Breweries that sell beer in 4-packs

alcohol content does not equate to value, and people buy good beer when it is offered

 

Sweet, another thread about beer pricing! How about...they do it because they can, and because people keep buying it. If people stop buying it, they'd either lower the price or add the 2 bottles back.

 

Alcohol content often equates to a beer that is more expensive for a brewery to produce. More ingredient costs and longer fermentation/conditioning times.

Anyway, 4 packs aren't nearly as big of offenders as bombers, which we complain about here fairly regularly.

 

Brewers have to squeeze profit any which way seeing that margins are closing fast with the over supply of craft beer continuing to come to the market.

 

I did read that sentence. But this was the one that I was referencing:

Ingredient cost is negligible in the grand scheme, and there are some quite inexpensive beers available that are lagered for months.

 

I hate overpriced four packs, and have stopped buying those which are not DIPA's. The only reason for them is to have a larger profit margin, as are the majority of high priced bombers. Would rather suffer through a German shelf turd lager that needs to be dusted off.

 

Ahh yes, the avatar fits so well....as it was mentioned earlier, this subject has been beaten to death via bomber discussion. It all comes down to $/oz. If you don't feel comfortable paying a higher %, don't buy it.

 

This website has been around for a while. Every thread will be "another thread about..." from that perspective. If you don't think people should discuss it or if you don't care to discuss it then don't post on the thread. It's that simple.

I'm happy to pay $10 for certain 4 packs. Black Chocolate Stout and Tank 7 come to mind. They're both amazing beers IMO and have enough kick within a few beers to get a good buzz going.

 

Or you can do both Either pay for it if you think it's worth it, or don't if you don't. It's not that hard.

 

So you're mad at Green Flash?? It's the nature of the beast. Shelf space is prime real estate and the more beers you can offer on your limited shelf space the better. And since people will pay for it then why not do it? The real question you should ask yourself is if it is the brewery doing the price gouging or if it is the store that is too lazy to adjust the prices on the shelf and in their system because the SKU is probably the same.

 

Good idea. Do that next time instead of telling people they shouldn't talk about it anymore.

Not trying to be a dick, we're all friends here. I just don't see the point of getting on a thread and making OP feel like he can't post a reasonable topic for discussion. So what if it's been done before? If nobody wanted to talk about it then nobody would post and it would sink down into oblivion. But that's not for any single person to decide.

 

Just a few days ago there was a thread about "price gouging" Hopslam, which was mercifully locked down. There's a 339 response thread about "price gouging" that just had more replies yesterday. Do you think there is really a need for yet another thread about this subject, when there is an active thread going where this can be addressed?

 

The fact that more and more breweries (who presumably have more insight into the economics of brewing and selling beer than I do) are doing this indicates to me that it's not such a crazy strategy.

And as always with price, if you are bothered by it, don't buy the beer. If it really is a bad strategy, then others will do the same and the breweries who employ said strategy will either stop or go out of business.

 

four packs are still a deal compared to bombers
eg sublimely self righteous 6.99 bomber or 9.99 4 pak?
you choose

 

They will be out of business soon. All this beer snobbism makes me want to drink Rum

 

I will always pay high dollar for Great and i mean GREAT Belgian beer.American beer is NOT WORTH Tappist prices. Unless your name is Ommegang.

 

Are you referring to 4 Hands?

 

Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot and Firestone Walker's Double Jack are both sold in 4 packs, for breweries that traditionally offer 6 packs for their main line beers.

They are too tasty for me to complain about.

I do tend to pass over most of Green Flash's stuff at this point, and they are all 4 packs.

 

Not sure why I'm actually opining on this one but nonetheless, the first thing that comes to mind regarding the 4 vs 6 pack comparisons, isn't it obvious... can size??? So while I'm not trying to make this a diatribe and it certainly will be, lets go with the big ones that offer the product in 16 oz vs 12, 10 and 8 oz. Yup there are some, we know who you are, that short slim, jip' cans on a 4 pack.

With that being said, its all about ounce for ounce. There are bigger, badder and bolder beers that breach this questionable sales point. So with that being said what do you want???

Heady runs $14-15 a four @ 16 oz, thus 64 oz all in all @ the stated $ should "out do" those competitive right? DC Brau On the Wings of Armageddon runs $18 for a 6'r @ 12 oz, thus the +8 ounce differnece dictates argument right? Is it worth the equivalent separation in price, sure, more fluid for more $. JuJu is @ $72 a case, similar competitor? HopSlam depending on where you get it could be $64 a case or $22 a sixer. Ergo, what is it one wants and at what quantity per dollar spent to the ozs acquired???

Are there some who use this to distort pricing, certainly, but it always comes back to your palate as you are the potential buyer.

Not only do I find this thread semi-defunct because the actual volume matter wasn't discussed but I find it "confused" due to the fact that some of the BEST beers made are only containerized in 22 oz or 500-750 ml volume, thus eliminating the actual issue are we as buyers being extorted per oz or ml???

While I promised it not to be a diatribe (it already has), perhaps if more people did their homework and stopped trying to "Wal-Mart" GOOD Beer, they'd find that a given sale point has already established itself, thus there's no reason to query the cost as it's margin has already been set. If you think it's priced out of buying range just don't buy it!!!

