a glass of

12/22/2014 2:46:31 PM

someone go to Crank Arm and buy one of their BA Derailleur Barleywines and let me know how much they cost. I'm guessing ~$25 since their stuff is always overpriced.

12/22/2014 3:14:49 PM

Any must-haves/bring-backs in the NOLA area?

12/31/2014 8:13:11 PM

Went to the dirty, generic liquor/convenience store down the street from my office to get an energy drink. Saw two bottles of The Abyss and several 4-packs of BCBS in the coolers. It's like Christmas all over again!

1/6/2015 10:56:51 PM

Because I like beer. Recent trades, looking forward to trying new things.

1/17/2015 12:08:53 AM

I received a bottle of The Abyss in a beer swap over the holidays. Hopefully it's as good as its reputation implies!

1/18/2015 10:52:01 PM

Was excited to try this...but it was just meh...

1/19/2015 10:58:08 AM

A bar in the neighborhood had that Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose on tap today...very good stuff. Quite tart, but not overly so, and very tasty.

1/20/2015 1:55:23 AM

so anyone seen boulder beers (in NC) recently? I haven't and I want some Hazed & Infused

2/9/2015 1:42:00 PM

Had two glasses of Sexual Chocolate at Foothills this past Saturday. Was gonna stop at that & then eat dinner, but then that spiraled into going to the next bar nearby to sample other pints (Oskar Blues Double Red, New Belgium Slow Ride, 21st Amendment Black IPA are the ones I remember, ha). Also picked up a case of Founders Dark Penance at City Beverage---looking forward to trying that!

2/9/2015 2:40:46 PM

^^^^ definitely overrated, IMO

2/9/2015 3:53:25 PM

hey fuck you Bell's.
http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2015/03/10/small-wnc-brewery-big-trademark-dispute/24715493/

Quote :

"Bell's has filed a federal action against Innovation over the use of its name. Bell's says its unregistered advertising slogan "bottling innovation since 1985" could lead to confusion with customers. While the slogan is used on bumper stickers, it's not present on any of the brewery's beer packaging. Bell's also uses a slogan "inspired brewing," which has been part of the legal complaint, that the company believes would be confused with Innovation Brewing's name."

Not drinking Bell's anymore. Fuck these litigious porchdicks. Part of the craft beer ethos is the collaborative culture between breweries. Bullying a tiny brewery over a single word in an unregistered slogan is some bullshit. it would be like Budweiser suing any brewery using the word 'beer' because their slogan is 'The King of Beers'

3/11/2015 9:44:47 AM

3/11/2015 7:55:59 PM

^^ Hopefully they'll drop it with all of the backlash they are getting, but I still love me some Bells. Will not stop drinking.

3/12/2015 10:35:22 AM

Bells is quality patio drinkin' beer.

3/12/2015 10:44:05 AM

Bells has quality everything beer. They're great across the board.

3/12/2015 10:57:06 AM

Smitten Golden Rye is one of my favorite spring beers.

3/12/2015 11:10:04 AM

https://www.facebook.com/BellsBreweryInc/posts/866186226753419?fref=nf

Seems like Innovation only told half the story. Its easy to make yourself look like the victim against a larger business that way.

3/12/2015 1:42:05 PM

I snagged a case of Dogfish Raison D'Extra while I was up in MD. It's a little higher alcohol percentage (18%). Let me know if you have any trades!

3/12/2015 1:47:41 PM

^^ what i take issue with is:

Quote :

"Our concern is with their United States trademark application and potential impact on our brand, which we have spent 30 years building."

in my limited understanding, this is a stupid concern...someone explain to me how innovation's similar - but not identical - slogan will hurt bell's brewing

3/12/2015 3:03:36 PM

Bell's Slogan is "bottling innovation since 1985"
The Sylva company is named Innovation

It can be confusing to consumers where these products are next to each other on the shelves because it sounds like Innovation is a Bell's beer. It'd be like opening a computer company called "Different Computers" while Apple's slogan was "Think Different." It can sound like Apple is urging you to consider buying another brand's product.

Also, when it comes to defending trademarks, brands, slogans, etc. Its harder to win cases against large companies if you don't show that you've defended other infringements. If they let this slide and then a year later Anheuser-Busch InBev comes out with a slogan/brand/ad, that crosses into infringement, it will be harder to stop since you can be shown to have backed away from defending it against other companies.

My biggest issue here is that Innovation took legal proceedings and went public with them, conveniently omitting any information that casts them in the light of anything other than a small helpless brewer.
They made it sound like Bell's saw their stuff and slapped them with a lawsuit because they are big dumb douchebags. In reality Bell's has been working for a year to try and come to an agreeable solution, including a shared use and reimbursing Innovation for its legal fees, which they then rejected.

Its a shady and underhanded business tactic and as far as I'm concerned Innovation can fold, this state has enough reputable and great brewers, we don't need new ones who are here to leech off the hard work of others.

