Westy 12 Coming to Oregon - Break out the checkbooks

Your Euros to dollars exchange rate is backwards me thinks.

 

Dammit, I knew something was off. €1 = $1.31. Told you my math sucks. So:
Blond: €30 ($39.30)
8: €34 ($44.54)
12: €39 ($51.09)
That would put a brick, at brewery prices, at about $14.50. So still a 500% markup.
And no rare beers for Washington.

 

I brought back bottles of 8 and 12 last time I was in Belgium so I don't need any, but it's nice for people to get the shot at it here, even if the prices are jacked.

 

FouFoune is €6 per bottle at the brewery. Just saying.

 

Can't get that in Washington either. Unless I'd been in on this tasting anyway.

 

Just to be pedantic, you need to add 2.4€/crate of Westvleteren (.10€ deposit/bottle) and another 9.6€ for the deposit of the crate, unless you return it right away.
Additionally, you can buy mixed 3 packs, 6 packs and bricks, depending on availability, at the brewery. It is not the same price as buying a crate, Bricks went for 24€. I forget the price of the 3 packs (8€?) and 6 packs (12€ or so).

I was overly against the price initially, but taking into account shipping, middle men markups, and the cost of Rochefort 10 being around $7-$8, its not horrible, I sure as hell won't be buying any, but I guess it is not too insane and would make a nice gift.
Even if it were $100+ it would sell out easily.

 

Yes, as much as the price seems ridiculous, we should be happy they are not pricing according to the supply-demand curve. I bet they would have no problem selling this at $150+ in the right markets.

 

The way I look at it, six Cherry Adam from the Wood (at case price) = $75 plus $8/glass at HotD = $91. So, the Westy 12 is a little less expensive (and slighly less in volume), but basically inline with what a whole bunch of us just paid for a local beer. A local beer that wasn't shipped anywhere and with no exchange rate concerns. I didn't think the price was that unreasonable, given the demand. I reserved a gift box at Belmont earlier today. My only frustration - I didn't have enough cash on me so I had to pay $3 to cover credit card fees.

 

You just pointed out something incredibly ridiculous Dale! If a retailer sells a gift box at $84.99 and the buyer pays with a credit card, the retailer loses money! That's absurd!

 

Its the 2nd best rated beer in the world behind PtY. $14.21 per bottle is well worth the try. I bought 3 gift boxes amd planning on getting 3 more tmw. 3 to sell to friends, 3 to use as trade bait. I dont think this thread is worth bashing the price. People in the NW getting lucky to have an opp to try this beer. Fly to belgium and try it or by a brick. Hmm. Imma sell the sh*t outta this beer
A-

 

That's a fair analogy. Both ostensibly brewery-only beers (although I managed to get a "gray-market" CAftW @ Chuck's here in Seattle, and paid a substantial premium for it), both very limited. But I guess I have to ask, would $75 be a reasonable price for a single 12oz bottle of Cherry Adam shipped to Belgium and distributed via legitimate channels there? Based on a comparable markup of at-brewery prices, that's about what it would go for if HotD did the same thing the Westvleteren brewery/Shelton Bros. are doing.

I'm not saying the answer is yes or no; value is purely in the eye of the beholder. But maybe asking the question helps put things in perspective.

 

Many European beers are marked up as much, or nearly as much, when they show up here. Cantillon is dirt cheap at the brewery. Fantome is a couple bucks a bottle. Arguably, the take-away is that American breweries setting their prices at the level of European imports are the ones overcharging.

 

I won't argue with that.

 

This! I know aging beers and barrels etc is expensive, but some of the prices on single 12oz or 22oz bottles are asinine. Especially, when you compare it, as Kevin mentioned, to prices of bottles of Cantillon, Fantome etc...
Granted capitalism and all that, so if you can produce something for a $1 and sell it for $16, go for it, I guess.

Alternatively, look at Upright, Sole Comp releases for $15, or The Commons, tomorrows releases $11 and $9 for 750ml bottles, much respect to these two breweries; great beer and very fair prices.

 

This statement seems a bit disingenuous. You actually have the privilege to pay nothing and get nothing.

 

You forgot "and like it."

 

True. I actually love bitching about beer prices myself. Something about this one just doesn't bother me though.

 

To help along this analogy... I have a trade partner in Belgium and he once told me he paid 30 euros for a bottle of regular old Fred.

 

1) that is stupid
2) Fred is not imported via normal distribution channels, someone likely brought it to the store themselves or traded it/sold it to the store. It is similar to bottles of Pliny or Darkness showing up in Europe, so not quite an apt analogy.