Is all "bomber" packaging a rip off?

This is how we are getting ripped off. Lets just say..."Company X" makes a great beer in a 6-pack for $12.99 (72oz of beer for $12.99), then they come out with a bomber version for $7.99 (22oz of beer for $7.99). You are paying MORE THAN TWICE THE AMOUNT for less than half the amount of beer! Do not be a stupid consumer and we should start voicing the dismay for damn breweries getting greedy. Say good bye to our beloved 6-packs and 4-packs of great beer. If you pay attention to craft beer and you actually care about your money, you should start paying attention. I am very interested to see if Goose Island really F--ks over consumers this year with new bottle format.

 

it's great for checking out a new beers without having 5 left over bottles if you don't like it.

 

A ton do that. Make sure you post your dismay in public forums. Which you should do right now. For example, Mammoth Brewing Lair of the bear was in 22oz bombers last year, now this year, it is more expensive and sold in 16oz bottles. Wack as wack can be.

 

Are you kidding? With every so-called "special release" going up to $20-30 these days, you are saying it is underpriced? stoops

 

I think this is on a lot of people's minds. Gotta admit the new bottles look really freaking cool though.

 

One of the best examples of wtf? out there is sculpin.

Can get a 22oz. bomber for $10 at Total Wine. 6-pk for $15.

Bomber price: $.46/ounce
Pack price: $.21/ounce

More than double the cost per ounce to get the same exact beer. Not only that, but you can buy single 12oz bottles at TW for $3 each, which $.25/ounce. So the whole "buying less for more" argument doesn't really hold water.

I avoid buying bombers whenever possible. It has to be a beer I REALLY want in order for me to buy it. Otherwise I'll always choose packs. Plenty of good beer out there to where I don't feel like I'm missing out.

 

I hate spending $15 plus for a 22 oz. bottle of beer. Really sucks. But many times all the good stuff is only available in that format. There are few exceptional beers I think are worth it, but the majority do not constitute that kind of price. For example Maine Beer Company. I bought a Mean Old Tom the other day and it was certainly a very good stout. If it was sold in six or four packs at a reasonable price I would most certainly buy again. But paying $8 for a 16oz (I believe it was) bottle of beer of that caliber is way too much IMO. Never again. Just a way to reap huge profits from the consumer.

 

A ripoff is when someone takes something from you that you do not want to give them.
So no, nobody is being ripped off.
However, bomber prices are a lousy value, just like growlers, but people buy them, so whatever.

 

If you like the beer... and you need 22+ oz of it.. then no... the bomber can be a great idea.

 

When it is available in both formats bend over
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace Saison
750ml (25 oz) $9.36
4 pk (48 oz) $9.36
If a brewery is just starting out and that is their only format (lone pint) I can understand.
If a brewery is doing a one off, I can understand.
But the math never works out where a bomber is cheaper when it is available in both formats, same with sucks

 

Go to your favorite breweries website and voice your opinion via email or phone and express your disgust of bombers, but most importantly, don't buy them!!!! If the format becomes unprofitable the breweries with stop making them

 

Sales tax on alcohol in Maryland is 9%(compared to 6% sales tax on everything else).

 

Unless what's being filled in a growler is unavailable in bottles.

 

Only if it is the only format or for special beers. Special to me that is.

 

I always thought it was an economy of scale issue. Bombers are thicker, heavier and are not as mass produced 12 oz bottles. When you see bombers go to 12 oz bottles, (ie - victory at sea) you notice a big price reduction.

I'm just the socialist here, but that's my thoughts and observations from working in a beer distributor

 

Packaging is at least half the cost of beer and the large champagne style bottles cost more to produce and are probably more of a hassle to cork. They probably charge more for the 22 oz bottles jsut because they can.

 

"rip-off: something that is too expensive : something that is not worth its price"

based on the definition, "rip-off" seems like a judgment call. I think some breweries are overcharging on bombers relative to the traditional margins based on the cost to make the beer vs the retail price. I'd consider that a rip-off, whether the consumer realizes it or not.

 

If the increased cost to the consumer is due to the increased cost to make bombers, why not just make a bunch of 4-12oz. packs? Or hell, just sell the 12oz bottles individually, why would that be so hard?

Not asking you, just wondering out loud why that couldn't be the case.

 

Even better . And I mean that with a smile because, you are of course, correct.

At some point the retailer sets a bottom line that they won't sell anything below, dollar wise. They could set up each Busch Lite can to scan for $0.50, but they don't do that. Not many places around me even have $2.49 Budweiser 24oz cans. Probably figure they can suck most people into 4x16oz cans or even bigger format. I think the cheapest craft bomber I've seen is SNPA/Torpedo 22oz @ $3.49

 

People filling grocery store "11.99 make a 6pk" with 120 min, rochefort, delirium, hell even FBS which was in Giants near me. Distributors probably advise breweries that if they do that format, most big box retail will be skeptical, or "no go" for that product format. Also some counties/cities/neighborhoods have laws against selling "singles" of any small format beer/wine in grocery stores.