Craft Beer Prices

Yikes...I want to party with you!

I'm with you though, I went to my local spot Friday, had a pint of French Toast Wake-n-Bake, it was $11, couldn't see having more than one

 

Yep, craft beer prices range from somewhat expensive up to ridiculous, and tend to be crazy expensive in bars, which is why I do most of my drinking at home (that sounded sadder than it actually is!). But...I think we all agree here that quality matters.

 

Totally with you on the at home drinking. Went out last night and the 2 of us had a flight each of 2012-14 bcbs + night stalker ($12) 1 snifter of tweak ($15), 1 snifter of permanent funeral ($9) and a pint of alpha king.

Awesome beers and a great tap list, but with some snacks, tax and tip we rolled for almost $100 for 2 guys to have a couple of rounds...

 

I think your thread is not titled appropriately. Beer prices are one thing (retail), bars are another matter.

Bars are outrageous, especially the tipping side of things (another thread of its own).

For the most part I hit happy hour or just drink at home, unless traveling or other atypical circumstances that would put me in a bar situation paying full price on a busy night.

 

Yep it was great beers, but I could have had the same thing for half the price at home, but I was trying to be social

 

last time I went to a Pub and Brewery that serve only their own beer I had a $5 tab and drank for about 4 hours. guess it helped that I brought in some CCB beers to share with the bartender and one of the brewers...

 

Gone are the days when I gave the Bartender a $20 at my local and said "Send me home when this runs out, and if I can't walk, sweep me out at closing time". My local is up to $15 for a Howler of some beers. Wow. I can hardly get up a decent Holler for $15 beer to go.

 

I don't know if this is pretty standard, but the prices at the brewpubs around here (SW and Mid-Michigan) are cheaper than at other bars, and right in my comfort zone. Most places you can get a four or five beer sampler for 6 or 7 bucks. For someone with my tolerance, I'm pretty satisfied after that.

 

I'm thinking Sierra Nevada's Hop Hunter may pioneer the correction of these absurd IPA prices...

 

Craft beer prices are high enough as is, let alone without a bar or restaurant markup.

Perhaps this is why the trips to a bar with friends has been replaced with picking up beer and hanging out at someone's place.

It's daunting seeing those $7 and $8 price tags next to beers on menus.

 

Not sure if too many folks here will pity you.

 

Well, you could be social by inviting your friends to your house and saving a bunch of $$$ at the same time.

 

Do I have a problem with craft beer prices? No -- but my wife and kids do, they're the ones not eating. Just kidding .... Yes, they are ridiculous. That's why I never drink at bars. Packaged beer, however pricey it may be -- is still affordable compared to going out.

 

Don't drink more drink better

 

I have a higher than average tolerance for the juice, last night I stayed home and drank a 6 of Lagunitas Brown Shugga... in the end it cost me $11.50 and I got way buzzed + it was a good time. I recommend staying home or only having two or three when out on the town.

 

The problem is when you drink more and better.

 

Oh don't get me wrong (no pity needed!) - it is the first night out for beers in probably 3 or 4 months and only because of the tap list they had. Normally we would be at someones house sharing bottles and drinking just as well for half the price. Even for that tap list though I was a bit shocked at the tab - we were both under 0.05 and totally fine to drive which shouldn't be the case when you have dropped $100 on 2 guys in a bar...

 

Seeing as you said tab, I am guessing you went to a bar.
If you buy craft beer from a store, it normally only cost $1-2 more per six pack or for the really exclusive craft beer $3-4 more per six pack, compared to the mass-produced beer( $6-7 per six pack).