High Alcohol Beers - Smaller Bottles?

That's true, but if these are high-alcohol beers, there's no reason the brewery has to release them in a 4-pack. Several breweries have started selling individual 12oz bottles of big beers. I would love to see more places do this. Who knows, though. I used to love how Founders and Bell's only did 12oz bottles. It would have been great if there were nearly twice as many bottles of CBS, Better Half, Wild One, and Black Note.

 

On the retail side of this, I can tell you I'd much rather bring in a case of 12 bombers than a case of 24 single 12oz beers. It can be a real trudge to sell 24 of one beer sometimes.

 

You'd think it'd be easy for them to put single nips (tee-hee) on their shelves though... like those little Rogue 7oz bottles or the Nogne stuff?

Yeah I suppose that's true.

 

I really wish magnums were more common. Keep them reasonably priced, oz for oz, and I'll fill my cellar with them.

Price of the bottle cant be too bad it Cooks can use magnums for bargain bin champagne. That shits like 8 bucks bottle.

 

As you said, I think these types of beers are best enjoyed with a buddy. You guys have just got to bite the bullet one night and enjoy it!!

 

I find nothing wrong with a bomber during the week. Ive built up a healthy tolerance for high ABV over the last couple years and me and a tasting partner can usually do 4-6 between us on a Wednesday.

 

I guess I'm blessed to have a wife that loves beer as much as I do. Nearly any bomber/750 we buy, she's splitting with me. I have a live-in drinking partner.

As already suggested, share your booze when the situation calls for it.

 

I think they should offer a variety of sized for high ABV beers. Troegs Mad Elf, for example, comes in 22 oz. bottles and 12 oz. bottle. You can buy a bomber, a six pack, or a single 12 oz. if you wanted.

 

Hike those panties up and drink the whole bomber.
Regarding packaging, I don't recall the previous thread mentioned but you not only have to consider the glass itself but several other factors. Breakage - if allowing for X% breakage per line would you expect double breakage # of bottles in 12 vs 22/750?
shelf space
refrigeration (shelf space)
transportation - how many cases of 22 fit per pallet vs 12 oz
Small breweries = inefficiency dealing with multiple format packaging.
bottle caps are really expensive too
lack of secondary packaging in bombers. One master box = a case for bombers. One master box plus 6 pack holders = 12 oz case. One might argue that a bomber case includes dividers but these are minimal, low-weight cardboard vs inked, weight-bearing 6er cartons requiring secondary cut, glue, & folding.
Now food production is not directly equivalent with beer packaging but the package your food comes in can account for up to 50% of the cost of food items. It is much easier to preserve beer than some foods of course. But why do you think it costs .59-.99 for a 20oz (590 mL) drink and 1.29-1.89 for 64oz (~2L)? The material is a cost factor but also consider production itself. Again, making 1000 big bottles at 100kg vs 2000 small bottles at 100kg should cost less.
I did like de Molen nippers but I can also see their recent shift to 12 oz bottles especially considering they are waxing many of them. When I start brewing I will definitely utilize nippers but my cost of labor per ounce doesn't change too much dealing with 5-20 gal at a time.

 

I definitely like the 12oz format the most, for anything besides Lambics. I would rather pay $4/12oz than $7/22oz. I share bottles all of the time and have tastings but I still find the 22oz bottles I buy building up over a month and then I unload them all with friends when I get the chance. I rarely open up a bomber for myself. I would rather buy a $4 12oz and if it was great just get another one to share or something like that. I guess I just like drinking a lot of different 12oz beers in any given night rather than 1 or 2 bombers. All of this being said, some beers just feel at home in bombers or 750ml bottles. I guess I am just used to it or something.

 

Breakage - double the amount of bottles broken. I am not bottle expert, but I would imagine the actual cost is not double, provided the glass needed for larger format is also larger, and although the volume of glass needed for the same volume may be larger, I doubt it's double. The volume of beer lost is +2oz for 12's vs bombers and -2 for 750ml's; so I consider that a wash, depending on brewer.

Shelf space/refridgeration - are you talking at the brewer, distro or retail level? The brewer is not responsible for the 2nd and 3rd tiers from what I understand, so this is not much of an issue IMO. Volume of 12oz case 1548 cubic in, 22oz case 1150, 750ml case 1725. So, for the lost space of 400 cubic inches per case, they can nearly double their unit numbers, that's a good investment of space.

Transportation: see volume vs. units aspect

Small breweries: nobody is arguing that 22oz AND 12oz bottles should be available - the discussion is actually for smaller bottles. Presuming you are referring to the large ABV offerings from a brewery, then you are certainly correct, this would be an obstacle to offering the beer in smaller formats (beyond draft only, regulated pours)

Bottle caps: I know, right?!

Secondary packaging: there is no rule that states you must place 12oz bottles into 4 or 6-packs. I've had many a beer in 12oz format that was sold out of a box sans carriers.

Finally, I really, really want to order up a nip of sexual chocolate someday. That's the dream I'm fightin' for!

 

If this is really a dilemma, save it for a day of session drinking with your buddy and work your way too the Jewbelation at the end. But honestly, if you aren't comfortable finishing a bomber of Jewbelation, then you should probably stick to lower abv beers for now. No snarky intent.

 

Get a small swingtop bottle (11 or 12 oz.) and pour half the bomber in there and cap it on foam. Drink the rest of the bomber and you have a hand bottle of the same beer that stays good for a few days.

 

Having to buy bombers is a pain. I would love 12oz big beers. I'm 21 so I don't have a lot of friends that either appreciate or would spend money on craft. I've been wanting to try my bottle of DFH Noble Rot, but have no idea when I'll be in the mood to drink 750ml of it and at 9% it's not making it any easier. I just hate that format. 12oz is so convenient, especially for imperial stouts. I have a hard time getting through 12oz of a nice thick impy stout. Thank the lord KBS is 12oz.

 

I think there are plenty of beers available in different sizes. If you don't like bombers, don't buy them. Over the course of 2-3 hours a 15% bomber has never made me worse for the wear.

 

My practice as well w/ the big bottles. It's taken me a while to get a good grasp on what I can responsibly enjoy in an evening based on bottle size and ABV, since I don't particularly enjoy getting sloshy drunk. As long as I stick to the "one and done" rule these strong beers are totally manageable.

 

You're telling me...

 

Hate bombers, love 12s, wish everything came in 12s. Admittedly I have less a problem than many because the lady is a beer geek too, so bombers get split up. But 12s are just so much more convenient.

As a pal of mine says: "big beers, small bottles."

 

Has anyone ever ENJOYED a Black Tuesday by themselves? 18.2% BA Stout @ 750ml

 

Yep, and it was amazing. Took me about 3 hours, but I enjoyed every sip. Not something that I would do every day, but once in a while, I want to have a nice beer to myself.