Bombers versus 12-ouncers

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Somebody_Else, Feb 26, 2013.

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  1. Somebody_Else

    Somebody_Else Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2013 Washington

    Is there something intrinsically better about beer sold in 22oz bombers compared to your standard 12oz bottle?

    If you do a simple cost/oz comparison, the bombers are always more expensive.

    Why is it more expensive? Is it worth it? Why is it worth it.
     
  2. Northlax3

    Northlax3 Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2012 New Jersey

    Sometimes I only want to try a beer if I've never had it before, and Id rather try/buy a ~$6 22oz buy, over a ~$15 72 oz but

    Also 22oz servings are perfect for my consumption habits. I almost never have more than 2 (12 oz servings) a night.

    That's why people pay premiums for bombers. i never understood why some BAs were so confused by how well big bottles sell.
     
  3. GFG

    GFG Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2012 North Dakota

    This about sums it up
     
  4. icetrauma

    icetrauma Initiate (0) Sep 7, 2004 Texas

    What they said. Plus, it also lets me buy mulitple styles at a time. Instead of buying 1 $15 6pk or 4pk for that matter of an IPA, just an example, I can get a bomber of an IPA and stout for not much more.
     
  5. atomic

    atomic Initiate (0) Sep 22, 2009 Illinois

    Im very fortunate to have a bottle shop that will let me divide up 4 or 6packs and create my own. So whenever theres an option, I'll buy a smaller bottle. Its usually much cheaper per oz.

    Even when I don't have that option, I like to buy packs as opposed to bombers. Even if I don't love the beer, I can keep the extras in my fridge for guests.
     
  6. BirdsandHops

    BirdsandHops Pooh-Bah (2,825) Apr 14, 2008 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Bombers are cheaper for small breweries since they don't require custom holders. Plus if breweries still hand-bottle, it means far fewer bottles to fill (and fewer labels to purchase).

    Still, I'd much rather all beer came in 4 or 6-packs because it's easy enough to find stores that will let you buy single bottles. It's much more price efficient to buy a 12oz bottle than a bomber, and if you know you like the beer, it's also a better deal to buy it in a 4- or 6-pack. People complain a lot about the price of Hopslam at $17 per sixer, but that's equivalent of a ~%5 bomber. Most bombers of DIPAs usually clock it at nearly twice that, and very, very few can match the quality. I could get an entire case of KBS for the same price as ~8 bombers of Event Horizon or Abyss or the like.

    I understand why breweries go with bombers, but I really dislike the trend of throwing >10% beers in bombers/750s. A bomber of a nice pilsner or dunkel lager poured into my ~22oz Ayinger weizen glass is a beautiful thing, but a bomber of a barrel-aged imperial stout becomes a chore that takes a few hours if I don't split it with others. Not only are large amounts of high abv a problem with bombers/750s, but with beers that big your palate is usually completely numbed to the beer toward the finish unless you take a long break to eat/drink other things. Beers like Creme Brulee and Imperial Biscotti Break I really enjoyed at first, but was sick of toward the end of the bottles because they were like trying to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry's in one sitting.
     
  7. HipsterBrewfus

    HipsterBrewfus Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2012 Maryland

    I've always considered eating a pint of Ben & Jerry a skill, not a test of endurance.
     
  8. CORKSCREWFISH

    CORKSCREWFISH Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2011 Illinois

    I see a few flaws with your argument:

    1.)You compare your hypothetical bomber to a hypothetical 6 pack.However,a great many beers today are in 4 pack format(48oz). This seems to be more and more prevalent in today's market.
    2.)The 6pack in your example is $15?What percentage of 6packs are priced so high?I'd say the vast minority for sure and certainly,the majority of 4 packs are probably closer to $10.
    3.)The bomber in your example is $6?Again,and conversely;what percentage of the bombers in today's market are priced so low?The vast minority!Most I'd say are closer to $10.

    So as you can see,you've basically taken the extremes of the spectrum,which provide the largest gap, to make your argument seem valid.

