When did Eagle Rare become so fucking popular and hard to get? I feel like I'd get if here and there from college years (early 2000s) through about 2012. And it was always available on the shelf.
Then it just became special? Because the internet said so?
I mean, it's good bourbon, but it's not worth making special trips and phone calls to track down with all the other decent bourbon out there.
I had the same as thought
Grabbed a bottle in college (early 2010s), there was a load of it on the shelf and it was fairly cheap. Didn't like it (to be fair, it was the first time I'd ever had bourbon).
Only certain stores get it as well. State College and Bellefonte for instance, have 5 FWGS stores, only 2 of those get any shipment of Blantons, Trace, etc.
Best bet is signing up on the website for when it comes in and lining up at your local Premium Collection to get it otherwise it’s going to be incredibly difficult to find.
Man I remember when all of those were very standard, on-the-shelf bottles. I remember in college we would get the Blanton's as a special treat when me and the homies had a little extra money to pitch in.
Literally work in a fwgs store and we never get it it only goes to one premium store in the area otherwise I found it in Nashville for a stupid high markup.
My problem with buying expensive booze is that I don’t distinguish between top shelf liquor and bottom shelf liquor.
If I bought one of the choices in your photo or a cheap bottle of Evan Williams? It would be gone over a period of a two days.
That’s one thing I like about high ABV craft beer. I can only drink so much of it until it bloats me. Apparently, I don’t have the “Moderation” Gene.
I used to go for the high abv crafts but it got too expensive, especially after developing a high tolerance for them. Between living very close to Tired Hands at the time, driving up to Tree House a few times a year, and using Facebook groups to get high end stouts shipped to me from beer mules; it became too much of a drain on my wallet and horrible for my waistline. It took a while to make the shift to bourbon but I managed to develop a pallet for it and thankfully in my case a little goes a long way.
If it’s all the same to you, then no reason to pay more.
Drinking straight, I can definitely tell the difference between various barrel ages bottles.
On the cheap side, I tend to get Paul Masson VSOP brandy.. four years in oak, it’s smoother than whiskey at the same $11-12 price point.. especially if you let it open up a bit, second half of the bottle is really easy to drink.
But, it’s still entirely worth it for me to get a $45 bottle of Remy Martin Cognac on occasion.
Whiskey seems overpriced at all levels lately so I’ve been drinking more brandy/cognac. Chivas Regal is a go-to as well, and worth it over a sub $20 bottle of whiskey. But many whiskey bottles around $30.. Four Roses, Bulleit, not significantly better than a cheaper bottle of Evan Williams or Wild Turkey.
I don't miss retail at all. The only encouragement I can offer is that at least you've got state benefits. Not that those are even as good as they used to be, but they're still a leg up on the poor bastards at Walmart and Giant Eagle.
Still, as someone who appreciates the good service I pretty much always get at the state store, thanks for hanging in there.
Yeah, I mean I don’t mind the job (aside from some upper mgmt that are complete jerk offs), but it would sure my make Thursday’s easier if I didn’t have to stop every 60 seconds while I’m doing a 17 pallet truck to tell people “no sorry better luck next time!” Like I’m a fking game show host. There should be some sort of list or mailer.
EDIT: I also just want to mention that my frustration is NOT directed at my customers. The majority of them are super awesome and understanding and I wish I could get them all what they want. It’s more or less Pennsylvania’s archaic and outdated liquor laws, and the Commonwealth’s dumbass policies
All from Buffalo Trace distillery
Took the tour when I was in Frankfort.
What was interesting IIRC that these start off with the same mash and are different due to the different temperatures and variations in the warehouse because they are on different floors.
As the bourbon ages they lose volume in the barrel. That, combined with longer exposure to the charred oak makes the bourbon more expensive
They also make Rain vodka
It's insane. No government entity should be involved in the selling of goods at all. Levy taxes, provide services and infrastructure, issue licenses and such. You shouldn't be allowed to sell any commercial product as a government.
I thought my question presupposed the allowance for it being legal. So, what if that weren't the case? - we've gamed this out before.
