Craft Beer price wars started in Madison?

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by dhannes, Apr 4, 2015.

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  1. dhannes

    dhannes Savant (1,127) Feb 14, 2010 Wisconsin

    Starting to see price wars happening, at least at the Woodman's on the east side.

    First, newcomer Wisconsin Brewing Co. has a display where you can get any of their 6-packs for $6.99...and you can also do a pick six mix-and-match for the same price.

    Minhas is responding...their Rhinelander Mystical Jack Traditional Ale (BA score 72) is now available in a 6-pack of 11.2 oz. bottles for $4.99 (but wait...buy 4 or more, and the per unit price is just $4.49).

    $6.99 has been the lowest price, traditionally, with a few sales offering beers at $5.99/6.

    Wisconsin, because of its high consumption and low taxes on beer, has always had dozens of offerings at cheap prices. The classic AAL's are even lower...saw Minhas' Regal Brau (BA score 76 vs. Bud's score of 57) 12's for $6.99, I think.

    With over 250 offerings at this store, including imports, it is hard for me to imagine that the craft moves (it is in a blue collar part of town)...just amazed at all the choices vs. 30 years ago.
     
    #1 dhannes, Apr 4, 2015
  2. honkey

    honkey Maven (1,350) Aug 28, 2010 Arizona
    Trader

    My first beer ever was Spotted Cow from New Glarus. The price I paid for a 6 pack of it in a gas station in 2008 was $5.49. I haven't seen anything like that since.
     
    #2 honkey, Apr 4, 2015
  3. dhannes

    dhannes Savant (1,127) Feb 14, 2010 Wisconsin

    Spotted Cow is now the #1 beer in Wisconsin, so it typically retails for $7.99 and, occasionally, $7.00-$7.49 per six when on sale. NG typically promotes it with their other sixes, but usually half of the display is Spotted Cow. I'm not a huge Spotted Cow fan, but their following is so strong that they won't be needing to follow others down for awhile.
     
    #3 dhannes, Apr 4, 2015
  4. bluehende

    bluehende Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2010 Delaware

    You guys are lucky.
     
    #4 bluehende, Apr 4, 2015
  5. mynie

    mynie Grand Pooh-Bah (3,272) Jun 22, 2004 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Trader


    No one drinking Minhas is lucky.
     
    #5 mynie, Apr 4, 2015
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  6. Ri0

    Ri0 Initiate (0) Jul 1, 2012 Wisconsin

    Bwahahahaha this is the truth. I have only see modest price increases for most breweries. I suspect the few that want to try and push their product will cut prices.
     
    #6 Ri0, Apr 4, 2015
  7. TheodorHerzl

    TheodorHerzl Savant (1,001) Mar 30, 2007 Indiana

    I hate when I see these price threads. If you come to Indiana to buy beer bring lots of cash and astroglide.
     
    #7 TheodorHerzl, Apr 4, 2015
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  8. chazmcbro

    chazmcbro Initiate (0) Sep 7, 2010 Wisconsin

    WBC's prices have been all over the board since they started, and I probably wouldn't credit anything Minhas does as an "industry trend"
     
    #8 chazmcbro, Apr 4, 2015
  9. JohnnyHopps

    JohnnyHopps Grand Pooh-Bah (3,380) Jun 15, 2010 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I feeling fairly lazy in making this statement, but it terms of across the board beer reviews, isn't Minhas one of the lowest rated craft breweries? ... A six pack of Minhas for 99 cents would not catch my interest.
     
    #9 JohnnyHopps, Apr 4, 2015
  10. Yohann

    Yohann Zealot (744) Apr 29, 2014 Wisconsin
    Trader

    While in general I have to heartily agree, Chocolate Bunny is actually pretty decent for the price.
     
    #10 Yohann, Apr 4, 2015
  11. aratcliffe

    aratcliffe Initiate (0) Jan 6, 2015 Kansas

    Eh, if the store owners see your Astroglide, they may refuse to serve you...
     
    #11 aratcliffe, Apr 4, 2015
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  12. EvilMidnightBomber

    EvilMidnightBomber Initiate (0) Feb 12, 2015 Wisconsin

    How about Lucette selling 6 packs of 16 oz. cans for <$10? Slow Hand is a pretty decent beer, and at that price I will be trying their other beers at least once.
     
    #12 EvilMidnightBomber, Apr 5, 2015
  13. Kbyfield

    Kbyfield Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2009 Wisconsin

    WTF do they have to do with craft beer?
     
    #13 Kbyfield, Apr 5, 2015
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  14. dhannes

    dhannes Savant (1,127) Feb 14, 2010 Wisconsin

    Wisconsin Brewing Co. brews a variety of craft beers, none bad, but none outstanding. They are a Johnny come lately to the Wisconsin craft beer scene and their philosophy seems to be that if they brew alot of beer, sell it cheap, and advertise it a bit, that some craft beer drinkers and some BMC beer drinkers will come their way.

    As for Minhas...that is a good question. They are more of a contract brewer, but do market a few of their own beers...but the bulk of their volume is with off brand AAL's.
     
    #14 dhannes, Apr 8, 2015
  15. mynie

    mynie Grand Pooh-Bah (3,272) Jun 22, 2004 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    If a beer has "Monroe, WI" printed anywhere on it, it is garbage.
     
    #15 mynie, Apr 8, 2015
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  16. mynie

    mynie Grand Pooh-Bah (3,272) Jun 22, 2004 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Let's say I go into a bar in Nunavut. They have precisely two beers, and the nearest place that has alcohol is an 8-hour drive away.

    One beer is Coors Light, and they charge five bucks a pint. The other is Chocolate Bunny, and they'll pay you five bucks for every pint you drink.

    I'm still drinking the Coors Light.
     
    #16 mynie, Apr 8, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2015
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  17. mychalg9

    mychalg9 Pooh-Bah (2,123) Apr 8, 2010 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah

    Seems like more of an act of desperation than actual "price wars". However, I'd be interested if some other breweries got involved.
     
    #17 mychalg9, Apr 8, 2015
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  18. GLAZZ_HALF_FULL

    GLAZZ_HALF_FULL Initiate (0) Jun 25, 2014 Wisconsin

    This isn't a price war it's a markdown of beer that doesn't sell. WBC is already losing shelf space on the west side of the state.
     
    #18 GLAZZ_HALF_FULL, Apr 8, 2015
    dhannes likes this.
  19. RyanMKE

    RyanMKE Initiate (0) Jun 14, 2014 Wisconsin

    The Rhinelander is just a distributor dumping old/slow-moving stock. Woodman's does clearance buys like this all the time at its stores.

    WBC is making a hard marketing push because they finally went through with re-branding their line. Milwaukee's seeing larger displays going up and a lot of samples being poured lately as part of it.

    Nothing about it is indicative of a "price war." It's a combination of large buys / special discounts that are making those prices slightly lower than normal.
     
    #19 RyanMKE, Apr 9, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2015
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