Complaining about Prices

I have two young kids and we don’t make it out much, but not too long ago (more than six months ago, but less than a year), we were at a bar with friends and the prices were all pretty high. Higher than I remembered. Everything was in the $8-10 range for a pint — and a lot more hazy IPA than I recalled.

And I remembered why I spent my money of 12-packs of Notch Session Pils and 15-packs of House Lager.

 

My biggest gripes come from brewery taprooms. Drinking at the source should be less expensive than at a bar/restaurant. But it rarely is. A lot of offenders here, but Mystic charging $8+ for 10 Oz pours of ipa pisses me off.

 

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

If I had to guess it was Moon Island.

The price at Elm Street is normal for Davis Square. Pretty much most of Somerville/Cambridge.

Trillium prices are better over in the Allston area. Publick House (Brookline I know) would give you a full pint of that Trillium, not 12 oz.

If you had ordered something like Dialed In or a DDH whatever from Trillium it would likely be $12 for 10 oz. at Five Horses/Elm Street.

But it’s expensive most places for craft. I go out often around here but I only do it once a week. And I would guess I’m easily spending $50 - $100, if not more (not counting Ubers. The chopper is in the shop at the moment ).

And as @EnronCFO said, it doesn’t matter if I’m going to bars or breweries. Although today I’m going to CBC, they’re always priced right.

 

Agreed entirely about the brewery prices for drafts getting ridiculous. Jack's Abby does it right. Always a plethora of options in short or tall pours with the talls being well under $10. It is such a great taproom experience.

 

I've been watching my most proximate packy acquire new brands and now the coolers seem dominated by $16 four packs. Just a few years ago I was trying new stuff as I found it, but $13 six packs were the standard then. Given current pricing, I'm now far more likely to reach for affordability over novelty.

I'm told the market's awash in new NEIPAs of middling quality. I'm pleased someone told me, because I couldn't afford to find that out firsthand.

 

Beer is becoming a luxury food item for a lot of people and breweries are learning that consumers are willing to shell out surprising amounts for it (looking at you, Hill Farmstead). These new taprooms and farms ain’t coming cheap. Fortunately the Jacks Abby’s of the world will keep prices reasonable, but for the hype styles, top dollar is the new norm.

 

Y'all are just living in the wrong end of the state. Come to Western Mass. Even high end local beers at most bars (excluding certain places in downtown Northampton) run $5-7. I was drinking Sam Adam's NEIPA 16oz for $5 last night, Cambridge Brewing Co. Amber 16oz for $5 the the other night, Wormtown Be Hoppy 16oz for $3.75 Thursday, Berkshire Brewing's new NEIPA (amazing btw) 16oz for $5.50 last Sunday....all of those at different establishments.

 

Just here for the requisite ‘no one is making you buy it’ and ‘plenty of other reasonably priced options’

Carry on though

 

Agree with most of what’s been said, & sadly noticing the $7.50 - $8 regular pint becoming normalized even in the far Boston suburbs.

A good solution would be for the MA legislature to get off their asses & repeal ridiculous Dukakis-era Happy Hour bans. Though it’s unfortunate the MA Restaurant Association lobbyists will fight for the status quo on behalf of the same places charging ludicrous margins.

 

Could you look at, like, Wicked Weed or someone? There's so many worse offenders.

 

What I find interesting is that I get why beers like Barrel Aged Farmhouse Pale Ale or Coolship or something of that ilk is expensive. They kind of are luxury items, and I’ll gladly pay when the time is right.

I don’t consider even the most well-made hop-forward beers “luxury” items yet they’re priced ridiculously high. They’re priced that way because people will buy them. I can’t help but have the feeling that some of these places are laughing their way to the bank (or farm).

 

What also perplexes me about Mystic’s pricing is how those $8 10oz pours are $3 for 4oz tasters. Shouldn’t the price per oz be higher for the tasters than the full pours? Been tempted to just order 3 tasters and ask for an empty glass. I’d rather have a $9 12oz pour than an $8 10oz pour.

 

What is the Berkshire brewing NEIPA called?

I balance my affinity for expensive beer, by only dating cheap women.

 

It's called Easy Like NEIPA. Incredibly well made. They've been kegging it for the past couple of months for restaurants and bars but plan on canning it in April. Definitely look out for it.

 

JA has been my favorite taproom for some time, in part due to the prices. Great food and unassuming atmosphere help a lot too.

Medusa also does it right. Most pints in the $5-6 range for anything under 8ish%, and a 0.5L pastbier for $5!

Though it doesn't surprise me these places charge more if they are routinely busy. What reason does Mystic have to charge less?

 

Regarding the expansion, are you referring to Elm Street or Trillium?

Because those prices aren't really unique to Trillium, I think I bought a $12 pour of something from River Styx at Five Horses last weekend.

I think you can only order two tasters at once.

I think location probably plays a part here. Might be why Lord Hobo, Jack's Abby, and Medusa are cheaper than Mystic.

 

Preaching to the choir man. I went to school out there, would move back in a second (if San Diego was off the table). Consolation is that I’m closer to Portland.