Chicagoist at DarkLord Day: Never Again

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Apr 28, 2008 4:15PM

For Three Floyds fanatics, it's the equivalent of a high holy day. DarkLord Day is the one day of the year where the venerable Munster, Indiana brewery releases their highly anticipated Russian Imperial Stout. Craft beer fans from around the world travel to either buy or barter from their personal collections for a bottle of the prized beer. Fans of good ales get to meet each other, sample each others wares, and get to put actual faces to online avatars.

For more than a few jagoffs, however, it means cutting in line, buying more than the alloted six bottles, selling them on eBay (for anywhere from $75 to $120 a bottle), or even scalping bottles of DarkLord to folks waiting in line - some for over four or five hours. Both the Beer Advocate and Rate Beer forums have been lit up with complaints about DarkLord Day 2008.

The scalpers and online auction hawkers aren't solely to blame. Three Floyds should accept some responsibility for not only running out of DarkLord by 4 p.m., but for the lack of amenities, as well. After being overrun last year by the same issues, Three Floyds reps promised expanded amenities and improved measures to ensure the maximum number of attendees would be afforded opportunities to buy DarkLord. After I made my purchase I headed to the porta potties, which could accurately have been declared a biohazard area; some were close to overflowing with waste. Sure, Three Floyds could not have guessed that more than 5,000 people showed up, but DarkLord Day is not a new event. They should have prepared as though twice that number would attend. It's only going to get bigger.

They may brew great beer, but the hassle sure isn't worth it.