This is not a regional thread!!!! Here's a good one for all of you price fixing conspiracy theorists. On a recent visit to Chicago, I picked up a sixpack of Two Brothers Cane & Ebel for $12.99 with an enjoy by date of 1-13-13 or thereabouts. I live in the NY area and have seen these sixers for anywhere from $17.49 to $19.99 with expired or about to expire dates. I am aware that the brewery is about 30 or so miles from Chicago but a $4.50 to $7 difference for a sixpack is outrageous - unless of course someone chimes in that they ship the stuff in small batches by minivans. Needless to say, before I buy something that expensive again, I'm going to check prices in other areas of the country just for shits and giggles.
Several factors determine price. One of the biggest is tax rates on alcholol. They vary greatly by state. Also, some states require a minimum mark-up over wholesale. The list goes on. Sometimes is it simply price gouging. I live in Northern VA so there are several jurisdictions within an hour car ride. Prices are in line at times but they can swing by $5-10 on any given item. Caveat Emptor.
I've been especially amused by the price differential on Founders new Bolt Cutter. Someone on a thread said they'd seen it for about $14.00 I was offered one at my neighborhood packy for $27.50.
Alaskan Brewing beer is cheaper in MN than it is in Alaska. There are many factors that go into price, disparities in different states should not be any surprise.
Taxes and shipping are typically the two most significant factors in price differences in different states. Shipping is usually the biggest single factor; think of it this way: what are the beers you rarely see wild swings in the prices from state to state? Usually it's the big boys.. why? Because they have breweries all over the country. I can ship 1 pallet of product to the other side of my state for about $75 on an LTL carrier. If I get 1 pallet shipped to me from Kansas (which I do pretty frequently) it can run between $350 and $400 per pallet on the same LTL carrier. Math.. it's a funny thing.
I find it interesting how a single 12oz of DFH 120 min is $8.29 at the chain store I work at versus $9.99 at another location under the same management at another chain of the same company (about 15 mins away)
Whoever priced that at 14 was looking at the price from the last backstage release, as stated in the other thread 14 is less than the wholesale price in Michigan. That said, 27 still sucks.
when bourbon county came through SEPA it was running around $22 per 4 pack at places in the suburbs. in philly it was more like $35. there's a whole pile of antiquated, nonsensical laws/rules that cause this (as well as a 10% alcohol tax), but it's a good example of huge disparity.
I bought a few bottles of 120 Minute for $8.99 each, and I later found out that another local liquor store, one which I generally don't shop at, was selling 4packs for $12.99 (and they insisted it was not a mistake but the regular price that they charge for 120 Minute).
I live in Ohio.... I put cane & ebel on my shelf for minimum state price, which was 12.99. I think it has to do a lot with mileage,gas, and the distribution and store owner... some owners are just done right greedy and don't care....
I've seen it sell for $13.99 a bottle...that guy(at the store) apparently has no idea what beer he's selling...it had to be a mistake. 90 Minute is routinely $12 and up for a 4 pack everywhere in NY. Also, the brewery sells 120 for $20 a 4 pack.
More reason to drink local. Unless you live in the Northeast, the land that fucks your wallet no matter what you drink.
46 of the 51 states/DC have alcohol taxes that are under $0.30 per sixpack. There's no way differences in state taxes account for any meaningful difference.
If you think that is bad... I just picked up a 12oz bottle of Delirium Tremens in Oregon for $4.75, half of what they charge for it in Philly. I also saw Great Divide for $1.50 while I was there, no joke. Shipping, Taxes, availability, is the bottle shop owner the best bud of a higher up at the brewery, things like that all factor in. Oh well, take what you can get.
