[bendykstra]

The amount of competition in the beer world is just incredible. (I just checked with a beer-enthusiast friend and he tried over 1000 different beers just in 2016.) To get people's attention and then to maintain a reputation as a great beer for several years, a beer has to be more than just an extreme example of a certain style. No doubt, though, the ambition to be interesting to aficionados of a given style does push certain beers towards the extreme. These beers are not bad, just niche in their appeal.

There is truth in what you say about the psychological value of scarce beers. However, being hard to acquire cuts both ways in a world of so many alternatives: the beer enthusiasts that I know are quick to dismiss a beer as not worth the effort after one sip.