I woke up early this past Saturday, one of the fanciful things that has come along with getting older.  I looked at the clock, 4:30am.  I had received an email just a few days prior suggesting that for my loyalty at one of the larger chains in our area I’d have the “opportunity” to buy one of a number of coveted bottles of brownwater starting at 10am.  Of course, 10am doesn’t really mean 10am for these types of events, but how early to show up…should I show up at all?  Restless, I finally found my way out of bed at 5:30am, got dressed and decided I hadn’t much anything better to do so would get in line.  Arriving at 6am, twenty or so folks apparently had the same idea, and a few had clearly been there since early in the morning.  The line was quiet, some were resting, others were engrossed in their devices, and as I spent my four hours awaiting the opening of the store I thought – again – is this worth it?  We’ll explore that question and prepare you for what to expect and how to behave when you’re in the queue should you decide to go for it.

Should You Bother?

That question is uniquely individualistic as every person is going to come at this question from a different place.  For the drop I participated in this weekend, there was a known list of bottles, and the list included a known quantity of each bottle.  As I showed up and saw there were 20 people in line, and with some quick math I knew I’d have a chance at getting a Michter’s 10, Old Fitzgerald 8 or an E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof, all great pours.  Being able to judge the size of the line and the potential opportunity at hand, it was an informed decision, and I had the time.  For a number of other drops that lack real clarity on what is up for grabs or the number of items available, you may be wasting your time.  For those who line up overnight in some instances you really have to be hoping you’re going to score something exceedingly special to commit the time.  With prices continuing to drop on the secondary bourbon market as tracked by the Bourbon Blue Book™ it may in fact, not be worth your time, providing your time is worth something, to save a paltry number of bucks on some bottles that you could easily get on the secondary market or trade into in a local bourbon group.  That said, there’s not once been a time that I’ve not met some great people and talked a lot about great bourbon whilst awaiting a drop --- so, make sure you know what you’re getting into before committing to the long wait.

Preparing to Wait

You’ve decided to commit to the line, whether that be for a couple hours or overnight, now what?  First off, check the weather…I’ve seen posts and heard stories of folks waiting through some crazy weather at times all in the name of allocated bourbon; I don’t get that at all, I’m not that hard up for a bottle.  Plan accordingly however for the conditions, you’d be surprised how many don’t…sunscreen, a hat, poncho, whatever you need, just make sure you’re set on your personal protective equipment.  If it’s a big well-known drop that occurs every year, many times there will be outdoor urinals brought in.  However, if it’s a small drop like the one I was at this morning you’ll need to make sure you either have some shrubs to duck into close by or a bladder of champions.  Coffee or other liquids should be drunk at your own risk.  On the family front, don’t be an idiot like me and think the calendar is clear, check with your significant other to make sure you’re good to go.  I was left scrambling to cover for this weekend’s drop and was able to get our babysitter to tend to my kids rather last minute.  I don’t expect the experience would have been pleasant with them in tow…more on the kids front in the next section.  Lastly, be sure to bring a chair to sit in or something that will keep you comfortable if you’ll be spending any time at all in line.  I’ve seen everything including tents with air mattresses, folks with movie projectors screening movies on liquor store walls overnight, etc.  You can make the prep as simple or complex as you want.

Line Etiquette

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I suspect some of this is common sense, but I’m also surprised by how many people lack common sense these days so for the good of the order lets just frame up the basic ground rules.  When you arrive at the location of the drop, find your way to the end of the line.  There isn’t “savesies” where you hold a place for a friend who’s on the way.  If you didn’t arrive together, you’re going to get a whole lot of hell from people behind you…and probably some people in front of you for any shenaniganry, so don’t be a punk.  It’s not uncommon for some beveraging in line, be those margaritas in the morning or some Weller and water in the evening, don’t let your wits get away from you…keep it classy.  If you’re going to pull an all-nighter, there’s going to be some folks who want to pass out, be respectful…not everyone is going to see this as an extended beveraging social event.  Importantly, the line isn’t a place for kids, leave them at home.  Nothing against kids, but the last thing anyone wants to hear is whining and the incessant questions that come with waiting for anything longer than 5 minutes…“when can we goooooo” “is it time yet!?!?”  If I were a kid, I wouldn’t want to be there either.  

Final Thoughts

If you’ve never participated in a bourbon drop, it’s probably something you should add to your list of things to do.  I don’t expect that you’ll be disappointed in the experience and at the very least you’ll meet some interesting folks along the way.  I would say that you should always temper your expectations as you’re not likely to be finding your way into anything too rare or unicorny, but some good bottles can be had and sometimes a cartful of gems at that!  

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