    My question logically would then be:Why buy a typical bomber(22oz)@$10 instead of a typical 4pack(48oz.)@$10?
    I think this is the more realistic comparison and the gist of the OP!

    Cheers!
     
  9. LMT

    LMT Initiate (0) Oct 15, 2009 Virginia

    I rarely drink more than one beer per night (except on the weekends), so I almost never buy bombers/750 mls.

    Unfortunately, I see the trend in the craft industry is moving toward larger bottles (in order to save on production costs). If brewers want to increase profits a bit, I wish they would move toward the 4-pack (and charge a little more per oz compared to a 6 pack) instead of moving toward bombers. Or, how about 11.2 oz 6-packs?

    I'd pay a little more for a 4 pack simply because I'd actually drink it. Even if a bomber is relatively inexpensive I just won't buy it because I'd end up drinking more than I really want to.
     
  10. TwelveOunces

    TwelveOunces Initiate (0) Nov 7, 2011 Kentucky

    A 6$ bomber works out to about 20$ a six pack. ($ per Oz)
    How many 20$ six packs are out there?
    A 6$ bomber likely is sold as a 12$ 6er so why not just buy 2 singles if that's your ideal amount of beer?
     
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  11. HipsterBrewfus

    HipsterBrewfus Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2012 Maryland

    I like bombers because pretty much all of the bombers I buy, don't come in 6 or 4 packs. And if there is a beer I want that comes in a 6 or 4 pack, and there's a bomber, I'm buying the pack because...duh.

    Also, bombers take up less space.
     
  12. JuicesFlowing

    JuicesFlowing Initiate (0) Jul 5, 2009 Kansas

    I enjoying trying a new brew in a bomber about once a week, and if I can find one for $5 or less, it's even better. I just like the idea of getting about two pours out of a bomber and enjoying it for 45 minutes or so. Kind of my beer treat for the week. Cost efficient? Not at all, but one a week is ok.
     
  13. beercanman

    beercanman Initiate (0) Dec 17, 2012 Ohio

    I prefer the 12 oz format. Some beers are to much for me to drink 22 oz of. Like barleywines, I love them but 22 ozs is a bit much. They tend to be a lot more in price, plus the smaller bottle are my favorite to cellar. My .02
     
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  14. BirdsandHops

    BirdsandHops Pooh-Bah (2,825) Apr 14, 2008 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society

    It's not too difficult considering how addicting sugar can be, but a quarter of the way into it you're not really tasting anything anymore since your palate is so overwhelmed with sugar and coldness.
     
  15. HipsterBrewfus

    HipsterBrewfus Initiate (0) Jun 3, 2012 Maryland

    I usually find myself digging around for the peanut butter cups, or chunks of whatever it is I'm eating. Also, I'm a glutton.
     
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  16. Nectar

    Nectar Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2013 New Jersey

    Ive never bought a bomber that was available in a 12oz bottle...

    Thats the point. You can go on and on and on about price per oz and all that, but if a beer that someone really wants to try (and the brewery wants you to try) only comes in large bottle format, what the hell does it matter how much an imaginary 6pk would cost?

    People pay the premium to try it. Thats all
     
    mrcraft, YogiBeer, AdamP and 2 others like this.
  17. BirdsandHops

    BirdsandHops Pooh-Bah (2,825) Apr 14, 2008 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Or chocolate-covered waffle cone bits. Mmmmm.
     
  18. victory4me

    victory4me Initiate (0) Oct 16, 2004 Pennsylvania

    Nailed it...
     
  19. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    Luckily where I shop has almost everything available for purchase in singles, so of course if I can buy a single 12oz of a new beer vs. and overpriced bomber I am going to go that way. But there are a lot of beers only available in bombers, and if I want to try those I have to pony up the cash. It sucks but what can you do?
     
  20. JoeyBeerBelly

    JoeyBeerBelly Initiate (0) Dec 15, 2006 New York

    [​IMG]
    16oz Cans - FTW!
     
    stayclean likes this.
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