Jailbreak Brewing (MD) outrageous pricing.

Curious to see how long the market (outside of BA)will exist for all these expensive DIPAs. This is not a style that I'd take a chance on launching in a vacuum if I was opening a brewery. But the beauty of this business is that pricing is very flexible/easily changeable. Some corporations spend vast amounts of $$$$$ and time/thought on pricing research, because they know they only get one shot at the apple. But I suspect an inherent aspect of the beer business is the oppty to change strategy in mid-stream.

 

Snooty? I have tried over 200 IPA and one of them has been of the quality of Double Sunshine, which tells me that it is unlikely a brand new brewery will be that quality. But thanks for the kind words. Snooty, sheesh.

 

I don't know but at $15 a sxpack it's selling for around .20 an ounce while Double Sunshine at $11 per bomber is .50 an ounce. Back to the OP, that doesn't sound outrageously overpriced to me. Does remind me what a good deal the Lagunitas and Victory beers are though.

 

Well I would price compare how it stacks up, and compare its price, to cans of Heady, Sip of Sunshine and Gandhi Bot if you want to compare reasonably. Whatever, my comment was about the likelihood of it being even near to as good as Double Sunshine, the high cost was already established by others in this thread.

 

I think high price has not in fact been close to established. I think we're actually establishing that it's a pretty typical price for better DIPAs, once package sizes are normalized by reduction to price per ounce. And that it's WAY cheaper than the highest rated DIPAs.

Now whether the beer inside the package constitutes a "better DIPA" I'm not gonna have an opinion until my next trip back home to Fauquier County VA from where I ought to be able to get to a store in Maryland where I can get me some. The brewer's very reasonable posts in this thread insure I'm gonna make every effort to try it, and with an open mind.

 

Okay, here is the deal, since the price issue has wandered from fair comparison.

It sells for the same price as Heady topper per ounce, .20 cents. If it isn't as good as Heady Topper than it is overpriced.

Westbrook IPA (also in cans) is .14 cents an ounce. If it isn't better than Westbrook it is overpriced.

Are these fair things to say?

And if it is as good as Heady count me in as someone ISO!

 

I think Heady's an outlier, because quite frankly it's underpriced

 

Love ya Mark, but having met Mr. Kimmich a few times he definitely doesn't seem like a beer philanthropist when it comes to selling his beer, and he is able to afford a second location, in Stowe no less, and right off 100, not exactly bargain property, so he is obviously doing pretty well with the price he set.

 

This is fair, but virtually every beer in America will be overpriced by this metric. I can't get Heady where I live, but if I applied a similar metric, say the "Lil Sumpin' Sumpin'" metric, to all my beer purchases, I'd be drinking an awful lot of Lil Sumpin' Sumpin' and not much else. That doesn't mean Myrcenary or Gordon (currently branded as "G'Knight") or (my original comparison in this thread) FW Double Jack are overpriced, or "outrageous" in the OP's formulation.

 

those things are only fair to say if Heady and Westbrook are available for purchase at those prices at the same place and time as the Jailbreak. Otherwise its just an abstraction.

You're also making the assumption that the differences between these beers makes one objectively better, and that all people will always want to drink the better beer.

 

And you are assuming that the ratings on this site aren't something that can be relied upon to make the closest to objective judgement.

You attempt to use regional differences and lack of direct competition, Jailbreak vs. others on same shelf, as something that prevents a fair comparison between price per ounce of the beers inside the cans. This is legitimate, in a way, but not as a stand alone. Provide the data for the area(s) in which Jailbreak is sold as a comparison, higher or lower, of average price per ounce of the beer sold in Heady's and Westbrook's distribution area and it will be a point I will concede. Until then I stand by my reasoning.

But aren't we both overthinking this a bit at this point?

 

$7.99/ 4 pack here in Essex County.

 

Since this post I've bought 2 sixers to have and share (most recent being today). I found it for $11.99 and $12.99 which of course IMO is perfect. I should've clarified in my previous post that $15 isn't out of line for a DIPA. I've paid $15 without blinking for Union's Double Duckpin. It just seemed expensive for a relatively new brewery with not a lot of proven brews. I know one of the owners came and chimed in about that. Thank you for your perspective, its much appreciated and helped me understand. I'm hoping Jail Break makes it! I've yet to try their other offerings but I plan to visit Laurel soon.

 

If it makes you feel better my local brewery (Barrier), just debuted their new double IPA at their tasting room in 6 pack bottles for the low, low price of $25 a pack...but good news, if you buy a case its only $100. Wow...

 

I picked up a 6 pack ($12), while I was visiting some friends in MD this weekend and really enjoyed it. I definitely want to pick up some more to bring back to VA next time I'm up there. I'll probably pick up Big Punisher too and if it ends up being a solid DIPA, I don't think $15 is too out of line.

 

Jeez, $15 is definitely not the end of the world for a DIPA that seems to have a good rating on this site. In NY, specifically Long Island, most DIPA's sold in 6 packs (or 4-packs extrapolated to 6-pack prices) are easily $15.

Common exceptions are Victory and Lagunitas, as stated many times before.

Sixpoint Resin (Imp. IPA) runs at $15, and while in my opinion without any actual basis, I'm sure this beer is not even close to Resin, it is seriously not that high of a price.

 

I was able to pick up a fresh six pack of Big Punisher this weekend ($14 canned 12/30) and figured I'd report back. I was pretty impressed with it. The aroma alone is almost worth the price tag. I haven't had another IPA that has smelled this good. The taste didn't quite live up to the initial wiff I got from my glass, but it was still very tasty. Comparing local DIPA's, I liked it a bit more than Double Duckpin, but it didn't finish quite as clean as OTWOA. I shared a couple cans with some friends and they both thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll probably pick up another pack the next time I'm up in MD.

I also had their White Russian cream ale on tap and enjoyed it. Very sweet and tasted almost like I was drinking a traditional white russian. I'm pretty impressed with Jailbreak so far and a brewery visit will definitely happen in the near future.

 

Don't think this was brought up in the thread....

http://jailbreakbrewing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/recall-customer.pdf

 

I have not had Big Punisher. Its rating on BA, an 83, means I likely will not buy it but not that I won't try it...I have a lot of friends and do a lot of tastings so eventually I will run up on it. Jailbreak does not seem to have a break through beer, but I wish them luck and hope that hard work will get them going. They average a 3.47 on BA, which is good but in order for them to compare themselves to Heady or even Wings, they gotta bring it...I wish them well and hope that someday they will brew a beer that I am frantic to find and share with friends. The market will dictate their success...just ask Chocolate City what happens when you don't brew beers that people seek out...you go the heck outta business. I happily pay $18 a sixer to Jeff Hancock and Brau for Wings...it is a great beer and is FULL of tasty 7C's hops and as a homebrewer I know it costs a lot to brew that beer. Happy, even eager, to plop down my hard earned money for their craft! Heading up to CT soon, and will visit a lot of NE breweries, from Tree House to Alchemist and Fiddlehead, those guys brew great IPAs that I crave. I love local beers and when I travel, I seek out the best. Laurel is just up the road...hope Jailbreak brings it! Cheers!

 

Dang, major respect for them doing that. I'm surprised they recalled so many batches. I know I got some of the first to hit shelves but ageabillity never factored into anything 'cause it didnt last long in my fridge. Good luck trying to get "Brau" to ever admit fault about anything. I'm sure "Wings" is always perfect.