I have recently noticed the victory beer prices at my local store increasing. This particularly true of their big beers (yakima, stormking, golden monkey, moonglow, hop wallop). The big ones were 10.99/6 for a while, then 11.99, and now within the last few weeks I have seen them get up to 12.49 at my local wegmans. I asked the "beer guy" about this and he said something along the lines of "they are heavier so they are more expensive." Yeah, thanks for that, didn't address my question of the increase at all. I was just wondering if anyone else has seen this recently or could offer some explanation. Victory is one of my favorite brewers and gets bonus points for being local, but at 12.49 a six for the high ABV beers, I won't be getting them as often.
I agree I've seen an increase in sixers like Hop Wallop and Golden Monkey. I thought it was just the stores I was shopping at but they've all been about $1-2 more per sixer than I'm used to (usually around $13 and change now).
All beers have been increasing in price for the last couple of years. $11-$12 has been pretty standard with Victory big beer 6-packs for a while now. Honestly, even at $12 they're a relative bargain. How many imperial stouts or double IPA's out there can you get for $2/12oz serving? Don't shun them over a buck, or else you're giving them reason to justify turning to 4-packs or even bomber-only so they can sell their beer for a lower price. (At a higher cost per ounce)
It's all relative, I guess. I haven't seen the same increases in other comparable beers at the same store, or even hopdevil or prima. I was curious because two price increases totaling 1.50 in the last few months was notable to me and I thought maybe there was a reason besides "all beer is increasing in price." I will continue to drink their beers, but .25 cents per beer in a short amount of time is a pretty big increase. Meanwhile, these beers are still included in the mix and match 6 for 11.99 (where's the logic there?).
Realistically that sounds more like an issue with the store than Victory though to have two price increases that close together.
Look on the bright side, way out here in Orygun the Prima and Hop Devil have recently gone up to $10.99/6pk, and the big ones like Hop Wallop and Storm King have been $13-14/6pk for at least a year or two.
Let's also keep in mind that this stuff is delivered by vehicles needing GAS and the pain at the pump is felt ALL over including here. Think how craft beer unlike BMC has to travel not to mention the niche audience that it has as opposed to the big boys MASS quantities. I work in the service industry and we just increased our "compliance fee" on service calls due to the pain at the pump. Compliance fee=GAS...you want service I gotta get there don't I? I'm just saying. Don't get me started on the 4-packs that used to be sixers...news flash to the companies, I will pay more for the same amount don't give me less for more I'll just buy something else, HELLO!!
Yeah and unfortunately it seems that transportation cost is universally applied, meaning even those of us local to the brewery feel the pain. To say nothing of the rediculous pa laws that seriously limit amounts and locations of purchase.
Wouldn't be surprised. Wegmans has been increasing for a lot of beers. Haven't been there in a while so I haven't seen Victory's prices lately, but I don't buy Victory ever anyway.
Here in Georgia we have seen a price increase on Victory beers at the wholesale level which should show up at retail (as long as the store is paying attention to their invoices!). Dogfish Head and Stone have also gone up in the past few weeks.
What I came in to say. The new 2012 prices are beginning to show up on the retail shelves, thanks in part to higher purchasing fees from wholesalers. I know that just like elgiacomo, we in VA have recently had a price increase on quite a few products, Victory most certainly included.
