Price gouging rant...

I've never seen Whole Foods charge that "little" for it, and they seem to keep getting shipments

 

The WF locations I go to either charge 4.49 or 4.99. Sometimes they'll have bomber sales and they'll be included which brings them down to 3 and change.

 

I've never seen a WF charge more than 4.99

 

Paid $6.99 there two days ago

 

Pliny. A problem created by beer geeks for beer geeks. People need to accept the reality that even though its not a special release acquiring it has basically become such. As long as there are people willing to pay people will keep charging whatever they can get for it. Is anything really worth its price tag? Probably not but if we want something we buy it for what we can get it for and what were comfortable with spending for it. Does it suck that places upcharge for pliny and its difficult to get? Yes. Is it a great beer? Yes. Enjoy it when you can get it but if you cant get it or dont want to pay what someone is asking for it just get over it and drink something else.

 

Be glad you dont have bourbon for a hobby do you know how much people charge for Pappy! Ridiculous.

 

Wrong. Just report them to RR and the account will be pulled. Seriously, do people not understand that RR doesn't play these stupid games? Lots of honest retailers out there on a list just waiting for these "charge whatever they can for it" retailers to lose their allocations.

 

I am in awe that this "price gouging" subject comes up so frequently. Why do some people of the beer community believe that they should be insulated from "supply and demand" economics? I don't care about Russian River's concerns; I don't care about what you can get down the street; I don't care about what anyone "likes" or "doesn't like" about any of this.

Bottom Line:

1. The owner of the store has the right (assuming legalities etc.) to charge whatever he/she wants to charge for a product at his/her store.

2. You have the absolute right to buy or not buy the product.

You very rarely, if ever, hear such comments in the wine community where bottles are frequently in the hundreds of dollars and, actually, frequently in the thousands of dollars! There, people choose to buy the bottles or they don't! Only on this beer site does one see constant whining about prices! Geez people! Buy it or don't buy it, just like with every other item or service you purchase. Milk, eggs, bread, juice, shirts, pants, underwear, bikes, toys, cars, medical bills, lawyer fees, accountants, the gardner, etc. etc. My observation is that only the beer community believes that it is somehow entitled to special treatment and have some right to purchase below what the market will bear. Just my opinion.

End of story.

Oh, and P.S. - I'm not made of money. I like the cheapest price I can get on everything I want to buy! I either walk in and choose to buy something or I conclude that I can't afford it (or don't want to spend the price being asked) and I don't buy it. It's not really that hard and it certainly doesn't warrant all of the discussion (yes; I know....to which I've just contributed!)

 

I think you just incented me to drive the new car up to Napa and load up the trunk with a few bottles.

 

Let me know ahead of time when you'll be in the OC (north) and we can meet up at Beachwood SB? Or BT's Southern BBQ in HB.

 

I think it's fine to notify RR and they can pull their allocation. That's a decision RR can make. I just don't think this is price gouging as term is commonly used (such as in the case of natural disasters). It's one beer of hundreds on the shelf. If you don't like the price, don't buy it. And it's also OK with me to complain about the high prices, I just don't think it is "morally wrong" as I would if someone prices bread at $20 a loaf after an earthquake.

 

Your first mistake was going to a Giants game... that far outweighs the mistake of paying $150 for a case of Elder (snickers)

 

I actually currently live in south OC in Rancho Santa Margarita, am from the East Bay and regularly visit my old man in Sonoma. We should definitely meet up for a beer sometime.

 

to

FINALLY. It helps everyone out in the long run.

 

Good choice on not going back and removing your cash from their pockets. Even better choice drinking Faction. Your hockey team avatar choice not so much.

 

I think with your description you should have just either paid the guy the price he gave or just went somewhere else. If one looks at it logically this guy in a sense is providing you a very valuable service albeit a very high profit margin service. If there is a group of people coming from out of town and there one desire is to drink Pliny then even though a 100 percent markup seems excessive, the happiness it would seem to provide these people makes it a win win for both. Now that's not to say that he is absolutely right in this situation but think about it from his standpoint. He has a beer that he could sell all day long for 10 dollars a bottle and he has this young whippersnapper coming in and telling him how to run his business.

Also I was trying to figure out what a Gaints game was and I just realized you must have meant Giants game. It's such a great stadium and while I was typing I for some reason had this vision of sitting in the top section of the stadium looking out into the water and drinking a $15 non existent 16 ounce can of Pliny. Now that would be price gouging but fantastic.

 

While at this time you can't enjoy a Pliny without smuggling one in you can enjoy a $7.50 Blind Pig as long as you're willing to hike it up from the Public House

 

I say pay it....and at least the OP came through. Me? My bro-in-law was supposed to get a SN keg for my father-in-law (rip) for his 50th. Long story short....he went to Bevmo and brought back a keg of Red Dog. True story with a sad ending. Over 100 people didn't drain that keg......through the following day. Happy 50th.

 

Here's the link to the text of the law that prevents liquor stores from gouging on RR's PtE: http://tinyurl.com/2fcpre6

 

Please tell the name of this store. I am curious, they should be put on blast. 10 dollar pliny is ridiculous especially for in the bay area.