Are 32 oz growlers a rip-off?

Umm it's not the 32oz growler, it's the establishment you're patronizing. Like anything else, if you think it costs too much, don't buy.

 

The beer cost to fill a half growler is less indeed. But the effort and time needed to do so are the same either way. They're already selling the growler beer for less than they sell the beer by the pint. 8 for a half growler does seem high, but I wouldn't expect it to be half the price of a full growler

 

I just paid $8.99 for a 32 oz growler of Backwoods Bastard, over the weekend saw a 32 oz Growler of Sexual chocolate for $20. So it all depends on where you are and what the pricing is.

 

Probably similar reason that a single isn't usually priced at 1/4 of the 4-pack price.

Also as far as the store goes, the effort to fill the 32 vs 64 is very similar. So they penalise you heavily for not committing to a larger pour of the beer

 

Growlers are usually a rip-off.
Some people don't mind.

 

The local place I fill my 32 oz is almost always half the price of 64. There is sometimes a 50 cent surcharge. I agree with many that there probably should be a slight premium on the 32. I also do not need 64 oz very often so do appreciate my local store and do a lot of business with them.

 

There are 165 bottles (12oz) of beer in a keg. So, a single bottle should cost 1/165 the price of the keg. I should paying about $0.60-$2.00 max for a beer.

 

I have to purchase 32oz since it's illegal to sell 64oz in Florida

 

Growlers are almost always priced per ounce less than a tap room pint. In fact, if brewery tap rooms sold only growlers and no pints, they would make far less money, and wind up having to charge much more for the growler.

 

What I have come to love lately are 32 oz crowlers, only down side is you need to drink it all once opened. But at the price point most places charge for the fills its totally worth it.

 

I prefer 32oz growlers as well, I got a couple this past weekend. 32oz of Hopslam was an insane $23 ... of course, it also tasted insane.

Anyway, as with most things, you get more for your money when you buy in bulk. At the place I went to, you only save a couple bucks when you get a 64oz growler.

 

If you take up home brewing, it won't be too many batches before you start to hit that target.

 

You're looking at it wrong. It's not that 32s are more expensive, it's that 64s are a better deal. It's like buying anything in bulk, quantity lowers the price per unit. If you bought a pint of said beer, it'd probably be $5-6, which would then make your 32oz growler the better option.

 

Don't you mean Howler?

 

@RenzoD , FWIW at the brewery 32oz fills of BB ESB are $5.50 +tax. 64oz fills are $9.75 + tax. I'd say that you're getting hosed by the place you bought it.

 

That is balls expensive. Don't buy from them.

I fill my 32 oz in the $4 to $8 range.

 

I'm confused on exactly what you are asking OP. Could you clarify a little? You paid $8 for a 32oz fill of Boundary Bay ESB? and what is "regular size" that you are upset about? Is "regular size" 64oz? With growlers at my establishment you are paying based on serving size. If our price is $5 per pint, we offer 32oz fills at $8 (a savings of $1.50 per pint), and 64oz fills at $13 (a savings of $1.75 per pint). So by our pricing if you were sitting at the bar you'd be paying $10 for 2 pints, but we want to move the beer out, encourage people not to get drunk in our establishment and enjoy their fine liquid at home and therefore give volume discounts (just like many other retail establishments: the more you buy, the better the price)

 

I don't think the OP suggested it should cost exactly half what a large growler does, just that it shouldn't be that much more. Comparing kegs to bottles isn't even a meaningful comparison.