3/12/2015 3:15:49 PM

Quote :

"It can be confusing to consumers where these products are next to each other on the shelves because it sounds like Innovation is a Bell's beer."

really? i feel like that level of stupid is reserved for natty light drinkers

Quote :

"My biggest issue here is that Innovation took legal proceedings and went public with them, conveniently omitting any information that casts them in the light of anything other than a small helpless brewer."

i agree, somewhat...but i also think bell's is being retarded...if they don't think jackson county beer drinkers can tell the difference between their product and innovation's, then they have a bigger problem

i'm just gonna sit back and

3/12/2015 3:22:15 PM

Yeah i think the "average" consumer wouldn't be confused, and in all honesty if this issue didn't have any bearing on whats to come down the road for Bell's then I think they probably would have never considered the issue to be that important.

I you're going to play the victim card as adamantly as Innovative did, you better be completely honest and upfront about how you've been treated. They weren't, and like I said, NC has too many top notch brewery's to tolerate such childish business practices.

3/12/2015 3:36:21 PM

Quote :

"I you're going to play the victim card as adamantly as Innovative did, you better be completely honest and upfront about how you've been treated."

agreed

3/12/2015 3:48:59 PM

and so it continues: https://www.facebook.com/innovationbrewing/posts/455657244592313

Quote :

"To Our Wonderful Craft Beer Community: We felt it was important to get our story out to the media because this is an important matter for the craft beer industry. We did not intend (nor do we want to) have a social media battle with Bell's, but because of allegations posted on Bell’s Brewery’s Facebook page we now have to defend ourselves. Settlement discussions are protected communications that are not to be disclosed publicly, so out of respect to Bell’s Brewery’s rights we would never have disclosed them. Furthermore, Mr. Bell pointedly stated that he would not “play this out on social media” – and so we again respected his wishes by keeping the details to ourselves. Now, it appears they changed their mind. We are planning to deliver a full statement of the facts and events that have brought us to this point. Until then, we feel it necessary to respond to Ms. Bell’s enumerated allegations. Thank you for continuing to support and believe in us. You keep us going through this difficult time. 1. Yes, this is a TM proceeding and not a lawsuit, although it is like a lawsuit, requiring legal representation, being personally deposed, and including a trial. They are asking us to withdraw our federal trademark application for our brand name. 2. We do not believe that any human on earth would confuse Innovation Brewing with Bell’s Brewery, despite their slogans. 3. Laura Bell did contact me at 7:00 pm the night before their opposition filing was due. They had already hired attorneys to represent them and file for their extension to file the opposition. We had not hired an attorney. After she advised us that she would “let us” keep using the name in NC only, and never expand beyond it, she said that we had until the next day at 5:00 PM to respond. That is 22 hours to find an attorney and decide on the future of our business. That was the one and only attempt Ms. Bell made to contact me. From there their attorneys took over. 4. Not a single co-existence agreement has ever been presented to us by Bell's. In fact it was we who submitted a written co-existence agreement – subsequently declined by Bell’s. The only monetary compensation they have ever offered us was $2,500 which was to cover the inconvenience of being forced to abandon our trademark and go register a different one. The “legal fees”, as Ms. Bell puts it, brought on by their legal action against us, may exceed $50,000. We did not feel like being bought off. 5. This matter was before the TM office one day after she began talking to us. No offer has ever been presented to us other than the offer to limit our business to NC or take $2,500 to start over and build a new brand. We believe in our business, so those are not really offers at all. 6. In regards to Laura Bell stating "we hope to resolve this as swiftly as the system will allow" we suggested the accelerated trademark opposition process that would have brought this to a legal end much sooner and with far less expense, but Bell's denied it. You great people don’t deserve to be peppered with sides of the story. So we will give you a full account of the facts so you can decide for yourself. We are good people and we know we have your support. Stay tuned. -Chip and Nicole"

3/12/2015 5:46:42 PM

What a shit show. This doesn't change my mind about the situation at all. Bell's is in the right in a very murky situation and both side has handled this as poorly as possible.

Bell's fucked up not registering their trademark and avoiding this whole to begin with. They've already dealt with trademark issues before its not like they weren't aware of the legal greywater that these unclaimed marks cause.

Innovation fucked up by not doing their homework and market research ahead of time.

Last of all, who filed the trademark proceeding? It sounds like Bell's is saying Innovation did, which would give Innovation grounds to cease and desist Bell's own 30 year old slogan. Innovation is saying Bell's did, which would cause them to have to change their name.

3/12/2015 6:21:19 PM

Quote :

"Bell's is in the right in a very murky situation and both side has handled this as poorly as possible."

i agree with the latter, but not the former

it was my understanding that innovation initiated the trademark proceedings (registering their company name)...if that's the case, in what way do you think bell's is "right"? because unless you believe that innovation is intentionally trying to confuse consumers by likening their brewery name to the bell's slogan, i don't see a problem with innovation having the name of their brewery be one word in bell's (unregistered) slogan

3/12/2015 6:26:41 PM

Speaking of Bells...one of our favorite local spots (beautiful place on the waterway, lets your dog indoors and outdoors) will be tapping the only keg of Hopslam in the state tomorrow...to go along with their Double Cream Stout and Red Nose ESB, words with their local rep, and free oyster roast.

