Beer is Expensive

What I haven’t seen mentioned yet is the high price lagers some places put out, $15-16 four packs.

The reason this bothers me more than others is cause there are so many cheaper and better made ones to justify that purchase; plus it is what I buy. Yes I have had some of these beers, they are not worth the extra $5 per pack to me. Oh and most of said bees you actually have to go out of the way to drive and get.

Like someone said above, here and there it’s not bad but a case a month. We’re talking saving $30-40; that’s a takeout night for the fam with no cooking.

 

I blame all of the "bros" that over the years have supported the price gouging and nonsensical pricing of beer. Since when was $25/ 64 ounces of beer considered a good buy or even reasonable? I never fell into that trap and for the most part have stuck with more reasonably priced/high quality beers. There has to be a jumping off point - I feel like there breweries just continue to push our limits - saying to themselves "I wonder if we push the price of these hazies to $35/4 pack will they still buy it?"
I wish there was more pushback from the community itself, but folks just continue to line up for the pricing of these things so........

 

I was just in the CA Bay Area shopping for beer to bring back. I only purchased one 16 oz can of a hazy ipa as they were pricy. BUT then I picked up a 6 pack (in 16 oz cans!!) of Pizza Port Swami’s IPA. It was fresh, far more inexpensive and so good!

I did spend quite a bit because of course I grabbed some large format bottles.

 

YES!!!!!! - I don't understand this AT ALL! The one thing I always say to myself to stay away from these 4 packs of lagers is I see what the German lagers are priced at and then compare it to the US breweries here that charge between $15-20 for a 4 pack of their lager. I say that there is no way you are beating the Germans at their own game and I'm certainly not paying those prices to find out if you can even come close.

 

The locals are way too expensive. Can’t get a six pack at any of them and a 4x16 starts at $14 and goes up to $24+. No thanks. I will support local when I’m rich or they bring prices in line with what I can buy mid/large regional beers for. Hell, I have been buying Fiddlehead IPA 19.2 for $2.99 a can and that’s still not a cheap beer at equal over $11 a six. I’m not crazy picky do $13.49 Oskar blue 15 packs are just fine right now, Two Hearted is going on sale for $32 and many other beers like these are always btwn these prices. Sure I don’t get full choice on what I drink but I can always grab something else. I used to spend under $1 a beer but have moved closer to $1.25. Founders 15 packs are under $20 almost everywhere as well. I will still buy seasonal sand others but my main buying is stated above.

Enjoy





Enjoy

 

Exactly, I wish I could afford to support local but local breweries have priced out the locals

 

What I don't understand is, what makes these breweries boutique breweries? Essentially, they're making same quality stuff as many other breweries. But they decide to charge $10-15 more a 4pk!

 

Im not sure how but my favorite local place has kept their traditional style beers for both 4 and 6 packs at $11, used to be $10. 12 packs of flagship lager $19, instead of the $22 for two 6 packs. They’re the best.

The bigger local places haven’t got too worse either: yards, cape May, victory…

 

I’ve seen enough people that seem happy to pay those prices. For a lot of people that are now discovering craft beer, this is the norm. From what I’ve seen, at least

 

There are definitely a good amount of AZ breweries that keep their beer reasonable, many are a bit more on the generic side but some are good and what I’d consider “old favorites”

 

I'm currently drinking a 16 oz can of beer that was $12. But it's an 11% ABV Imperial Stout, aged for 18 months in Apple Brandy barrels. This pricing makes more sense to me. Is it worth it? Yes! Would I buy it again? Absolutely! - - - https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/50370/614677/

 

I see that as reasonable, considering what it probably cost them (I’m guessing a smaller brewery) to produce. It’s also not that much considering what bomber pricing for a lot of special release beers used to be like.
Also, it sounds delicious

 

I have a single of that beer in my beer fridge that I paid $25 for. I might check that out this weekend to see if it was worth it.

 

I've been paying $28-33 a bottle (750 mL) for barrel aged Imperial Stouts and English Barleywine from a NC brewery. Most of them are worth it. Now the shipping on the other hand...

The way to justify a lot of it is...How much does a pint of a shitty AAL cost at a bar?

 

Yeah, shipping can be brutal. There are things where I think the price can be easily justified. Lighter style lagers in colorful cans and hazies with a shelf life barely longer than the memory span of a goldfish… Not so much

 

How will you determine if it was worth it? The longer I drink beer the more I am certain that all these high priced beers are just a cash grab. Sure, some are amazing but not most. Even at amazing, best beer I ever had it would not be worth the $25 for a can to me. Just my thought and would like to know your answer to my question, no judgement just an honest question.

Enjoy

 

To charge that much for an artificially flavored beer is beyond ridiculous.

 

If I enjoy it, that makes it worth it, IMHO. And I wouldn’t have purchased it if I didn’t think I’d enjoy it.

Every beer nerd approaches their expenditures differently. I see a lot of “$$$/ounce” discussion on these boards, and to be completely transparent, that calculation never enters my beer nerd calculus, within reason - I can’t see myself ever dropping $1,000 on a 12 oz bottle of KBBS. But $150?

Probably.

 

That’s certainly your opinion, and I don’t share it, but that’s okay. The price for anything is what the market will bear. For me and the particular beer in question, that was apparently $25 for a pint.

 

When it comes to Mortalis, I'm thinking it has to be the fresh fruit that is driving that price up. Not being an apologist, just stating a theory. Same with Nightmare and their Equadorian Cacao and Tahitian Vanilla, etc. I don't know where Equilibrium gets off though. Fluctuations is the only thing Ive had from them and while its one of the best IPAs I've ever had, it doesn't warrant $28 for a 4 pack. Tree House has Julius, Haze, and Green for like $16-20 for the 4 pack and it blows most IPAs out of the water.