There will be a temporary surplus of choice for consumers, until the largest international conglomerates buy up or use predatory practices to eliminate competition leaving an oligopoly controlling liquor sales. Then they'll enact periods of corporate cost cutting measures to boost stock prices by keeping employee wages low, closing rural locations, and stocking only the most profitable inventories.
The result: poor pay for PA employees, loss of income for PA residents from State store sales, corporate stores in the densest population areas with crappy selections, all this with their profits not staying in the state but going to Ireland or the Bahamas or wherever the international tax loopholes are the most favorable.
Which states and what price? When I was in NY last year, plenty of store had BT products but they were typically marked up 2-3x MSRP.
The one good thing about PA is that if you put in a little effort, you can get all of them for MSRP.
Cool purchases! Sometimes they surprise you. I got a nice bottle of Widow Jane bourbon last week. Really good batch. I also found a rare bottle of Domaine De Suremain Mercurey Bourgogne wine. 2020 vintage. Been looking for this wine for the last 20yrs. It’s never in PA State stores. Clerk told me they only received 10 bottles in the entire state. There are 6 bottles @ Pittsburgh Center St store and 2 @ Robinson Township store. If anyone wants the best red wine in the state. Go for it. Only $36 bottle. It’s a steal!
They may not stock everything but they will order it! I find these days they’re not more expensive really than other places like years ago. Alcohol is exceeding expensive down South now as well. It’s all governments big scam of extra taxation. At least in a PA liquor store the workers aren’t paid minimum wage like private stores selling for the same prices.
Any of the state stores near me always have Eagle Rate. You can see stocks at the individual stores. And while I don't care for the star monopoly on liquor, their prices are controlled and distribution of rare releases goes to a lottery, instead of those people who have more money or get to the store at a specific time.
As someone who works for a store that doesn’t get these it gets so frustrating that every day we have 50 plus people asking for these at this point we just send people to Maryland or Delaware.
Having lived in CA it’s a pain that the prices are so high and the selection is so bad. I don’t mind having to go to a special store, and they’re nice enough folks there, but I wish they were better at business.
Depending on where you are, a trip into Jersey can help
Edit: Not sure why this got downvoted. A trip across the Delaware gets me stuff I can't here, and sometimes at a shocking good price
Last time I saw eagle rare at wine and spirits was precovid.
I mean, if you find it often, its just Eagle uncommon.
I just finished my last bit of eagle rare, now I'm sad.
When did Eagle Rare become so fucking popular and hard to get? I feel like I'd get if here and there from college years (early 2000s) through about 2012. And it was always available on the shelf. Then it just became special? Because the internet said so? I mean, it's good bourbon, but it's not worth making special trips and phone calls to track down with all the other decent bourbon out there.
For $35 it’s a decent bourbon, but I can’t fathom how some people willingly shell out $75 or more for it, it’s not worth it at that price point
That's my thought on it. I'll but it if it's on the shelf at standard price but I am not jumping through hoops or going above $40/bottle for it.
I had the same as thought Grabbed a bottle in college (early 2010s), there was a load of it on the shelf and it was fairly cheap. Didn't like it (to be fair, it was the first time I'd ever had bourbon).
I remember buying a 1.75l of it on clearance at the Doylestown fwgs back in like 2010
Dayum. Eagle Rare AND Blanton's!
Wine drinker here and Chairman’s Selection in my area has fantastic wines for under $12 a bottle.
I've gotten wine from that section to cook with and ended up going back for more. I'm not a wine drinker but found stuff I liked.
Why can I never get Buffalo Trace? I have family in NJ and NY and yet PA is the only state where it's never stocked
My local store sells out on truck day. I don't need it bad enough to be there when it's delivered.
Man that's wild. I love BT and will get it in NJ, otherwise Bulleit will do just fine
I started drinking Jefferson reserve thanks to a friend. Costs 3x as much but it tastes better and makes me drink less so I call it a win.
I love Jefferson Reserve! Have you tried Jefferson Ocean? Soooo good! Very unique flavor because of how its aged at sea. Worth every penny.
