Maine Beer Company

Of course MBC could figure out how to sell their beer for less, but why should they? If they can sell out every batch for double the going price for the style, what would the incentive be to make less money? As this thread has pointed out, there are at least a few people who don't mind dropping the equivalent of $25 for a sixpack of an extremely tasty, but otherwise fairly standard pale ale.

I suppose the time might come when everyone who is interested in trying MBC beers has already done so, and will decide that they'd rather have a twelve pack of Flower Power than two, maybe three bottles of Lunch, but clearly that day has not yet arrived.

 

The hypothetical reason to charge less now is for long-term profits. Eventually they'll have a surplus, and someday they will have an enormous surplus. It's a lot easier to sell those huge volumes down the road if you have a ravenous large fanbase who is thirsty for it. Instead, they're cultivating an exclusive niche club, and are going to have a lot of work cut out for them down the road to make progress with the people who balked at $7/bottle.

To bring Jack's Abby back into it, they are a perfect example of a brewery taking the path I am suggesting. I predict that in a couple of years you're going to see Jack's Abby on taps and shelves everywhere, while Maine Beer will still be more of a niche craft product, even if they eventually lower their price.

 

I'm a huge fan of their beers but I don't see myself buying their product often, if at all, in the future. The price is way too high and there are dozens of other good hoppy beers out there these days. Unless its a sour or something else barrel aged I'm done spending big bucks on tiny portions.

 

I thought MO was amazing and worth the price for sure. I think that I liked it better than Lunch when I had in on draft in Portland.

 

You're totally right that they're shooting themselves in the foot if the goal is long-term high-volume expansion, but perhaps that isn't the plan. Maybe the MBC guys are perfectly happy in their current, rather tiny facility, and just want to make lots of money for each small batch rather than cultivate a large fanbase that will strain their capacity and require major capital investment in order to expand. If sales start to slow because everyone in their distribution area has tried their beers and decided they're not worth the prices, they can always move into a new state now and then to get a bunch of new experimenters to shell out.

I agree that this probably isn't the best business model for sustainable growth (or even for sustaining their current sales volume), but there's certainly something to be said for the max revenue strategy.

 

I find Lunch incredibly overrated. It's a nice beer, but we are swimming in nice IPA's these days. Top notch Pale Ales though? There aren't nearly enough of them.

 

I think fresh Lunch is great every once in a while. I will grab a bottle or two when it is released every couple of months but give me a sixer of Smutty IPA for $6.99 any day of the week over Lunch.

 

I loved Lunch . I loved Zoe. I thought Peeper was just ok. I don't feel the need to buy any of them again for the money unless I was at a restaurant that had limited options.

 

Absolutely

 

My last post on the subject, fresh Lunch is on draft at Pigs Fly in Kittery right now for those of you who haven't sworn off MBC offerings. Enjoy!

http://sendbread.com/beer_wine.php

 

I've had most of their beers. I don't understand the large amount of hype for slightly above average beer, nearly $10 a pint draft prices, or their donation to gorilla charities.

With all the money they save on package design MBC must be making bank.

 

peeper is 4.50 at my secret spot. all others 5.50. inquire within...

 

I buy Lunch whenever I see it.

So far that means once.

I'm not going to complain about the price point until I've had the chance to pay for it twice.

 

Maybe $10 a pint draft at places in MA where they jack up the price. Nothing close to that in Maine when it comes to price. Had a bunch of Peeper on draft for $3 a pint a few days ago in downtown Portland. Usually see the others for $5 or $5.50 a pint or so. I can see your point about $10 a pint draft prices but that is either on the distributor in MA or the beer bar you frequent, not MBC.

 

I actually like their packaging. The paper they use for the label is nice, bold ink, simple, and really does stand out on a shelf. I'd much rather that than stare at another fish or the remnants of a Microsoft Paint bender.

 

Cleaner yeast strains (what is used by most people making hoppy "West Coast" style beers) don't have a whole lot of flavors and nuances to them. They are their to make the beer and accentuate the hops. As I rule I avoid yeasty pours on anything other than Belgians.

 

For example, just saw Peeper for $17 for the 17oz bottle at a bar last night. And I really like the bar (although prices tend to be a $1 or $2 too high). I know universally bar bottle prices are usually pretty insane (mostly because we can tell the margin by comparing to retail, unlike draft), but yikes.

 

Lunch and Moe are both at Russell's in Amherst, both the new batches

 

Lunch was on tap at Blind Tiger in NYC last week, fwiw.

 

I try each of their beers once and then I'm done. Too expensive to revisit, regardless of quality.

I also don't understand the enormous love affair with Lunch. I thought it was good but not an elite IPA. I actually liked Mo better.

And ever price I've seen for MBC in bars has been laughable.