The great pilsner conundrum

Looking at my review notes, it was the malt character that helped balance the beer out for me to like it more than some other American Pilsners.

UC definitely has it goin' on. I wish I could have found their Okto in cans or bottles this year.

 

Sounds awful ... though I don't know. Having never been to NYC, maybe it's so awesome there that I'd happily pay whatever for a beer.

For now, I'll hang out here in the sticks with my four-packs of Bitburger tallboys for about that same $5.49.

 

The thing is we here in the big city can and do buy that same 4pack of Bitburger for about that price too.

 

Just picked up DAB dark, 24 16oz cans for $17.99. Has a date of July something on them.

I am in no financial way to pay $16-20 a pack of any beer. Even if I was I doubt I would be buying more than a few times a year.

It drives me nuts when someone I know tells me I really need to support the local and buy the beer even at $14-22 a pack. Neither one pays my bills. If the new Neshaminy creek pub closed because I don't spend $20-30 a week there, oh well.

To me it's beer. I enjoy most styles and I also want it pretty fresh. Local or not I don't care. I have fun hanging out and drinking be it Hamms or some great IPA.

I end up buying what the place I go to has on special. It's almost always fresh and really well priced. I just picked up Alesmith IPA and BP Bigeye for under $30 a case each. While not days old they are both well within the period of still being fresh by me. I drank them and they are just fine.

I try to stay in the range of $1 a can/bottle or less. These are the two most expensive beers I have purchased in a year. Just could not say no to the price.

Enjoy

 

And DAB Dark is a great beer regardless of price. I am a fan. Enjoy.

 

I won't lie, if I could get the German imports with known freshness it'd be hard for me to go for local options where pils were concerned . It is the issue of known freshness (and in the case of Jever available package format) that tends to get to me, when I can get a pils from a local guy in cans that were dated 2 weeks ago (admittedly not the normal situation) versus the 6 month or older imports sitting on the shelves of my local stores, I'm willing to pay the higher price.

Sure, the local guys may not have the institutional practice and expertise for the style that the German breweries do, but freshness has a quality all it's own. It's like choosing a fresh out of the oven Duncan Hines over some professionally and expertly done cake that's been sitting in a display case for a while, at some point the deliciousness vs. time curve favors the Duncan Hines. The analogy isn't completely fair, the local guys aren't the equivalent of Duncan Hines, but it illustrates the point.

 

Yup, freshness does indeed matter here!

Cheers!

 

I get FB updates from Neshaniny Creek, and I've got messages Trauger Pils for $30 a case. So there's bargains out there on great beers.

 

Where are they selling it for $30? The new pub they opened sells beer for a lot more than distributors. So much so I feel like they are being total dicks for their prices at the pub on to go cans of core beer. I have been paying $26.59 a case for all the core this summer. Just grabbed Jawn and IPA under 2 weeks old. I buy 5-6 cases at a time to make the drive worth it.

Enjoy

 

W

When I get those notices they are always brewery only.

 

Then the big city is alright by me.

(and now NYC can relax knowing it has my seal )

 

Maybe I am not understanding this discussion properly?

Is Neshaminy Creek selling beer at the brewery (Croyden) at a different price than at the 'brewpub' of Borough Brewhouse (Jenkintown)?

@Giantspace

Cheers!

 

No clue. When I get my notices it's $30 for Trauger out the door price. This is the only been I've seen pop up though.

 

Sounds like it. Boro sells core beer for $12-13 a six , I think the cream ale is less. Maybe they have a case discount? Still think the six pack price is obscene when a case is $34-40.

They also have a 16oz DIPA cans in four pack for $23. It's not close to that good especially when shape is a $9.99 four pack.

Enjoy

 

Wow! That is close to Tired Hands Milkshake prices.

These prices are getting nuts!!

Cheers!

 

@zid --I could not agree more with this outstanding summary.

I find it interesting that a lot of folks who consider themselves "in the know" with beer still have an "exchange" mentality with beer. Perceived notions that a pilsner --even when let's say a "top ten" pilsner --should be less expensive than a good IPA based on style and or ABV.

As with "big beer"--perception seems to similarly drive pricing for a good bit of "craft."
I remember in the 80s when Natural Light was an AB "Premium" when priced in my neck NC.

 

This great post sums up the lucky circumstance we pilsner drinkers have here in Texas. The quality, freshness, and price point (compared to imports) can't be beat. I would add Real Ale Hans' Pils as another excellent craft pilsner we have here, and they are all true to style (not IPLs and the like).

 

i'd go Victory Prima Pils or GLBC Dortmunder Gold when i want a lager. the 2 great breweries in my town haven't made any Pilsners on a growler scale, just samples at the brewery. i'm always up for a good pilsner but show me it