How Much Are You Willing to Pay?

I'll say up front: I'm cheap. I can afford pretty much what I want to spend, but I'm cheap by nature.

I will generally pass on a regular lineup beer if it is over $10-12 per 6/12 or 4/16. That means I pass up quite a few of the Surly beers. I have no FOMO.

I MAY try it once for more than that, (e.g. Todd, etc.) but it would be a rare purchase for me if it is repeated at all.

For special releases (e.g. KBS for example), I'll go up to $20-24 for 4/12, 1/22, 1/750.

I won't pay for any beer that is more than $25 per bomber, and will think long a hard before I go over $20.

The recent MD release @ TG, for example. I would not even consider it. $100 per 4/12? No thanks. If I happened to be in the area, I might swing by for a pour, but that's it.

But, I will buy their Decorah-brewed bombers when they appear here. They are usually between $8 - $18 per, depending on the beer.

Did I say I have no FOMO?

 

Lemme get back to you after I find out whether things work out in my favor over in that other thread...

 

I can afford about whatever kind of beer I like, but I am conscious of the price. If a bomber is more than $20, it's gonna have to be something I'm confident I'll like; EX: whiskey and bourbon barrel aged can be hit and miss - for my tastes - so I stay away of them if they're over $20.

I will overpay (if that's the right word) for 4-packs or 6-packs because I can trade single bottles with friends.

My daughter reminds me I paid $60 for a case of Ballygowan Sparkling Water from Ireland (it was a birthday present for her) and my son reminds me that I scored a case of Westy - complete with wooden crate - for ~$15 a bottle. Those have to be considered exceptions not any general rule

 

I used to go up to about $25 regularly for bombers+ when I was still expanding my repertoire and just getting opportunities at the more highly rated beers from breweries that were just hitting our area.

As more and more breweries and beers came into the market and I had a better feel what was out there, that started dropping. Was $20 about a year ago, now it's about $15. Note this is the threshold that I pause at. If it's something I know I like or really want to try, I'll go higher.

Until more recently, no 4/6-packs seemed too outrageous as the options were more often core offerings. That's still generally true, but I'd say my big thinning point starts once you get to about $15-16 a 4/6 pack. Again, no hard/fast rule.

 

I despise bombers... I'll put that up front right now.

OK, so my breaking point might be 4ish$/12 oz (we're talking SMS, high Westified, stuff like that) and maybe 4.50-5$/16 oz. My bottle shop of the moment has Evil Twin Unstoutdt (sp?) for over 5.50 a 16 oz can. I have to pass... srsly, I can get EMJ and IBB for over a dollar less per can, wth does being a smoked stout have to do with the price of tea in China?

HOWEVER... when CBS comes through, I may have to change these rules. I specifically passed up KBS because of the ridiculous price point, esp. after having SMS just a few weeks/months earlier for cheaper.

 

Many places have gone to 4-packs of 16oz. cans format and pricing is out of control. It's not uncommon for any 8%+ beer to be $17 or more for the 4-pack. If it's a hazy, citrusy IIPA, be ready for the splurge.... for 4 beers. Drives me nuts.

Unfortunately, I've had to pass up many beers the past 3 mos/this summer because of this. I'm not going into the poor house or anything, but pricing is nuts.

 

Beer prices are out of hand period. I'll pay $4 for Focal Banger but not for 75% of the stuff out there at 7% that charges $4 a can. Same goes for DIPA's, just because it's 8% or higher and comes in a 16 ounce can doesn't mean it's worth it. Brewers and consumers alike need to start understanding that when another brewery sets the bar high it doesn't mean that yours is that good. Usually it's not even close. I stopped buying hype a long time ago. There are TONS of good beers out there for $1-2 a piece. If you brew a marginal beer, charge marginal prices. Sooner or later the $4 a can market is going to collapse.

 

I'll spend what I deem necessary at the store.

For "go-to" six packs (i.e. - the only time I buy six packs), I don't go over $10. By go-to, I mean fridge filler, or tailgating beer. If it's over $12, I figure I can spend my beer money elsewhere.

For new to me beers, it just depends. I've spent as much as $24 for a 4 pack (KBS), although I nearly immediately regretted that and haven't spent that much again. I typically look to spend under $20 to try a new beer. Whether that be for a single bomber (rare) or a couple mix-sixs. I rarely think about the cost/ounce when making that decision, it's more a matter of how bad do I want to try that particular beer and what my beer fridge looks like at home. If it's stocked full, I may opt for the $20 bomber. If my beer fridge is starting to get empty, I may come home with a mix six ($10), and a $7 bomber. On rare occasions, I'll pony up a bit past the $20 mark, but I have yet to spend over $30 for a bottle.

 

I love the <$10 six packs of many Lagunitas and Sierra Nevada.

 

Op, is that local brewery beer good to great?


VT and that general area was out of control. Consistently $15-$25/ 4 pack of 16 ounce cans.

Most were deemed worth a try though. Not sure I would do that weekly if I lived in the area. In my area, my price ceiling is easily $10/4 pack to $18/sixer.

I have in the past bought $9 bombers, which amount to $26/64 ounces. So it seems there are really no more values out there like op mentioning stay in price being the same as take out. Breweries have caught on and I hope it bites them in the butt. My bomber consumption has went from 30/year to maybe 2 this year. I even saw narwhal in sixers the other day for $12. It's about time the bigger breweries throw out some ridiculous values.

 

Up to $25 for a 4 pack from something I know will be quality, i.e. Trillium, Bissell Brothers, Alchemist, but I have a hard time going for any sort of bomber these days, unless it is something fairly sessionable. I drink my fancy-boy beers primarily by myself, and I've come to learn and accept that at least half of my $20, 15% stout is probably going to end up wasted... not worth it to me. This is the reason I am loving Firestones new model of these $10/12oz bottles for their high ABV releases. Maybe the dollar/ounce value isn't as good as a bomber, but at least I don't have to worry about dumping half the bottle out the next day!

 

Don't have one. I buy what I deem worth the price.

 

If you do not want to waste 1/2 of your $20. 15% stout get yourself a bottle capper. I have used one for years in cases like this and for me it works just fine. Just recap what you cannot finish and use it the next day or two.

 

It's not about the money, it's about the beer for me. I won't pay marked up secondary prices, but I'll pay good money for great beer

 

Consider yourself lucky - in NYC it's $5 a can, and I'm not enjoying most of them as much as I enjoy Focal Banger.

 

I live in VT and for the record alchemist 4 packs are $13 at the brewery, Foam just started canning with $18 four packs that sell out in hours but thats $$ in my opinion. Im always surprised at the prices trillium and treehouse charge

 

$24 for a bomber? $ per oz, that would be a $79 six pack. You don't seem "cheap" to me.

 

Considering what I've spent in time, travel, mileage and related expenses pursing new brew the actual cost of beer doesn't seem that substantial.