Large Format Bottles, are they really necessary?

I'm quite fond of 40's, so we'll have to agree to disagree on the bottle size in general. I will say I think some of these "bombers" get out of hand on the price point, craft beer wise. Why would I buy one big ass bottle for 12 bucks when I can get a sixer for 9?

 

$

 

Hate them. I never EVER want to consume 22-25 ounces of RIS or Barleywine. Oddly, what calls for larger servings is never found to be. Then of course the dead horse issue of costs

Happy to see that brewers are changing their tune as of late

 

“I am sure there is some money factor that is the driving force behind it.” That is the ‘answer’ right there.

If I were the owner of a small brewery, I would bottle in bombers or 750 ml bottles since that would maximize my profits.

As a beer drinker I refuse to purchase large format bottles.

Cheers!

 

I like them. I like buying barleywines in 750 ml bottles and sharing them with friends.

 

Love em.

 

There might be some benefit for aging. The forced conviviality can be a nice side effect. I love giving them as gifts (not to come empty-handed to a party, that sort of thing). I just like them. But not sure why I have to pay up for them. As discussed in a number of threads, I can see if glassware is more expensive or the handling/bottling line is more complicated, but otherwise, the higher price is purely a matter of what the market can bear.

Now, there are a lot of beers I like that never go into single-serve bottles. Can't avoid those. But the others, it would only be for novelty/sharing, gifting or aging. Oh wait, I think I just became the market bearing them.

 

This isn't always the case, but a lot of times breweries' larger bottles are filled on more labor intensive, slower lines. Especially true for small to medium sized breweries.

 

I think there is a luxury appeal to the large format bottles that is not being discussed here.

750ml bottles of beer can be displayed or marketed in direct competition to wines in appearance, lending a level of sophistication to the beer that was formerly only associated with wine and liquor. I am personally much more comfortable bringing a 750ml of beer into a nice BYOB than I am bringing in a 6-pk in a paper carton.

 

I like sharing the large format bottles with myself, personally.

 

Large format bottles, even for huge beers like RIS and BWs can make sense if you just want a long, slow afternoon sipper (preferably with a Churchill-sized cigar). I agree that the pricing can be a bit ridiculous, and it doesn't make sense for all beers, but I also agree with the social aspect and the luxury appeal. Furthermore, bombers let you try beers without having to dive into a sixer. When singles or mix-sixes aren't an option, that is. Added bonus: celebratory cork-popping on the 750s.

 

Money and hype

Thus, I refuse to participate

Too many good beers in smaller sample sizes and cheaper price points to get caught up in it

 

At least we aren't seeing 2 packs yet!

 

Depends on the beer. 12oz of Abyss isn't enough, 12oz of BCBS is.

 

The pricing issue is irritating, but even setting that aside, I don't like the large format bottles because I don't always want to drink that much by myself.

For RIS, Barleywine, and other ageable beers this isn't a big deal, because I can just set them aside until I have an occasion to share them. For IPAs it's a different story. I wanted to get some of the Enjoy By 2-14-14 back in January, but I didn't have an opportunity to share it with anybody coming up in the next few weeks. My wife can't drink beer and I'm a busy guy so I don't always have time for get-togethers. I do sometimes drink a bomber by myself, but I'm a relative lightweight so an entire bomber of a 9+% beer will get me pretty drunk, so I'll need 6 or 7 hours free to either get un-drunk or sip the thing slowly to avoid inebriation. I don't have a free 6 hours very much, so I end up not buying IPAs in bombers.

 

I oscillate back and forth on the issue of 750mL/22oz. I enjoy buying them to bring to my weekly bottle share, or split with my lady when we cook dinner, but when I'm in the mood for a beer by myself, I rarely (if ever) open anything larger than a 500mL. It just doesn't suit me at that point in time.

 

I like pulling a beer like Black Ops or Beauregard out cold, pouring a glass from a 750 and leaving it on the table. So as I drink through glass what's left in the bottle is coming up to temp and oxidizing, showing different characteristics in a second and third pour. I find this is best done from a 750ml with a friend or 2. My favorite beers do this well; my less favorite beers need to be chilled down before we get to the second half of the bottle or worse we never get there and move on.

 

I like the idea of large formats as far as a business move on the breweries part. Craft beer is making a huge push and I see it making a dent in wine sales as someone who runs a restaurant. I have been working with wine collectors forever and they like filling there cellar with large bottles as they are harder to find and they are just fun for some reason to collect. It might be for bragging rights, but it works. I think if you put the cult beers in 12 oz bottles they will loose there draw as anyone can get them and then they are not important to the beer collectors. People don't collect things that you can get at any store. Do I like this? I don't really care either way, but I think that making your beer easy to get hurts your brand in some ways. Look at 3 Floyd's. They have enough money to expand and make a ton of beer, or they could even sell but if they had there beer easy to get like a Lagunitas or Samuel Adams I think it would kill there brand. Yes it is a superior beer, but to your hard core beer collectors they will not purchase it anymore. Lagunitas makes great beer but you don't see people filling there cellars with it, or trying to trade for it. What people have to realize is that it is a business for these breweries and supply and demand is a huge key to the whole thing. Even the Bruery has started something that is marketing genius. They have a club that if you want there beer you have to pay in advance for and then they will ship it to you if you live in California. Even if one of there beers was not that good people will try to get it for the rarity of the beer.

Personally I would rather drink a 12 oz. bottle, but I think it is smart to have the large formats for the Breweries.

 

I cant remember the name of the beer, but there is a beer at Total Wine (its either German or Belgian, I am pretty sure) that is sold in a flimsy, cardboard two pack.