Referend Bier Blendery

What 750 was $40? The priciest I've seen was $32, with most under that.

 

The past few releases have had $18/$19 for 375mL bottles.

but yeah, Tender Buttons was $32

 

Oh, yeah, I think 18/19 for 375s is different, and not all that unreasonable for a 375 of spontaneously fermented stuff (not sure where people see breweries making similar beer for cheaper?).

 

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t buy every bottle, as my perfect Referend experience is still a glass of Jung from the cask, but, of the bottles I have purchased, there is not one which left me feeling like I didn’t get my money’s worth.

 

I've gotten a lot of Geuze and such for like $20 on a 750mL. Granted, they're usually from Belgium so I suppose there is left production cost (real estate cheaper, etc) but still imported to the US.

 

Yeah, I think we can agree that that's not really comparable right? In any case I think it's a little misleading to say that a $19 375 is a brewery selling a $40 750, too...

 

While we’re at it...

 

With a $32 750 on the table and multiple 375mL reaching that level - I don't think what I said was overtly misleading, as anyone in this thread would reasonably be familiar with their pricing to know I was ballparking.

Regardless, my post is not asking for comparison between breweries and their pricing, because without accounting for many variables it is not possible to make a fair comparison and therefor it is irrelevant.

The pricing, to me, has been egregious on a few releases which is why I (and almost everyone I speak to outside of this website) have stopped going. Even if that is the 'fair' price for his product given the fruit adjuncts, time in barrels, labor, etc. That does not mean the consumer will be willing to pay that. So, I am curious if anyone on BA (presumably more willing to spend more money on beer than the average person) has also stopped going due to this.

 

Nah, I still pay it when there’s something I find interesting, most recently Locus Solus at $16 a 375ml. But I also paid $24 for an Oxbow 500ml today, so I might be on the far end of the bell curve.

 

how fast do they normally sell out?

i am hoping to make a stop this weekend

 

It really varies bottle to bottle. Some stuff lasts weeks into months. Some stuff goes fast...Vanilla Tender Buttons sold out same day last month. I’m guessing these two 375’s move fast, with the strawberry selling out day 1, especially if the bottle run is as small as is implied.

 

I’m with you on this. Maybe it’s “fair” pricing for what they’re doing. It probably is, but it’s still too pricey for me. I had people on another website jump all over me when I made a joke about the beer not being a cheap date (it made sense in context). At any rate some of the people here and there keep saying it’s good pricing “for what you’re getting.” But that doesn’t mean it’s not expensive. I’m not traveling to breweries to pay $19 for what’s basically a 12 oz bottle or $32 for a big bottle.

 

Yeah, I totally agree that it's a more expensive niche of an already expensive interest. The issue comes about when people say things like "Why is this can $10 when my HopHands is $3.50??? Greedy!" I know that's definitely not what's happening here; but, many of the issues I've seen completely eschew the context behind the pricing.

 

Those were nearly exactly my thoughts as well. I don't think he's being unreasonable with his pricing given the product or don't think he's up charging or anything. But it still is a question of personal value I suppose. eg: I know a bottle of nice Scotch is expensive for a reason but I still don't buy it because it's expensive

Also James emailed me regarding my post saying there is a $40 750ml and I just want to clarify that there has been a $32 750mL and a few 375mL bottles in the 16 to 19 range.

 

Fruit is expensive as hell and when you add fruit to 1-2 year old beer that's been sitting in your space, the price adds up. Considering a 375 bottle of say Drie Fonteinen Gueuze is about 15$ (Cantillon being more expensive) when you find it in the States, the fruited prices are fair.

 

I mean a 750ml of Cantillon Gueuze at the source is 12€ so I would say its pricey. Granted Referend is not producing the quantity that Cantillon so its not quite a fair comparison.

 

Again, I don’t think anyone here is claiming the prices aren’t “fair,” just that they are pricing themselves out of what some of us are willing to pay. These are objectively expensive regardless of if they are priced for the ingredients and process. Just as many people won’t pay $20-22 for a 4 pack of beer from places like OH or Magnify I won’t pay $19 for 375mL or $30-40 for a 750mL from anyone.

I’d like to add that I’ve been there and think they’re doing cool things.

 

Why is anyone still giving "$40" as a price point for their 750s when their most expensive beer is 20% less than that lol?

Anyway, they still sell out of various bottles day-of (no idea how big the bottling run is) so I don't think their price points are glaring problems relative to the market for their beer.

 

Strange conversation over the last day. If a product is too expensive for a consumer to afford it is odd to go out of your way to point out you won't purchase that product which is too expensive for you to afford in an attempt to be mollified of your inability to purchase said product.

 

it's expensive to produce.. takes time to develop and has a smaller niche market in the beer industry. All makes sense. Pricepoint seems fair for what they do.

Also my thought is with many breweries doing the same thing another style is never a bad thing to have in state.

i'm looking forward to my first visit this weekend. will report back.