Why are Belgian beers so expensive?

Why are French and Italian cheeses so expensive?
Because if you buy them it's highly unlikely you'll get sub quality crap.
...oops, I just thought of Leffe, never mind.

 

Imported alcoholic products to the US have to go thru the 3 tired system which adds cost to all involved, unlike in Europe and most other markets, the brewery can sell direct to an on or off-premise locations. NOTE I do understand most states allow craft breweries to self-distribute in state, but self-distributing beyond 70-80 miles radius from the brewery is not cost effective and one will need to work with a distributor past that or if they sell out of state. Thus this builds in a lot more transportation/distribution costs than in Europe. When I'm in Belgium I can get a Chimay for ~$1 inclusive of 21% VAT & bottle deposit/330ml bottle at a large grocery store like DelHaize which means the retailer is probably buying it ~$0.40-0.50/bottle. YET in NYC area off premise its about $6-7 and on premise $8-9. I know I'm getting jacked, but if I want a Chimay in the US that's what it costs. The importer, distributor, and on/off premise place all add their margin, not to mention the excise and local/state taxes and shipping/transport costs etc... These are considered premium imports and hence are priced accordingly due to all these costs and to a certain amount the to stay inline with "premium import pricing" because they can get it.

 

So, why can I purchase German imported beers at a reasonable price but I can't for imported Belgian Trappist/Abbey style beers?

Cheers!

 

You raise a valid point. I can get Spaten Optimator (six of 12 oz) for $7.49 but Duvel (four of 11.2 oz) is $11.99. Both are made by pretty big companies.

 

Check out the prices for Italian "craft" and get back to me.

 

Jack & Squire123, good point and the only reason that makes sense is that the US importers are making more margin because they can and want to charge a premium and/or the Belgian breweries similarly are selling it to their US importers at a higher margin than German breweries because they can/want to. Long story short is the consumer gets jacked if they want to drink Belgian beers in the US

 

Rodenbach and Petrus are probably the best value /quality for the funky/sours out there but I think US/Belgian pricing for any of the sour styles is pretty even. Cascade is just stupid priced however, but honestly I haven't had one yet so maybe they are top shelf and worth their 750ml pricing. I know Allagash (US) and Hansenn's (Belgian) are both $15-20 range for their top shelf small bottle 375ml sours, which is pretty expensive in price per oz. but both of those brewers make quite amazing stuff IMO.

 

FWIW that is what I am thinking.

I agree with that 100%!!

My 'solution' to these situation is that I homebrew my own Belgian Ales. Recently I brewed a batch of Tripel and Saison and in another month or so I will be brewing a Dubbel.

The US importers can kiss my butt!!

Cheers!

 

Many of the Italian specialties are very good, but most are prohibitively priced. I will acknowledge that they usually have excellent packaging, which is nice. When I was in the business, I had several importers pushing some of the top Italian craft brews. I occasionally bought some, but they usually sat on the retailers shelves, dusty and lonely. There must be some niches where they sell through in a reasonable time. Not around here.
The Belgian producers, I think, are a touch too "proud" of their beers. They do cost more to the wholesaler from the importers than most European beers.

 

Given the prices in Belgium, I'd suggest (as mentioned by a couple of folks above) that it's the importer rather than the Brewers.

 

Could be, but Importers that I dealt with- 2 of which had very fair pricing in general- complained about Belgian pricing to them. Also, the great majority of sought after Belgian beers- with the exception of Lambics- are higher in alcohol than many Euro imports. Added taxes due to alcohol content also likely affect pricing all along the way.

 

If I was an importer looking to obtain increased margins that is likely what I would say as well. Deflect to the Belgian breweries and then count all of to the 'extra' money I am making.

Cheers!

 

One of the importers actually took lower margins on beers from one famous brewer. I trust this guy completely. I took lower margins as well.

 

But the confusing thing is that Belgian Ales like Chimay, etc. are economically priced in Belgium but definitely are not in the US. 'Somebody' is making some 'extra' money here and the fact that there are multiple parties here (brewery - importer - reatailer) does not adequately explain things here. Are you suggesting that the Belgian breweries are charging the importers more per unit vs. the retailers in Belgium?

Cheers!

 

Are Belgian brewers required to pay any additional taxes on export goods?

 

Demand and availability. The only time I've seen Cantilion was at the Black Bass in Waterbury Vt, at the bar. $30. I've never , ever seen it elsewhere. Just an example.

 

FWIW my understanding of the EU is to ‘normalize’ business transactions among the member states. If this understanding is correct then Belgium, Germany, etc. are on a level playing field here.

Needless to say but I am willing to be corrected here.

Cheers!

 

If I'm not mistaken Chimay is cheaper in the USA than other Trappists- Like Achel. My answer to your last query is: Possibly. I've never really pondered too much why Belgian beers seem relatively more expensive here other than to the same beer's pricing in Belgium. I always rather assumed that the usual culprits of higher alcohol, high freight costs, monetary exchange rates (sometimes), supply and demand, pricing to importer (possibly), hugely variable tax rates (state to state) on beers stateside, and maybe some wholesalers do gouge in some markets more than in others. Most Belgian beers seem to be sold as singles by retailers, even though a number are shipped in 4-packs for 11.2 oz bottles. Quite a few were shipped as 24 singles to the case. I used to get so little Cantillon that I broke cases to sell incrementally to as many retailers as possible. In the beginning 2002-2007 or so, I could hardly give Cantillon away. And unsurprisingly, when the sour craze came about, Cantillon pricing sky-rocketed all along the supply chain.

 

Expensive? All of those are dirt cheap. I pay 1.80 euros for St. Bernardus Abt. Then again, I do live in Holland.