Craft beer drinkers are no match for FOMO, so they'll pay these ridiculous prices that breweries are charging.
An inflation calculator (x7.94) says your $1.05 is now equivalent to $8.00, and the Dixie price would now be $5.50. In those days, the fed. and state excise taxes were a more significant fraction of the retail price. Federal minimum wage then was $1.60, which comes to about 12.80. in today's dollars. Note that your 1.05 in '71 was only 2/3 of the fed. minimum, and even that was 10% better than today's meager Fed minimum of 7.25
Anchor Steam was bottled starting 1971. A six pack of Anchor was maybe $4.00? An inflation multiplier of 7.94 gives $31.80 as the retail price.
I keep 24 packs of 1664 for my nephews and contractors. They drink a lot of Grimbergen blonde, a fairly insipid Belgian beer. When I give them a Goudale, they act like it's a special treat. Affligam Blonde and 1664 are the most common beers on tap that I see.
And by the way, I turned 21 in '69 when a six pack of local 11 oz returnable (NW locals Blitz, Oly, Heidelberg) bottles were about $1.05. The Fed minimum wage then was $1.30.
Interesting. I certainly see plenty of Affligam and Grimbergen on tap, but invariably there'd also be at least one Blanche as well. The last couple times I also saw Laganitas ipa on tap as well. The latter was invariably the most expensive draft option, presumably because of the higher abv. Some places did have the 1664 on tap, but I don't recall it being widespread. In larger French cities, I feel like it's become increasingly easy to find taphouses with a pretty good selection. Prices aren't cheap at those dedicated taphouses, but I wouldn't call them outrageous. Most places have some sort of happy hour arrangement when you can drink more cheaply.
To try and draw a line between young and old, I’d say about 40 year old more are the older one. Your assessment is entirely accurate as I know my people. @John_M and others who’ve traveled here recently can also attest. And to your point and post after this one: couldn’t agree more. I know people and advocates encourage to drink local as much as possible. Seriously some French “craft” here for over 3-4€ a single 330ml bottle are very much mediocre as compared to what you accurately mention re: Belgian beers and wonderful ones for less than 2€, including Duvel, Chouffe, Chimay, Westmalle around that price tag. Cheers.
In my experience, the current price for a beer in a NYC "craft beer bar" (and beyond) is about $12 w/o tip, give or take. I used to do a fair amount of drinking there. With some of my former favorite drinking spots closed, and potentially less appealing beer options available these days (speaking very generally)... it's hard to ignore the costs. Grabbed a beer in NYC this weekend. It was $14. I couldn't find the desire to have more. In the past I would have had many beers during an outing.
I paid $25 (with tip) for a pint of PTE @ SFO Saturday night. Thank God that my girlfriend is not on here.
Pliny the Elder. Pretty much neck and neck with Heady Topper as the DIPA GOAT. I'm still not paying $25 for a pint of beer, even in an airport, even in a known expensive city. Airport bars have stale beer and dirty lines.
Agreed. Beer in Seatac is nearly as expensive as SFO (after tax and tip), and I've just decided I dont need (or want) a beer badly enough to pay that kind of price. Rather than pay that price (usually because I'm bored and a captive audience), I can wait a few hours and have something at home. PtE costs a third that price back home, so I know very well that the airport price is exorbitant and (imho) unjustified.
I remember one fine evening years ago in PDX, waiting into late night for a delayed JetBlue redeye at the Laurelwood tap there. Enjoyable delay, good beer at a decent price. Vinepair has a (for once) reasonable price ranking of AAL at airports, with SFO second just behind LGA, SEA about 15% cheaper, PDX about 40% lower (maybe helped by the lack of sales tax?).
There's also a local ordinance that requires restaurants and pubs that have a downtown presence, not to upcharge their beer at the airport. If a downtown pub is charging $7 a pint for a beer, they can't charge more than that at their PDX location. Lack of sales tax is a bonus. On average, beer prices at Seatac are at least double what you'll pay for the same beer at PDX.
I live outside of a small French town, and almost never go to bars unless we are traveling so my experience in bars and big cities is limited to hotel bars. We did spend an evening last year in a taphouse in Bordeaux, nothing about that place stands out as memorable either good or bad. But we do spend a lot of time going to the different village festivals and fund raising events(our village has a small pub that supports the PTA) and the vast majority of the people are very happy with the 1664. At my house when I offer something different it's turned down in favor of 1664 or Grimbergen 95% of the time.
