Favorite budget beers

New Glarus six packs for 6.99 at woodman's. Can't go wrong there

 

Jacks Abby Hoponius Union, 6 packs for $8.99 and Allagash white 4 packs for 8.79. Awesome beers at bargain prices.

 

When I am pressed for cash, I simply brew another homebrew. But realistically, I just buy a case of Lionshead/Sunset Wheat. Mainly for price and nostalgia, respectively.

 

Four pages in and no one mentions the greatest value in craft beer: Goose Island. At $11.99 a twelve pack, you get world class beer in various styles for $1 a bottle. Their award-winning IPA is always in my fridge and I always pick up their seasonal whatever it is: Mild Winter, Harvest Ale, etc. Even if they don't come in twelve packs, their sixers are between $7-$8 like their Oktoberfest, Sixth Day, and Anniversary Ale.

With Great Lakes, Lagunitas, and Two Brothers recently raising their prices in Chicago, I feel very comfortable saying, "See you later when you're on sale. I'm picking up the Goose." Founder's All Day IPA for $18 a twelve pack? What a joke. For $6 less I get a twelve of that deliciously juicy Goose Island IPA.

 

PA isn't so friendly with prices

 

Sorry if this is blasphemy, but I would say that beer is a luxury at any price and that for people truly needing to save every dollar that you forego buying it regularly. Stick to free tastings at the store/events and buy a single good bottle on occasion. Being more comfortable with your savings is far more satisfying than beer.

 

There's bunches of $8-10 sixers, like Prima Pils and Perpetual IPA and Troegenator and on and on that I would call my "budget" lot. I drink beer for quality and curiosity, not just to drink, so I really don't care about having to get a "bargain" on whatever I can if I don't have the scratch to get a special bomber or whatever. If I ever got to that point I'd rather throw some barley and hops in an old shoe and sit it outside to collect rain water and see what fermented in a month than throw $6 at some PBR pounders or whatever.

 

Ever consider it might have something to do with location? It's a few bucks more for a 12 pack even in Southern Illinois

 

This will vary wildly from region to region. Best deals in my area (for good beer) are probably Torpedo for $11.99/12pk and Wachussett Larry for $10/6pk 12 oz cans or (my preferred approach) $37/case. If I can't afford good beer, I'm not drinking beer. Doesn't make me better than anyone else, I did the Natty Ice @ $5/12 thing when I was 22 and in school. I'm actually back in school now, I just no longer see the point in drinking shitty beer at this juncture.

Side note- TJ's beer seems to be hit or miss. My last 2 drain-pours were their IPA and DIPA brewed by Boatswain. Wretched, vile stuff. My white-trash landlord and her boyfriend loved the other 2 bombers I'd bought though- I actually stopped drain-pouring after that, and just knock on their door instead

 

Sweetwater Lowryeder or New Belgium Ranger from my local grocery store. Hop Stoopid from bigger stores.

 

For some odd reason, Total Beer and Wine which sells most of they products cheaper than other places, marks Saranac 12 packs up to $16.99. Not sure why they are the odd retail spot that marks them high. Lots of other decent options at that price point.

 

maybe they love Saranac and want to keep it for themselves. HAHAHAHA..

 

Normally, Columbus IPA @ $8.50/six. Lately, it's been SN Celebration! This is probably a different thread, but I've been doing a lot of singles to determine if I'll buy a six!

 

Uinta Cutthroat Pale Ale in Salt Lake City is 7.99 for a sixer.

 

Genny Bock. $7/12 pack? Make it year round, damnit!

 

Dude Saranac is gross.

 

Limbo at $9.99 a sick pack or Latitude 48 at $8.99 a sick pack (or is it $7.99? Can't remember).

But definitely Limbo. Paid a lot more for a lot worse and a lot less of that worse stuff.

 

Hops & Grain the One They Call Zoe for $25/case. Fantastic summer beer.

 

Anything Sierra Nevada sells in a 12 pack. SNPA, Torpedo, Celebration, Ruthless Rye, etc

 

Sierra Nevada Torpedo
or Leinenkugal's Snowdrift Vanilla Porter