Above: 2 tracking numbers I keep in my Deliveries.app of packages that I’ll never receive.
In December, I received a note from UPS that a package was damaged in transit. The damage occurred before the box left Southern California. In it, 12 bottles of Bruery Hoarders beers, most of which were my entire Black Tuesday and Black Tuesday Reserve allocations, about $300 total in beer was destroyed.
This week, FedEx notified me that a box broke in transit, another 12-bottle Shipper of various barrel aged Bruery beers. This time, the damage occurred in my home-town and I rushed to the FedEx center to plead that they release the package to me “The package contained illegal goods and it was destroyed”
:(
In beer & shipping this year I’m out a lot of money to Bruery. My trustee and I use shippers that have traditionally worked very well. With the frustration in boxes breaking and with both of us trying to save money, I’ll be cancelling my Hoarders Society Membership w/ Eric this year. I joined Reserve Society in 2013 and 2014 and Eric was wonderful. We never had any issues except for those created by Bruery with their infected beers. In 2014, Eric invited me to split Hoarders with him for 2015 and we renewed again for 2016. It’s been a great set of beers aside from the bottles lost to the shipping gods.
As a part of Hoarders, close to 4 grand on beer (2015 HS join fees not included in below sheet) and I’d estimate another $500 in shipping costs. I hate that I enjoy their barrel aged beers so much but I do and it’ll be sad to say goodbye. Assuming no other boxes break this year, I’ll be saying goodbye to Bruery w/o a sour taste in my mouth. Maxing out on Chocolate Rain, Melange 12, Black Tuesday and Mash & Grind is going to cost a lot of money but these are beers I can’t get in New Hampshire or Vermont so biting the bullet to make my last few months worth it.
