Has inflation impacted your beer budget?

Don't have a beer budget per se, but I've been dialing back the beer drinking anyway, mainly for health reasons. It felt like my awesomeness had diminished slightly, so time to make adjustments.

I just bought a Firebird convertible. My busty lass of a wife calls it my mid-life crisis car, which is- of course- inaccurate as I plan to live forever.

 

My beer budget is not impacted by inflation, but I've been making an effort to clear out my beer cellar. So I guess indirectly this is impacting how much I've been spending on beer lately...

 

I am not certain all of them do but worth a try. Swamis and a couple other beers have a sticker that says “available cold, just ask”.

 

Up until recently no. In fact over the last couple of years I've probably spent more money on beer than ever before, mainly due to many of the breweries here in California doing direct shipping. This has allowed me to try many great beers that I would have never had the chance to try in my area.

However ... all good things must come to an end, or at least slow way down. I've cut back a lot on my beer purchases over the last month or so, due to not having the disposable income that I once enjoyed. Right at this moment there are at least three breweries who I have previously ordered from that just released new beers that look very enticing to me, but I just can't place any orders at the moment due to monetary constraints.

This has also affected my in person visits to breweries. Not only just purchasing the beer itself, but just to get to a decent brewery from where I live. It would run me $60 or so in gas money to get to a good brewery. There's one in particular place I'd love to visit (Mcilhenney in Alpine California near San Diego) but it would set me back about $100 in gas to get there and back. Right now that's a no go for me, and unfortunately they don't do direct shipping nor offer any of their beers in stores, at least anywhere near me. So, looks like I'll have to wait a while before I'm able to try their beers.

As far as buying the cheaper beers, Hamm's seems to be the one that I enjoy the most.

Oh well, there are a lot of people going through tough times these days, far worse problems than not being able to purchase beer. Just trying to keep things in perspective.

 

John, you are not alone here. Greg Koch (a.k.a. Beer Jesus) opines:

“Fizzy yellow beer is for wussies”

More fizzy, yellow beers for the rest of us.

Cheers!

 

Tongue in cheek is a possibility.

Regardless, if he tracks his annual beer budget that would be a 'sight to see'.

Cheers!

 

Careful John, there are WAY too many fizzy seltzer water sweet and sour birthday cake smoothies masquerading as beer listed on this website as whales... at least PBR is Malted Grains, Hops, Water, Yeast, period.

 

Back then in PA you had to purchase by the case via Retail Beer Distributors. A number of years back that requirement was relaxed and we can now purchase by the six-pack (and even single bottles). It has been a looooong time since I purchased a whole case but a few months ago I purchased a case of Victory Storm King. This brand was retired for a number of years and I figured I should purchase it by the case since who knows when it might be available again; plus these beers are good for up to 5 years from bottling.

Cheers to Storm King!

 

And cheers to you fine sir!

 

Beer is a fairly inexpensive hobby (if you consider drinking beer as a hobby) or luxury item compared to most things in life. Plus I don’t drink as much beer or expensive beer as I used to. So I voted no. I do not have a beer budget.

I used to be into muscle cars, hockey equipment, and I had season tickets for two professional sports teams when I was younger. If my wife brings up my beer spending habits, I just tell her I was thinking about buying a Harley Davidson or that I’m trading my Kia in for a new Dodge Charger.

 

To a certain degree, however indirectly. I have a family of 3 children and a wife. I am the sole provider. The cost of things such as gas, baby formula, paper products, and produce has put a dent in my leisure spending which includes beer. Thanks Brandon. Cheers.