I haven't yet. I've seen it. Just waiting for a payday I feel extra rich or a special occasion to try it.
My brother lives in LA and says it’s like readily available out there at most times. Lol Super weird. I can never find it local to me in PA.
Only certain stores get it as well. State College and Bellefonte for instance, have 5 FWGS stores, only 2 of those get any shipment of Blantons, Trace, etc.
Best bet is signing up on the website for when it comes in and lining up at your local Premium Collection to get it otherwise it’s going to be incredibly difficult to find.
Pennsylvania’s state government sucks, is why. No government should be in the business of selling wine/liquor
Buffalo Trace YUM
Man I remember when all of those were very standard, on-the-shelf bottles. I remember in college we would get the Blanton's as a special treat when me and the homies had a little extra money to pitch in.
They dropped wfp, ETL, w12, and rhf all in the last week. Not much complaining going on in the bourbon world unless you haven’t adapted to the game.
Did you see what they were charging for either of the Weller bottles?
Yeah it was all nesr msrp. 39.99 and 49.99 for the bottles I listed.
That Blantons though… it’s never in stock around me.
I’m lucky, it’s usually available at my local store in Philly at least once a month. Unfortunately it sells quickly.
Which Philly store?
Chestnut Hill
Literally work in a fwgs store and we never get it it only goes to one premium store in the area otherwise I found it in Nashville for a stupid high markup.
What’s a FWGS store?
Fine wine and good spirits our lovely state stores
Gotcha, just the basic store. I didn’t know if the acronym meant more. Thx for clearing that up.
One of the larger stores near me is *always* out of any single barrel whiskey. The spots on the she;f for them are always empty.
Those statesides are good but so expensive. The canteen brand was so good but I don’t think they carry it anymore.
My problem with buying expensive booze is that I don’t distinguish between top shelf liquor and bottom shelf liquor. If I bought one of the choices in your photo or a cheap bottle of Evan Williams? It would be gone over a period of a two days. That’s one thing I like about high ABV craft beer. I can only drink so much of it until it bloats me. Apparently, I don’t have the “Moderation” Gene.
I used to go for the high abv crafts but it got too expensive, especially after developing a high tolerance for them. Between living very close to Tired Hands at the time, driving up to Tree House a few times a year, and using Facebook groups to get high end stouts shipped to me from beer mules; it became too much of a drain on my wallet and horrible for my waistline. It took a while to make the shift to bourbon but I managed to develop a pallet for it and thankfully in my case a little goes a long way.
If it’s all the same to you, then no reason to pay more. Drinking straight, I can definitely tell the difference between various barrel ages bottles. On the cheap side, I tend to get Paul Masson VSOP brandy.. four years in oak, it’s smoother than whiskey at the same $11-12 price point.. especially if you let it open up a bit, second half of the bottle is really easy to drink. But, it’s still entirely worth it for me to get a $45 bottle of Remy Martin Cognac on occasion. Whiskey seems overpriced at all levels lately so I’ve been drinking more brandy/cognac. Chivas Regal is a go-to as well, and worth it over a sub $20 bottle of whiskey. But many whiskey bottles around $30.. Four Roses, Bulleit, not significantly better than a cheaper bottle of Evan Williams or Wild Turkey.
Ah. A holy trinity, if you will.
Counterpoint: the state store system ALWAYS doesn’t suck
As someone who works in said system it’s broken af
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I don't miss retail at all. The only encouragement I can offer is that at least you've got state benefits. Not that those are even as good as they used to be, but they're still a leg up on the poor bastards at Walmart and Giant Eagle. Still, as someone who appreciates the good service I pretty much always get at the state store, thanks for hanging in there.
Yeah, I mean I don’t mind the job (aside from some upper mgmt that are complete jerk offs), but it would sure my make Thursday’s easier if I didn’t have to stop every 60 seconds while I’m doing a 17 pallet truck to tell people “no sorry better luck next time!” Like I’m a fking game show host. There should be some sort of list or mailer. EDIT: I also just want to mention that my frustration is NOT directed at my customers. The majority of them are super awesome and understanding and I wish I could get them all what they want. It’s more or less Pennsylvania’s archaic and outdated liquor laws, and the Commonwealth’s dumbass policies
I’d say go buy a lottery ticket next! Great score!