There will always be those who are high and those who hit the mark, but never blame the brewery until you've confirmed the distributor's mark up as they tend to be the one(s) giving the manufacturer a potential bad name and passing on the increase through unaffiliated cost inflation. When its not the distro you can always count on, the retailer whom will be sure to put several "points (33%)" on the price. While understanding everyone involved needs to make a buck, this is not a monitored or regulated process which affords those who eventually sell to you these bottles an afforded opportunity to put the "final" price on each and every item they sell us. This is the aspect which should be regulated and questioned!!!

Just check the forums and eventually you'll get a collective response which offers a more concise buyer's value per product that should put most of us in a "fair price" consideration in which we have a collective understanding of the product's worth, value and sale margin. Ughhhh...

In the Interim, fight those greedy bastards that want you to pay exorbitant prices based on the BS they inundate us with based on allocation. Don't blame the forum or brewery, just hand it off to the distro like they hand it off to us!!!

Jus Sayin and Cheers,

Crab's Thoughts

 

The brewery that annoys me the most with this is Founders, they promised FBS in six packs at the same price as 4 packs from the previous release then didn't do it. This is on top of the fact that this years FBS is off.

 

What gives with these bars and restaurants charging $5 for a pint of craft beer too! Hell I've even seen some restaurants with bombers on their list that are TWICE as expensive as I can buy them in a store! What gives with these people who want to provide for their families, pay their mortgage/rent, and hopefully provide something for their old age.... how dare they!

Ditto my sentiment for breweries accused of usury. Hopefully my sarcasm isn't missed in this post. If the price is too high, don't buy it. What gives you the right to deride a brewery that does such a thing? The funny thing about free markets... if you don't buy it, they'll quit doing it. If enough people are satisfied with the price/value ratio of a given product they WILL continue to buy it whether you do or not. It's called free will.

 

dont like it, dont buy it. these threads about pricing and gouging are getting old.

 

There's all sorts of issues here. Rental space, deals on ingredients, efficiency. In MA a brewery I like, Slumbrew, finally switched from 22oz to 4 packs, and while it's 10 bucks a 4 pack, it's leagues better than the previous 8 bucks a bomber price. But they're a start up brewery contracting out of Ipswich, so there are development costs, they probably have money sunk in they need to recoup. They've gotta start making money otherwise they're gonna sink.

 

Sorry if I missed it, but didn't see an example in your OP or subsequent posts. What specific run of the mill beer(s) is sold in 4-packs that you disagree with?

 

I'd like to think I had a partial hand in that thread become an ongoing one, rather than a new one every second day:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...teering-youve-seen.144427/page-3#post-2063315

edit - just a pity they didn't amend the title to the one I suggested, then they could have rolled the "most spent on a single beer" thread into that one as well

 

The solution for your problem is to actually buy the beer every bit as good for the same price. If you do that, you will have done your part for lower beer prices and you can then spread the gospel to others.

 

North Coast and Ommegang are two that come to mind for me. Obviously the higher ABV ones like Old Rsp. or 3 Phl. make sense, but others like Pranqster Hennepin and Whitte should be available in 6-ers. Allagash White as well.

 

I agree. But if you're paying $10 for a four pack of BCS, you need to shop around brotha!

 

yup, my thoughts too. Prefer a four pack to an bomber, makes me feel like I'm getting a good deal! HA!

 

I must have fallen asleep, and when I woke up it was the 21st century and brewers were selling beer in four packs.
I recommend that you buy the six packs that you like, and talk them up on this site and encourage others to do the same.

 

Precisely! Please let's lock this now.

I like FBS and feel it's worth the price and 4/pack format.

If someone starts a thread with "Founders suck - dude I can't believe they are ass-raping me like that on a 4-pack of FBS - I'm never buying again - where was the promise of 6/packs!!!"

It will have zero impact on my FBS purchasing.

But if someone says - "been really getting into Brewery ABC's new Beer X, which in IMO is as good as FBS, and a steal at 7.99 a 6/pack"

Then I'm interested

 

I.E. Stone

 

Depends on what they're selling to me. I was absolutely up in arms when Founders re-released Red's Rye in 4-Pack at standard 6-Pack price, and while I understood it was because the rye in the brew was degenerating at such a rate they were losing money on it so they HAD to release it that way, I wasn't about to spend my money on 2 less beers.

I'm happy to see they changed their ways and it's now at a much easier to chew $8.99.

 

While I don't like the trend of 6 packs going to 4, if it is more about bombers to 4 packs I am all in. Bombers have their place for trying/sharing a new beer, but at $8 and up, I am not going to be a loyal customer if that is all you offer. (looking at you Hoppin' Frog, killing me) There are plenty of 4's that I think are a great deal. Brooklyn Black Chocolate for $8, FBS for $11, Palo Santo for $15 come to mind. Sure there are some "overpriced" $15 ones that you are going to find equal or better versions of, but that is the cool part. There are so many great beers being made right now. If you don't think you are getting enough bang for your buck, try something else. I am blessed to be financially able to partake in this hobby, and to live in a state where all but a small handful of the top 25-50 micro breweries don't distribute (bring it on in Firestone). It really comes down to price per oz, and whether you think it's worth it.

 

Eh, I don't mind 4 packs, especially for good DIPAs and stouts. I tend to like a little variety in the fridge. 4-packs are a huge improvement over bombers, so I'm not going to complain.

 

I still Laugh at bombers of Sculpin for $8.99. I don't care how fresh it is. As for 4-packs, and all packaged beer for that matter, vote with your money.

 

For those three beers, I don't buy them - for my tastes, they're not worth the $