Is all "bomber" packaging a rip off?

Rip off or not, I like bombers because their a good way for me to try new brews instead of buying a 6 pack. One bomber takes up less space in my cellar or fridge than 6 12oz bottles or cans.

 

For the most part, the brewer or "brewery" does decide what the shelf price will be. They know their distributor is going to have X margin, and they know that retailers have ~Y margin, so they can position their beer by choosing Z as a wholesale price and know what the shelf price will be within ~10%

 

Well said. Bombers allow brewers to experiment and share... I love it...

 

Bombers were invented by Bernie Madoff. Total scam

 

Agree. And disagree with OP that all bombers are overpriced. Some are less than $5.

 

Just a side note... Smuttynose Brewing charges a fair amount for the bombers.

 

Good point. And sometimes, a bomber is all you want or need. It's capitalism people, and less volume = less value.

 

Another case against buying split sixers is the loss of inventory control, once they're split they could lay around forever. If the bottles aren't dated I would never buy build your own sixers and such. Good idea, but its rarely executed properly, I've seen IPA's split on the shelf that are not surprisingly 6 months old or more on ones that are dated, dusty bottles are a give away to stay clear on hoppy brews.

 

cheaper than most drinks at the bar.

 

Does anyone drink in a bar?? Or just mom's basement?

I regularly pay $6-$8 for a pint, sometimes as little as a 10 oz.

 

The retailer markup changes from retailer to retailer and sometimes from week to week or day to day. It can vary greatly across the state and country.

So, again, no, the brewer does not set the price the beer is sold for.

 

No, Lagunitas seems to have this mastered. $4 for hop stupid. $4.50 for Gnarlywine, IMP Stout, and Cap Stout, $7.99 for RWBA IMP Stout.

 

Exactly. Sometimes more. Any of these limited releases are $10 plus for a 10oz pour at most bars.

 

Lagunitas begs to differ.

 

Totally agree. I am more than willing to spend a little more for a sample bottle to share when trying something new. I find that most bombers are either 1 time or seasonal purchases for me.

 

Bombers are definitely not the cheapest option, but they are my favorite size. Its enough to really try out a beer and get an opinion on it, but not too much that youre done the rest of the night after it. Mixed six packs and bombers are a good way to try a large variety of different beers without having to commit to lots of bottles of each one.

 

Find all these repetitive threads about bomber pricing tiring...

you won't find anything under $5 dollars in my area

as I've said, perspective is everything...

 

Generally people have a warped sense of what something should or shouldn't cost. So many factors go into pricing, not the least of which is how many the producer wants to make off their product. Products are worth what people are willing to pay. I don't like to buy expensive beer but I don't begrudge beer makers for their price. Its their right in our economy.

 

Id say a lot of Lagunitas bombers are really well priced.. I see some priced for like 4 bucks, like Night Time

 

The only person to blame for getting "ripped off" is the consumer. As many have stated, bombers are a great way to try a beer when you may not want to buy a 4/6-pack. And often times those beers are ONLY available in bombers. The only time I find the mark-up silly (and even then, it's still Caveat Emptor) is when the same beer is available in both bombers and 12oz bottles. Palate Wrecker runs $8.99 for a bomber at my local. The 4-pack is $10.99. So who's the idiot if one decides to buy the bomber?

And my favorite brewery, Port/LA, only distributes in single bottle formats. That model obviously works for them.