Oh where art thou Ballast Point?

They are everywhere here in Kansas but I lost interest long ago. Too many other breweries coming in. I do miss their chili Thai wahoo, one of my favorite beers ever. Haven’t seen that, only all the others I don’t want

 

I like BP Sculpin but rarely buy it due to the high price. It's just not $5.00 better per 6pk than fresher local brews.

 

Had the Pumpkin Down not too long ago and enjoyed it. Saw the Sour Wench recently and am interested in picking that up. I'm not really interested in their IPA stuff.

 

Uhh, probably collecting dust on the shelves? I mean $12-14 is a bit steep for a 6 pack. They have always seemed like they have priced themselves to a certain market. Nothing wrong with that, I just don't know anyone that buys their stuff on even a somewhat regular basis. The last time I bought a BP beer was the spring of 2015 (and it was a single...because I was curious).

Around here, one can get fresh Lagunitas Sucks for $14 per 12 pack or the Sierra Nevada Fresh Hop 12 pack for $16.

It really all boils down to economics: selling less at a higher cost or more at a lower cost.

To me, it has never justified the price. YMMV.

 

[QUOTE="Around here, one can get fresh Lagunitas Sucks for $14 per 12 pack or the Sierra Nevada Fresh Hop 12 pack for $16."[/QUOTE]

Damn. Lagunitas Sucks twelve packs for $14? I want to live where you do.

 

I'm seriously considering buying Fathom IPA soon, but, I rarely ever buy Ballast Point anymore. $15 a six pack here is just too pricey to justify most of the time.

 

Sounds like they've slipped a bit since selling out. We just got BP in distribution here in the Spring, and I had really been looking forward to some of the stouts and porters I saw in their lineup. Perhaps partly due to the season but we've mostly just seen IPAs. I've mostly been disappointed with what I have tried, but found Indra Kunindra out-of-state - does smell wonderful, though taste isn't as wonderful.

 

It does?

According to industry estimates, BP is in the Top Ten of small/craft* brewers, and brewed between 375k-430k in '16, up from the 277k bbl in 2015, the year of the Constellation buyout.

* (Obviously, not using Brewers Association definition)

 

Still see them on shelf. In supermarket too, and our local markets are notorious for horrible selection. Guess they are doing alright?

I have gone from trading for Sculpin back in the day, and buying plenty when they got distro here, to not being able to remember when I had a BP beer in the house.

Not coincidentally my beer consumption has gone from est./approx.10% local beer to more than 50% (don't strictly keep track but likely much more than 50%) local beer.

 

$15.99 a sixer in my area.. I love Sculpin and Grapefruit Sculpin but:

1) Price point
2) Hard to find fresh due to #1

They sit here... And I like the beer but hell, I can almost but 2 sixers for that kind of coin

 

Here comes Jess, cluttering a purely speculative thread with fact

What I meant was that there have been several threads regarding BP slipping. Even with good numbers, there seems to be folks that believe they have slipped from what they used to be. Time will tell whether they are resting on their laurels - we'll see if they can maintain those numbers.

 

If I could get fresh (under a month) Sculpin here, would drink it, but never can get it fresh.

 

AZ is loaded down with it, almost at every store. Like everyone else the price keeps me away when I can score other stuff cheaper. Plus the whole age thing, a lot is sitting so who knows how long that it has been there. Sadly I pass on it now.

 

All the local supermarkets and gas stations carry their brews and it seems like they must move consistently. I have not purchased, but I see them in friends and families fridges often (non BA-types).
Sculpin is also on tap and provides a decent choice when nothing else seems appealing.

 

Like Rogue a beer generation before, Ballast Point sought the super premium retail price point as a strategy. I've sold both and pricing did affect sales, particularly as equal and better beers became increasingly available. The continuing advent of more, better, and cheaper local beers has only further eroded sales on brands like Rogue, Green Flash, and Ballast Point, at least at the places I know and shop.

 

When I was on vacation a while back it was the one beer available vs. the light beer guys, so I got some and it was fresh and tasty. I still enjoy it if its fresh.

 

I'll certainly agree with the sentiment that BP's IPAs are priced too high, but I think Victory at Sea is a steal at the prices I've seen it lately. Got a sixer a couple days ago for $12.99. That's a great price for a fantastic 10% ABV coffee and vanilla imperial porter.

 

I lost interest as well due to other breweries that tastes better or just as good for a lower price and when I've wanted to have any of their IPAs, they sit on the shelves around my area.

 

Not a brewery I seek out.

That being said I did pick up fathom IPA and bigeye for $28 a case, pretty fresh too

Fathom is pretty average at best, bigeye is good. If these were full price($40 a case plus) I would not even look at them.

Enjoy