How does price affect the styles you buy?

Price is what keeps me from drinking BA stouts and Trappist beers every day.

 

@Uniobrew31 posted: "Price is what keeps me from drinking Trappist beers every day."

I have a similar thought in that I do not buy Trappist beers period; the markup is too high for me.

But I do drink a lot of Trappist style beers; my homebrewed versions.

Cheers!

 

I've been in the trying as many new beers phase for quite some time now. So I'll try some pricier beers as well as some not so pricy ones as well. Although I've enjoyed some beers quite a bit, I wouldn't go as far as buying cases of it. Even then, I feel like I would get burned out by constantly drinking one beer, or at least a case of it. My only exception would be a case of SN Narwhal or Founders Breakfast Stout, as these you could space out over a year. I don't think I'd buy more than a sixer or a 4-pack of an IPA, IIPA, though.

 

Sometimes I'll see something on the shelf and think "Oh, that looks good" and then I'll read the label or look it up and find it's like a 4.8% abv or something and pass it up. I can't bring myself to buy a session beer over a big ale when they're both priced the same.

 

I don't mind spending more on quality products. No matter what, anything I buy at a bottle shop (or brewery retail) will be a fraction of the price I would pay at a restaurant or pub.

 

Yes, I totally do this as well. If I see a pint-sized bottle something interesting being sold at around 7~8 bucks and it's only like 4~5% ABV... there's simply no way I'll go for it when there are so many quality things of similar strength for around $10 a six-pack, and when an awesome bomber of DIPA/Imp.Stout/etc. can be bought for the same. In the vast majority of cases, price (to me) has correlated with ABV, as well as my overall satisfaction of the brew. I like intensely-flavored beer!

This isn't to say that I don't buy lighter things, though, as long as they aren't too outrageously-priced. I'll go for a $4 pint of a nice German kolsch or a $12 six of a pilsner I really like from time to time.

 

I would drink more sours, but price tends to deter me. I know one could argue that it costs more to barrel age, blend, etc. But its just easier for me to spend $10-$12 on a 6 pack of ipa or porter than $20 on a 750ml of a sour. That being said i just found a 2013 halia at a local shop and couldn't help myself. Haven't drank it yet, hopefully $25 well spent , i do love sour saisons

 

For styles I like price isn't a factor, for styles I'm still not sold on I won't spend much.

 

For me price doesn't matter. If I want it, I'll usually reach deep in my pockets for it.

 

Wise words. I am in the same situation. With children in my home, I believe part of responsibility as a parent is to model what responsible drinking looks like. They have never seen me drink more than one beer at a time, because I just don't do that anymore. I'd rather pay money for Sierra Nevada's offerings because I know they are quality, inexpensive, and available everywhere. No interest in the barrel aged stuff that is $12 a bomber and above.

 

I don't get too crazy. I've been burned a few times on expensive bottles (talking only $10-15 here, I'm not one to gamble that much on a single beer) and I will only buy a large bottle if it's a style I particularly like (porter or stout). I am a review junkie though, so I buy IPA's and DIPA's even though I really don't like them. I won't spend a ton on them though, I'll only buy them if I can get them for less than $3 a bottle (and I only buy one). Very rarely have I ever bought IPA's or APA's in a six or twelve. I reserve that for my lagers, porters, stouts, and belgians.

For imperial stouts it's much more forgiving but the most I'd probably pay is $20 a bottle.

 

That's honorable.

No kids here, so I drink what I want when I want responsibly, of course.

 

I have at times felt the same way, in terms of abv and relation to the dollar, and that manages to make me feel more inclined to spend more on a beer if it's "bigger" per se...

It's pretty tough for me to justify say $15 clams for a Berliner as well... I know the feeling.

Yup Copenhagen is expensive, great city had a blast when I visited. The beer prices are kind of interesting I would say, a mish mash of stuff, but some unbelievably great beers and opportunities to drink things you wont always get a chance to.

 

Despite the fact that monetary price isn't a factor in my decision making (no kids or other stuff to worry about for me), I find myself doing the same as you. I think this is because my lifestyle only affords me to drink 10 or less beers a week, so every beer really counts. In this way, I think each beer costs me in time/opportunity more than it does in money.

 

I live in Pennsylvania so I am generally immune to god-awful prices. But, I try to keep my splurging to a minimum.

 

Denmark has me convinced that we would have nothing to gain by lowering alcohol taxes in this country, the craft brewers would charge the same sums of money more or less that they do today and the tax reduction would end up being nullified by price increases over time. Breweries are not charities, they are in it to make money, and they want their business to work similar to a high-end winery: low volume and high margins. To the extent that they deliver on quality I will be willing to pay them a premium for the styles that I want, but the volume that I purchase of any one craft brand will be restricted. The attempts made by craft breweries to raise prices beyond the point of decency is something that I respond to with a closed wallet and alternate purchases. Someone else can buy those beers, I wont.

 

Patrik, I do the same.

Cheers to you sir!

 

In answer to your question, not at all.

 

I shop for what I crave. I see that some styles tend to run a little pricier than others (e.g., sours, Belgians), but for me, and my rather typical tastes (IPA, DIPA, stout, barleywine) only the limited and rare versions carry the bigger tickets. Price doesn't dictate the styles that I shop, but it may influence specific products I buy.