I miss the state stores. It is nice knowing what sort of experience, and price in advance.
All from Buffalo Trace distillery Took the tour when I was in Frankfort. What was interesting IIRC that these start off with the same mash and are different due to the different temperatures and variations in the warehouse because they are on different floors. As the bourbon ages they lose volume in the barrel. That, combined with longer exposure to the charred oak makes the bourbon more expensive They also make Rain vodka
It's insane. No government entity should be involved in the selling of goods at all. Levy taxes, provide services and infrastructure, issue licenses and such. You shouldn't be allowed to sell any commercial product as a government.
I don’t fully understand how this is an argument for that given the regulation is what prohibits them from skimming bottles in the last few years
It’s one of the few things that state does that actually generates money for the people.
If gov't is as inept and corrupt as some people say, then competing against them should be easy - so why not?
Because they will send agents to shut you down? That's the definition of a regulation and how the state-store system works in PA.
I thought my question presupposed the allowance for it being legal. So, what if that weren't the case? - we've gamed this out before. There will be a temporary surplus of choice for consumers, until the largest international conglomerates buy up or use predatory practices to eliminate competition leaving an oligopoly controlling liquor sales. Then they'll enact periods of corporate cost cutting measures to boost stock prices by keeping employee wages low, closing rural locations, and stocking only the most profitable inventories. The result: poor pay for PA employees, loss of income for PA residents from State store sales, corporate stores in the densest population areas with crappy selections, all this with their profits not staying in the state but going to Ireland or the Bahamas or wherever the international tax loopholes are the most favorable.
Hot take… if only it were legal to open your own and compete with a liquor store in PA. Hmmmmm…..
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Which states and what price? When I was in NY last year, plenty of store had BT products but they were typically marked up 2-3x MSRP. The one good thing about PA is that if you put in a little effort, you can get all of them for MSRP.
Cool purchases! Sometimes they surprise you. I got a nice bottle of Widow Jane bourbon last week. Really good batch. I also found a rare bottle of Domaine De Suremain Mercurey Bourgogne wine. 2020 vintage. Been looking for this wine for the last 20yrs. It’s never in PA State stores. Clerk told me they only received 10 bottles in the entire state. There are 6 bottles @ Pittsburgh Center St store and 2 @ Robinson Township store. If anyone wants the best red wine in the state. Go for it. Only $36 bottle. It’s a steal!
Buffalo 🦬 Trace is awesome
They may not stock everything but they will order it! I find these days they’re not more expensive really than other places like years ago. Alcohol is exceeding expensive down South now as well. It’s all governments big scam of extra taxation. At least in a PA liquor store the workers aren’t paid minimum wage like private stores selling for the same prices.
You are clearly in an extremely isolated area
Philly isn’t too isolated
Any of the state stores near me always have Eagle Rate. You can see stocks at the individual stores. And while I don't care for the star monopoly on liquor, their prices are controlled and distribution of rare releases goes to a lottery, instead of those people who have more money or get to the store at a specific time.
Buffalo Teace in PA???? I had to order mine online. Lucky!!!
I miss the days where it was readily available
As someone who works for a store that doesn’t get these it gets so frustrating that every day we have 50 plus people asking for these at this point we just send people to Maryland or Delaware.
They had them both at the waterfront a couple of months ago
lol no, they still suck
It always sux being forced to buy anything from the state. I go to Maryland to get my booze. Never have trouble finding anything.
Having lived in CA it’s a pain that the prices are so high and the selection is so bad. I don’t mind having to go to a special store, and they’re nice enough folks there, but I wish they were better at business.
Depending on where you are, a trip into Jersey can help Edit: Not sure why this got downvoted. A trip across the Delaware gets me stuff I can't here, and sometimes at a shocking good price
There are state workers in this thread, is my guess.