Boston Bar Scene

Discussion in 'New England' started by Auror, Sep 26, 2018.

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  1. Resuin

    Resuin Pooh-Bah (2,847) Jun 18, 2012 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    The food is really good at Lord Hobo, that’s the main reason I go. They also get some interesting stuff on tap from time to time, although it is a bit expensive. Not as high as Meadhall though.
     
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  2. bostonwolf

    bostonwolf Zealot (656) Jan 20, 2015 Massachusetts

    I feel like I have yet to have a good pint of cask beer. Ever. I love the idea, but every one I've ever purchased has tasted flat. Not lower carbonation, no carbonation.
     
  3. BearsOnAcid

    BearsOnAcid Pooh-Bah (2,215) Mar 17, 2009 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Haha! I got a $9 pour of Italo Disco the other week and Oxbow isn't even distributed here. It's an old topic but the Boston area is a very expensive place to go out for drinks.
     
  4. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Ever been to NERAX?

    I've had some excellent cask pours at Redbones, but I feel like I've also had some crappy ones there. Can't think of where else I've had some good cask beer off the top of my head, but I've definitely had some.
     
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  5. followerofmen

    followerofmen Crusader (417) Sep 9, 2012 Massachusetts

    NINE DOLLARS FOR A BE HOPPY
     
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  6. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    How much for the water there?
     
  7. kinopio

    kinopio Savant (1,013) Apr 30, 2009 Massachusetts

    Cambridge Brewing taps a new cask every wednesday so no worries if its fresh or not. Plus the beers are about 50% cheaper than down the street at Lord Hobo.
     
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  8. DroppinBiscuits

    DroppinBiscuits Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2007 Massachusetts

    heres the thing people forget when it comes to pricing. most of the new beer everyone wants cost at a MINIMUM $240 for a half barrel where Notch is $156/$180. the reason why beers like Pils and Be Hoppy are $8 a pint is to help offset the cost of the expensive stuff and keep the pricing under $10. Thats a FACT.

    I was in a bar yesterday that had $9 pints of Guinness and $7 pints of Whirlpool.
     
  9. Sweatshirt

    Sweatshirt Initiate (0) Jan 27, 2014 New Hampshire
    Deactivated

    They aren't keeping the more expensive beers under $10, many are also in a smaller format. An $8 pint of even the more expensive half barrels still fall well in the 70-80% profit margin bars try to achieve. Go less than a pint and they are making far far beyond that. Go less than a pint and more than $8 and those numbers sky rocket.

    The fact is they are using perceived value to charge more. Playing games with their own beer and cheaper beer pricing allows for a $12 8oz pour to look normalized.
     
  10. jbertsch

    jbertsch Pooh-Bah (2,710) Dec 14, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I haven't been to Meadhall in forever. I think it was their first year in business when I was last there. A few friends asked I meet them there this Monday. I'm afraid of what I'll find. Are the prices still out of whack as they were back then? Or have most other bars caught up and now they're "normal"? To me, Meadhall was the first real expensive beer bar that drove me away because of price.
     
  11. Resuin

    Resuin Pooh-Bah (2,847) Jun 18, 2012 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I lived a couple blocks away for a couple years, until recently. The prices are pretty out of whack. You’ll find stuff like $25 10 ounce pours of random beers, I don’t really get it. Some beers are priced more normally though. With such a huge selection, you’ll be okay with a few different beers but will need to be sure to check the prices before you order.
     
  12. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I was Lord Hobo for Zwanze Day and wanted to order a German beer I was interested in. I didn’t because it was $12.
     
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  13. SunDevilBeer

    SunDevilBeer Pooh-Bah (1,945) May 9, 2003 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    And it would’ve come with half of it head & the other half with attitude from the server. Seriously eff that place.
     
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  14. SunDevilBeer

    SunDevilBeer Pooh-Bah (1,945) May 9, 2003 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    If you know the ripoff strategies of these bars & still visit them - then YOU’RE part of the problem. Don’t pin this on customers for not knowing the inner workings of publicans.

    Reason # 582 why the Boston beer bar scene is unequivocally the worst in the US.
     
  15. meefmoff

    meefmoff Pooh-Bah (1,848) Jul 6, 2014 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Oh shit. If @AlcahueteJ is turning up his nose at prices we know things are *really* getting out of hand! :wink:
     
  16. followerofmen

    followerofmen Crusader (417) Sep 9, 2012 Massachusetts

    First of all, Sweatshirt just put those numbers to rest in the post below, secondly, charge what you need to on the beers you need to. Clearly there's no significant objection to 6/8/10/12 oz servings, so even if a keg is 50-60% more expensive, you can charge 10/8oz and still have $7 pints of Be Hoppy. I'm not at all here to rationalize NINE DOLLARS FOR A BE HOPPY, not at all.
     
  17. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Haha, I was wondering, "Is someone going to point out that I never look at or care about price?"

    I have my limits. I just looked it up. It was "Mastodon", a Kellerbier from Mahr's Brau. $12 for 16 oz., no thanks.
     
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  18. EnronCFO

    EnronCFO Pooh-Bah (1,969) Mar 29, 2007 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Traveling to SF this week for work. Now this is a taplist: http://www.toronado.com/whats-on-tap/

    Note that Allagash White can ship cross country to a more expensive city and be sold for $5/pint, but it’s $7-9 in Boston.
     
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  19. thedaveofbeer

    thedaveofbeer Savant (1,169) Mar 25, 2016 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Is there a city outside of Norway or Iceland that is more expensive to drink in than Boston?
     
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  20. Resuin

    Resuin Pooh-Bah (2,847) Jun 18, 2012 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I used to live in Honolulu and it’s pretty pricey for craft drafts.
     
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