How about these bottle shop prices?

This. And the fact that in many areas in PA there is little competition. There are 3 bottle shops and 2 distributors where I live, and they're all owned by the same company, so where' the competition to drive down the prices? It's somewhat depressed across most of central PA, so the local economies in the more rural areas simply can't support real craft beer shops. Not for long, anyway. You get some hot spots near State College, of course, but aside from that, it's either make your own, trade with folks outside of the area, or stock up when you visit other states.

 

Living in PA with it's old archaic laws is a real pain in the ass. Trying to find a decent bottle shop with good prices isn't easy, luckily I live near a Wegmans that has a decent selection and prices. It sucks when you want to buy a 4 or 6 pack or a bomber or 2 and can't find them anywhere, but at a distributor and now you have to buy a whole case, which is out of the question, especially for someone like me who lives on a budget.

 

Shawan is where it's at. All the cool kids are doing it.

 

PA laws suck. Lets rebell!

 

The funny thing is I am an eastsider but that is not where the nickname came from.. We have one hell of a bottle shop out here known as Save On Craft Beer formally known as Save On Tobacco & Beverage. Great shop, great people, great selection!

 

Are you in Philly? I just paid $6 a bottle for 4 Peruvian Mornings, but my Doom (at a different store) was only $17.50. The bottle shops in the city seem to be pretty scattershot when it comes to pricing. Some things will be super expensive at one place and much cheaper at another, but then for a different beer it will be cheaper at the second place where the first beer was more expensive.

Except you will probably pay the most for everything at the Foodery. And they are no longer the only game in town, not by a long shot. The new store is pretty awesome, however.

 

No, this is not true. The laws in PA are such that if you break up a case to sell individual bottles or even sixers, you are hit with the same taxes that a bar operator pays on what he sells, which is much higher than what a so-called distributor, who in PA is only allowed by law to sell by the case, pays for their beer. So basically, the bottle shop has to charge you bar markup, or close to it, on what they are selling in order to make a profit.

I get what you are saying and agree to an extent, but the laws and taxes here really do eff up us craft beer drinkers pretty royally when it comes to the price we have to pay for singles or sixers (fourers? What's shorthand for that? Fourey?) large format or not.

 

some people are willing to pay this much, and they do, so shop owners are like "ok how much can we get away with here" its gold jerry gold!!!!!

 

My store just got doom in at $18.99, I was gonna get a couple bottles but that's overpriced compared to what most of you are paying. I don't see the point of marking it up 5 or 6 dollars! Wow you made $60 more on a case, big deal

 

It is beyond frustrating especially since there are SO many other states that aren't set up this way. How does it make sense that the most common/easiest/cheapest way to buy is by the case?! There are definitely a lot of beers that I want to buy a case of but I certainly don't want to buy a case of something I've never tried before regardless of reputation. Thank god for wegmans, great selection and fairly reasonable prices. Luckily I've also got sly fox and victory super close so great beer at a great price is always an option.

 

Doom 12.99 in Upstate NY. 5 cases total for the area between Syracuse and Albany, all of which went to one shop and even they weren't dicks on the price. My buddiy is the Founders rep for the area (amongst others) and he sends people in to see if places are price gouging and limits them or makes it tough for them to get shit if that nonsense goes on.

 

Ridiculous I got Doom at 12.99, DT 4 pack at 11.99. I will buy that PM from u at that price and I'll pay the shipping

 

Actually its called capitalism

 

Apologies for derailing the conversation, but where can I pick up Doom in the Philly area?

 

Wow and I thought Tennessee was bad!

 

I think it's pretty much gone by now. Hawthorne's sold out in 2 hours, I'm guessing the Fooderies did as well.

 

I get what you're saying and I agree that PA's beer laws may play an important role in this. I am not saying that they don't exist. All I am saying is that OP's gripe, assuming he is upset with high prices, isn't with taxes and laws. It's with consumers. Taxes and laws may contribute to a higher price, but they don't contribute nearly as much as the impact of consumers.

 

It was easier to achieve approvals and allow casinos and legalized gambling in the state than it is to change these old liquor laws we have.

 

We have the 4 pack of yeti here for $13 and Old Rasp for just under $8. I would have a tough time putting out $17 for a 4 pack too.