This is an answer to a FAQ regarding supply of Epic Beer to Hashigo Zake.
It has been a year now since the opening of Hashigo Zake in Wellington. But the frequency of a common question slowly increases, and I would like to stop answering it all the time. So here is the answer.I am prompted to write the response now as I had to repeat this to four different people at Beervana recently.
As I discussed with Dominic prior to his opening, it doesn’t make economic sense for Epic Brewing Company to ship less than 8 kegs (a pallet) at a time to Wellington. This is the same for all customers outside of Auckland, an 8 kegs minimum, with the expectation that these kegs will be used within 2 weeks.Why? Because I want the beer drinker to have the best and freshest experience possible, and I am sure any bar stocking beer has the same desire too, to be turning over fresh beer.
It does mean I will not supply Hashigo Zake direct from the Brewery, as they don’t meet the requirement of 8 keg/pallet deliveries. But they are able to buy Epic Beervia Regional Wines & Spirits as is any other bar in Wellington. (Examples: D4, Apartment, Bar Edward, Feathers).
They can even get Epic Armageddon IPA in keg which Regional Wines & Spirits have had a good stock of since early August. Also it is just a matter of askingRegional Wines & Spirits if they can get hold of the seasonals as well (prior notice is required for seasonals and one-off beers, as only some much is kegged. Once the batch is bottled and kegged, you can’t create anymore kegs).
So the answer is YES, Hashigo Zake can stock Epic Beers whenever they chose to. They have a convenient supplier of Regional Wines & Spirits. I guess if you drink at Hashigo Zake and want to drink Epic Beer then maybe you need to ask at the bar, and let them know they just need to order it.
(reprinted from Wayback Machine, can’t find exact date it was originally posted, but looks like it was after Beervana 2010?)