Why are Belgian beers so expensive?

Considering they are brewed in a different country and have to be imported, the price seems about right. Go to Belgium, prices will be better there! Or look out for Belgian-style American beers! Plenty of good ones with reasonable prices! First one to come to mind is Boulevard's Sixth Glass.

 

import fees. bottles of other things like whisky, sake... sometimes double after leaving the country. even more expensive if it's a smaller company.

 

That's about what many American craft beers go for here. I'd imagine the large body of salt water separating the two continents has something to do with it.

Also, perceived value.

 

Because you pay that much for them??At that price point, I would get something else. At stores in germany, I only buy them when they are reasonably priced, which is rarely the case. Most of the time, I buy them in belgium or luxemburg...

 

In Belgium they are super cheap. The four you list can easily be found in most stores for about 5-7 Euro ($6-8) a 4 pack. The better question is why do your importers charge you so much?

 

What's funny is I can buy my American whiskey and bourbon here in Luxembourg for less than I did in WA!

I also think that the importers have an unfairly high mark up, particularly going from Europe to the USA. No reason a 4-pack of Westbrook Gose should only be €12 here (Luxembourg), but a 4-pack of Rochefort 8 is €18 in the States.

 

As has been said, it's pretty much because they're from Belgium.

 

Hmm, not sure about that being all in the mark up. Seems like the currency exchange rates, the relative import taxation rates, the length of the distribution chain, and the additional multiple levels of state and city regulation and additional taxation at those levels might make for some of that some difference.

 

They are imports

They tend to be high ABV

They are generally of high quality

Usually you get what you pay for

 

IMO @SStein hit the nail on the head with his question of: "The better question is why do your importers charge you so much?"

My answer to the above question is that they charge us so much because US consumers are willing to pay that much.

Cheers!


P.S. I stopped paying exorbitant prices and I homebrew my own Trappist-style/Abbey ales instead.

 

So you don't think things like the currency exchange rates, the import taxation rates, the additioinal link in the length of the distribution chain, and the multiple levels of state and city regulation and any additional taxation at those levels might make for some of that difference?

 

A lot of this. Eventually the market may be able to handle higher prices in Europe too, but right now most people wouldn't pay them

 

At that price per oz, if you put those in bombers, you'd have a $10 bomber... and people here tend to pay that all the time on all sorts of American beer.

 

Tom,

This topic was discussed before in this thread: http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...ughts-about-chimay.277731/page-2#post-3509582

It seems to me that the price differential of Belgian Trappist Ales is greater between US and Belgium than other imported beers. All beer from Europe is equally impacted by currency exchange rates, import tax rates, transportation costs, etc.

Cheers!

Jack

 

So if German beers are double and Belgian beers are triple that would make the difference between Belgium and here attributable to two factors, importation and charging what the market will bear rather than just charging for the Belgians because you can. Right?

 

“…charging what the market will bear rather than just charging for the Belgians because you can.”

To my mind “charging what the market will bear” = “charging for the Belgians because you can (still sell the beer)”.

Cheers!

 

Most are made like craft beers which costs more. The styles often require more work. Many American versions of the same styles have similar price points. Shipping across an ocean, import fees, and everyone who touches the beer - importer, shipping company, distributor, retailer, takes a cut. They also have a cult status which means that people like us are willing to pay more.

 

Import fees.

 

It can't be more than import and demand / limited availability. Add a little for shipping.

Average supermarket prices here in The Netherlands;

Chimay blue €1,60
Gulden draak €1,60
St berdardus (ABT 12 = €2)
Rochefort 10 €2,20

We pay around €2.50 for a bottle of Goose Island IPA / 312 Wheat Ale / Anchor Porter / Anchor IPA / Snake Dog / Raging Bitch. Those are the American Craft beers available in our supermarkets.