Thursday, December 1, 2011

Kalamazoo Beer Exchange

One of the coolest bar concepts I have witnessed is the Kalamazoo Beer Exchange. Located downtown, this place was packed with people - and after being there for an evening I have no doubt why.

Similar to a stock exchange, beer pricing is based on supply/demand. If a lot of people are ordering a particular beer, the price adjusts up. For the less popular brews, the price drops. Every 15 minutes prices adjust based on the "market". Video monitors throughout the bar note the beer's current price, if it has gone up/down, the time left until it adjusts again, and there is a beer "stock ticker" at the bottom of the screen.


So how is it that prices do not go through the roof? A couple times throughout the evening, sirens go off indicating the market has crashed, and beer prices reset to their original trading price - some as low as $2.50 a brew. When this happens, the bar erupts into craziness with people scrambling to put their order in before the price adjusts again. It's wild, definitely a site to see.

The beer isn't lame, either - they serve mostly craft brews. Local brews included selections from Short's, B. Nektar Meadery, Dark Horse, Saugatuck, Mount Pleasant, Founder's, and Bell's. For those not into craft beer they also served Miller Lite. Not into beer at all? The Beer Exchange is also a restaurant - simply visit for dinner.

It was such a fun evening; the bar was packed, the restaurant had a wait, and the wait staff was insane. If you are in Kalamazoo, you must stop in and experience it.

What does everyone else think about this concept?

No comments:

Post a Comment