Taproom pour sizes and pricing.

I have no strong issue with pricing strategy. However, I would like to see a serving size midway between a taster tray (containing several 3 or 4 oz) and a "pint" (about 14 to 16 ounces). My preferred sample size would be about 8-12 ounces. The smaller size might be just $1 less than the pint. I could order one at a time and contemplate the brew, and then order one or two more in succession.

 

Actually, for years, essentially until the sale to ABInbev, Blue Point's brewery tap offered three free 4 oz glasses of your choice among the standard priced beers. This was a definite loss leader.

 

That is impressive and unlike anything I've ever heard of from a brewery. I can certainly see that drawing in some customers

 

Unlike many of the more recent startup breweries, Blue Point was located in an "atmospheric" location where, initially, the rent was minimal. They scrounged equipment from some craft brewers that had failed in the 90s. They contract brewed their bottled main line beers since space was limited (I thought the bottled beers were comparable to the in house brews). They also sold some 1/2 gallon growlers starting at $10. The owners also worked their a***s off for years.

 

In this instance, the flight pour and half size pour overlap. I’d love to see more places offer than, by the way. Do I need 12 oz. of a 16% abv barleywine? Not if I plan on having another! Or driving after.

 

My only preference is that the brewery list the pour size (in oz.) and price on a menu/board.

 

I always appreciate a taproom that offers at least one budget-friendly pour option. If I'm not driving, I really enjoy being able to enjoy one or two "fancy" beers, i.e. IPAs or stouts that may cost $8, then switch to a budget beer and enjoy that for as many pints as my next-morning plans will allow. One of my favorite taprooms charges $7-8 for most beers, but always has a perfectly good lager or pale ale on tap for $5/pint. This pricing strategy often leads me to frequent their business over others in the area.

And yes, please offer half pours.

 

I've only been to 1 brewery that did same price but varying size for everything on the board (Gigantic). It's a neat idea, but I definitely prefer different sizes for different prices. I love the option of half pints/short pours especially if I'm at a new place. My biggest request: keep your prices reasonable and consistent across the spectrum. If a full pour is $8, a half pour shouldn't be $6, and a taster $4 (like at a brewery I will allow to remain unnamed for now).

 

Doesn’t much matter to me, with one exception, any beer that is less than 6% abv needs to be available in 16oz. None of this 4.8% abv in a 12 oz tulip nonsense.

 

Wow, that a good question. I definitely expect a 16 oz pour of lower ABV beers and don't mind a smaller one on a higher ABV beer. I'm rarely going to order a 16 oz BBA anyway. I guess I want my cake and eat it too. I like to be able to order the style I want in the size I want, but I rarely consider the price if it's something I really want to try. That being said, everyone has a price point sensitivity.

What I really wish breweries and bars would do better is use a bigger glass for the 16 oz pour. Those standard pint shaker glasses barely hold 16 oz if you pour right up to the rim. It's messy and wasteful for the server and customer when they hand you one of those with beer spilt all down the side. Plus most servers don't make a proper pour in those. A 19 or 20 oz (Imperial pint) glass is perfect for most standard to low ABV beers. You can easily pour an attractive looking 16 oz beer with a proper head into that glass. That's one of the best parts of the tap room experience is the bar tender handing you a properly poured beer. Cheers!

 

Amen to that.

 

There is a lot of wisdom here. A craft beer brewery is a much different market than a bar, restaurant or retail store. The beer is the main product. One thing is universal, it's much easier to run a special to clear out a keg than it is to raise your prices if you start out too low. Want to see people complain in a hurry? Price yourself too low initially and then try to raise your prices later. Generally people don't care why you're raising your prices, all they know is they are paying more for the same thing.

 

But it's part of the celebration of the style for that fine saison to be served in special glassware. You'll hurt the brewer's feelings to do otherwise.

 

While I don't love having to go on a app to buy drink tickets at Tree House Brewing, I do appreciate that that ticket will get me a beer of my choosing... IT could be a 20oz pour of a lager or a 10oz pour of a stout, and they offer the proper glassware to go with those options. I don't think they offer samples though, which is a bummer. I certainly appreciate getting an ounce sample before making a selection. I think it benefits the customer and the sever as I always tip a little more if I can sample a beer or two before making a selection.

 

That’s how Sierra Nevada rolls and I love it. 20oz for their pint and 10oz for their half pours. I should add they are 20 and 10oz glasses so with the foam it’s not actually 20ozs. I think that 8ish pour is great for sampling multiple beers. To me 4 ozs isn’t enough if you end up liking the beer but 8-10 I feel content enough to try something new/different.

the two on the left are both half pours.

 

The old style traditional British pint glass had an etched mark near the top of the glass for the full imperial pint. The head had to be above that. Also it was acceptable to ask for a "top up"..of you got a frothy pint..and every bar did it as far as my experience was.
The British are VERY serious about their weights and measurements

 

As we should be too!

 

I LIKE it!

 

I'd consider simplifying your glassware down to:

- Imperial pints (with half-pint and pint markings on the glass)
- Tulips/snifters (with markings at the full and half-pour sizes - assuming the half-pour line is ~5 oz, this allows the glass to be used for flight pours as well)