Torst 2nd Anniversary (3/8)

I find torst's pricing to be more than fair and enjoy the fact that i can get a smaller pour for less money. More often than not, I'm looking to try new things and this lets me do that less expensively, and less drunkenly.

I also feel that being in NYC is the biggest driver. It's not just the more expensive rents, it's the bigger demand (and corresponding scarcity of supply), and the fact that more people can afford to "overpay" for beer because they have more disposable income.

 

totally. also in regard to the most sought-after beers there - the Cantillon sour and the vanilla Bourbon County - there isn't anything comparable in terms of style and quality being brewed within 5 hours of NYC. maybe in other states these beers may not attract a massive line, but people in NYC realize that it's impossible to get ahold of these beer types where they live unless they trade something equally rare. doubt it attracts the same fanfare in a place like California or Oregon, where eclectic styles and great quality are in more abundance.

 

This was my first time ever at Torst and I was actually surprised the prices weren't higher. Getting 8oz pours or even 6oz of VR for $7 is about what I paid at top hops for my bottle for retail.

 

Article about price increase at the Pony Bar. Moral of the story seems they will charge the max of what they think people will pay.

http://brewyorknewyork.com/post/113176153378/pony-bar-owner-dissects-latest-price-increase

 

VR was a little ridiculous for the bottles tho haha. def a supply and demand thing though - and like that everywhere. I got lucky and got growlers - and 64s cost me I think a dollar difference to my bottle. but it makes sense when some stores got 2-6 bottles and 2 or 3 single bottle cases was a haul.

 

With the ceiling for beer prices in Manhattan becoming more outrageous and the floor becoming impossible to hold down, it’s getting harder and harder to find a craft beer pouring for under $7. Even in the outer boroughs, prices are inching up. Last week, both locations of The Pony Bar increased their prices to $7 per pour, their second increase in the chainlet’s nearly six-year history. With beer pricing becoming a source of contention among our readers, we went to Pony Bar owner Dan McLaughlin to get his story on why the prices are increasing and how his customers are reacting, in his words:

The last time the Pony Bars raised our draft beer prices was on January 1st, 2013, after nearly four years of $5 beers.

With that first increase there was minimal blowback or static, surprisingly. A few emails and a few comments at the bar but not the back lash I had been expecting.

When The Pony abandoned brewery sourced tap handles (in the spring of 2011), there was great disappointment and furious anger at the prospect of no brewery tap handles for the customers to choose their beers from!

Still greater patron disgruntlement came in the guise of “beer monitors” instead of our custom built slat board we used to display our draft choices.

So, when The Pony Bar finally raised prices in January of 2013, I was expecting the worst of the worst.

And it never happened.

This second Pony draft price increase (only two increases in almost six years!) was more to do with the insane — my opinion — price increases in the cost of kegs.

When The Pony Bar opened in 2009, a $200 keg of domestic beer was unheard of, with most of the rare or more esoteric kegs topping out at $185. Six years later, over a third of our kegs are $200 or more, with an increasing percentage in the $250 range and some kegs clocking in at $300. These prices are for 15.5 gallon kegs, the largest vessels available and where the better values lie.

For the smaller 1/6 kegs — sometimes referred to as “slims” — it’s not unheard of for a buyer like myself to pay upwards of $185-$225 for these 5.28 gallon mini-kegs.

As a “buyer” and also a consumer I spend a bit of time on BeerMenus.com, a great resource for anyone interested in searching for great beers and places in NYC — and also a great place to eavesdrop on what other bars are charging and the pour sizes.

When I see bars in outer boroughs and even other cities charging $8 for 12 ounces of the same beer that I’m changing $6 for 14 ounces for, I start thinking, “hmm… maybe there’s room for an increase.” Also, for the last six to nine months, I keep hearing “eight is the new floor” meaning $8 is on the low end to pay for a lot of the beers that I’m selling.

I’m almost a week into this new $7 price point and again the reaction has been nonplussed; no angry emails, very little noise on Twitter. I think most folks truly expect prices to increase. Everyone (well, most people’s) rent increases, groceries go up, cable goes up, concert tickets go up, the cost of college has certainly gone up, etc.

I take a lot of pride in offering some of the best American made draft beers available in NYC. The fact that I can do it at a lower price point is even better, I’m sure it contributes to our high case equivalents that I like to brag about so much.

Business is still booming (despite the winter weather) and our customers still come back night after night.

But for the love of Pete, don’t take away folks’ tap handle choices!

 

Another price increase at Pony? Say it aint so
It's still one of the best and cheaper craft beer bars around the city but it's just sad that I can't really get a full pour of great beer for $6 anywhere in the city anymore(excluding a few rare places and brewery taprooms).
If I had more disposable income I wouldn't mind very much but I'm a broke 22 year old and every buck counts.

 

$6 "full pours" were pretty rare at the Pony recently anyway

 

cant even get blue moon for $6 at most places any more...

 

This conversation made me realize how reasonably priced Barcade BK is compared to everywhere. Regularly the beers are $6 with your occasional $1 or $2 increase for rarer/more complex beers.