Slate on Beer Flipping...

Beer and Spirits
21

I disagree with the attitiude that it is your beer and you can do with it whatever you want. I bought some artwork a long time ago, but I specifically had to sign a contract that I do not own the rights to my art. In other words, I cannot sell the image to others. The artist maintains control. That is part of the pact. I also cannot buy a DVD of the Lord of the RIngs and charge admission for people to come over and watch it. Rules, baby.
When you are buying these beers, the brewers are pretty clear- they want to see them drunk, not flipped. It is not a legal contract like what I cited above, but it is a social contract. And societal contracts are very important as well.

22

When you buy a DVD you are buying a license not the work itself. The license does not include public performances of that DVD although you can obtain such a license.

I would never sign a contract for a piece of art that is to hang in my house saying I can’t resell it. Same goes for beer, wine, houses, tickets, cars, etc. etc. etc. One of the sillier things I have heard in a while.

But this is yet another example of a first world problem.

23

I’ve got one more bottle of BCS Rare and the first $500 takes it! [stirthepothal.gif] [smileyvault-ban.gif]

24

Anthony has it right. [cheers.gif] Beer is a regional thing and different parts of the country get different beers, that is way trading is so important. I know that when someone fron BA sees someone flipping they report it to ebay and it is taken down. I would think the people paying a premium are not true beer geeks as you can easily trade for most any beer you want.

As far as you bought it, you own it, that is true and you’re free to do with it what you want, but it still is a not cool.

25

Mark this post…

26

We’re off topic, but I can sell my artwork if I choose. But, I cannot use or sell the image. In other words, I cannot use a copy of it as my logo for my job, or if a TV producer sees it, I cannot sell the image to him to use in a commercial. I own the artwork, but not the copyright. And that is VERY much common with most anything like that. We recently took a picture with Santa of our son. We bought a picture, but unlike most photos you would take commercially, we bought the copyright, so we can produce copies at will.

27

IMO, this means your analogy isn’t a good one. A bottle of beer is like your artwork, no?

28

FYI, I was kidding! neener

29

I know, I just need to say that at least once a week.

30

I wasn’t making an anaology (and I don’t really have a good analogy, actually). I was simply setting a foundation by stating that there are different levels and different types of ownership. And I would be willing to bet that with virtually any artwork you may buy- you own the piece, but not the image.
We commished artwork for our wedding invitation, and specifically in our contract we bought not just her work, but the copyright as well- we own the image and can (and have) used it for other things any time we want.
I bought a Simpons cartoon cell. I own that work of Homer with a toaster stuck on his hand, but I do not own that image, and if I tried to sell that image in any way, Fox would sue my ass from here to Kingdom come.

31

BTW- to be clear- I was really only talking about why I feel for me the way I do. I was not saying that others have to feel that way. Just that I do take into account what the people who sell to me think. If you want to flip, that is between you and the brewmaker.
One big exception, however. If you hoard limited production stuff with the intention of flipping, and shut me out of stuff I normally would have been able to track down, that is wrong, and that pisses me off in a big way. And yes, I have seen this happen occasionally.

32

Beer flipping…it’s another form of continuing with the “have’s and have-nots”. Those that have, jack up the price on those that have-not. It’s comercialism at it’s worst…as I expect with most things. As long as the balance of power is in someone’s favor they don’t mind it. However, if it were to be against your favor…say for something as important as food, clothing, heat, or shelter people in the US would be outraged. Because it’s a luxury product it’s more “acceptable” but the whole idea is still sickening to me. I wouldn’t have a hard time jacking the price up on someone that can afford that inflated price…but when someone that’s living on a modest salary in a modest life…I’d have a much harder time trying to justify it.

33

Last time I checked there was no shortage of utterly amazing top notch beer & wine available for purchase.

34

Are you suggesting, Gene, that there are always perfect substitutes for the products being flipped?

35

That’s because you live in SF Gene, plenty of both there. Other folks are not as lucky.

36

@Joe : True

@Grafston :
More less. There is an ocean of great wine and beer out there yet people whine (including myself at times) that they can’t get product X while simultaneously ignoring products A, B, C, etc. I can understand peoples pain but I have zero sympathy for them nor do I think that flipping is in anyway wrong. I also think comparing a recreational drug (i.e. beer and wine) to something like food, clothing, shelter and heat is a straw man argument. Just another example of a first world problem.

37

On the topic of $$$$ beer. Obama’s beer fetches $1,200 at a charity auction:

It was given to him and he “flipped” it to a charity auction. neener Oh the outrage! Proceeds benefit University of Minnesota’s Amplatz Children’s Hospital.