Planned on staying sober and working out tomorrow in preparation for taking the first two days of the tourney off for work...but that's definitely not going to happen now...

3/17/2015 3:08:10 PM

Which bar is that? Not that I'm going to make it down there to day drink tomorrow, but b/c it sounds like a fun place for the next time I get down there (friends live in MP).

3/17/2015 3:32:36 PM

Fuck Bell's. If what we're reading is indeed true, I'll never support those asshats again. There's wayyyyy too many good beers out there that are as good or better (at likely cheaper prices). My refined beer palate will not be missing anything.

3/17/2015 3:45:44 PM

The Barrel on James Island. Its right before you get to Folly Beach. Tap selection is awesome and its a great place to take your dog. No kitchen, so dogs are off leash and can roam in and outside...but the outside is huge. They usually have food trucks or someone is grilling outside (case in point, the oyster roast tomorrow).

3/17/2015 4:12:09 PM

Bells Hopslam fresh out of a keg is delicious.

Also got some "inside" info on the Bells/Innovation situation. Obviously from a biased source, but their rep said that Bells and Innovation had been in talks well before this all blew up and were prepared to settle everything on a handshake. But the day before they were going to settle, Innovation's attorney went and filed the trademarks. Then their attorney goes and writes a scathing editorial in the Asheville newspaper to try and drum up business. There were a lot more details than that, but I'm definitely not Anti-Bells after listening to their side.

Oh...there was also a baby pygmy goat at the bar that night. He was awesome:

3/23/2015 11:41:21 AM

I'm going to be in Asheville this coming Thursday-Sunday for a bachelor party, 2nd trip to Asheville this month. I dont know if my liver can handle four more days there

3/23/2015 12:35:56 PM

which nerd is getting married now?

3/23/2015 1:20:38 PM

Quote :

"Also got some "inside" info on the Bells/Innovation situation. Obviously from a biased source, but their rep said that Bells and Innovation had been in talks well before this all blew up and were prepared to settle everything on a handshake. But the day before they were going to settle, Innovation's attorney went and filed the trademarks. Then their attorney goes and writes a scathing editorial in the Asheville newspaper to try and drum up business. There were a lot more details than that, but I'm definitely not Anti-Bells after listening to their side."

it's good that you acknowledge your source is biased...because if that were indeed the truth, you'd think that bell's would come out and say it, since they didn't have any problem going to social media and trashing innovation in the first place

3/23/2015 1:43:09 PM

It doesn't sound like I've followed this as closely as you have...but it always appeared to me that Bells "trashed" Innovation after the huge initial social media backlash...that was started by Innovation.

I'm really not trying to pick a dog in this fight...because I honestly think they're both wrong. But fights like these are happening all over the craft beer world. With a bazillion breweries and beers...toes are going to be stepped on. You have to know when to pick your battles (on both sides)...but I'm not going to be against a company for standing up for their slogan...that they've had for an extremely long time.

3/23/2015 2:08:43 PM

Quote :

"which nerd is getting married now?"

my buddy Zach

3/23/2015 2:42:37 PM

Quote :

"I'm really not trying to pick a dog in this fight...because I honestly think they're both wrong."

i guess that's where we differ...i can't actually imagine a craft beer drinker so stupid that they'd mistake "innovation brewing" (the brewery) with bell's slogan "bottling innovation since 1985" that isn't even FOUND on their packaging

Quote :

"but I'm not going to be against a company for standing up for their slogan...that they've had for an extremely long time."

so you agree that they stand to lose revenue due to the confusion? really? think someone's going to go into a craft beer store looking for hopslam or oberon and walk out with something completely different because they saw "innovation brewing" and thought "hey, both of those words are on a bumper sticker i saw once, clearly it's a bell's product"?

for some reason, i don't see that happening...it's like they're still butthurt over the solsun issue back when they were kalamazoo...grow the fuck up, bell's

3/23/2015 3:07:19 PM

I guess (as an attorney) I also look at the principal. With the way the industry is going, you have to start putting your foot down at some point. Maybe Bells saw this as their "point".

3/23/2015 5:39:53 PM

Just had some KBS and CBS on tap...absolutely delicious. Preferred the CBS...the maple sweetness took a some of that bourbon bite away.

Also had a Blushing Monk that was fucking delicious. I could drink it for desert every night with a piece of chocolate. Thought it was crazy that it was 9.2%.

4/1/2015 7:57:56 PM

Local bar had a Sierra Nevada tap takeover tonight, and one of the selections was a whiskey barrel-aged Bigfoot barleywine. DAMN that was tasty! I don't know if this is uncommon or widely available (first time I've seen it) but if you like barleywines or big barrel-aged beers, definitely worth it.

4/3/2015 12:56:09 AM

Just a delicious double ipa:

4/21/2015 10:08:12 AM

I very highly recommend people try out White Rabbit Brewery in Angier. If you can't make it to the brewery, they sell 2 types of their bottles in raleigh area Total Wines, a porter (which has an awesome reputation, but I personally don't like porters) and the Jabberwocky Trippel which is fantastic and will definitely sneak up on you at 11%.

4/21/2015 10:20:36 AM