Rogue beer! What's your favorite?

So every Rogue bomber sells for $5.99.
The Brutal Bitter and Santa's Private Reserve are $12.99/6 pack
The Dead Guy and Mocha Porter are $11.59/6 pack.

Compare that to DFH 60 min or Chicory Stout at $9.99
Avery 6 packs $8.99
Terrapin at $7.59
Oskar Blues $9.99
Sierra Nevada ESB/SNPA $7.59
Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA $9.99
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 2009 $11.59.

Here in TN, the store is split up: if a beer is 6% or under it is in the beer store but if over, it needs to be sold in the liquor store. More alcohol, usually means more ingredients, and thus, more initial cost by the producer. I can't see the justification behind 6% Brutal Bitter at $13 but 10% Bigfoot cheaper. Even the Old Chub is $9.99 a six pack and is 8%.

farmbrewernw said:

Rogue is kind of like the Nike of beers, it's all about the image really,

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Funny you say that because one of the co-founders of Rogue was Nike's first COO. It's all starting to make sense.

None. Bleh.

Ceramic bottle..over hyped, say what you want. I love Old Crustacean. If only If I could cellar a bottle. I buy it, put it down in the "cellar"...and I think about it being down there all...full of beer.....

...I'll go down there and pick it up and think..hmmm..maybe I'll wait.

And the following weekend I'll go down and I'll see it just sitting there...and I'll open it and drink it.

damn it...

I went to the Rogue Public House a couple weekends ago when I was in Portland. Brutal Bitter on tap was really good. I like Dead Guy Ale, Chocolate Stout, etc.

Expensive, yeah, they are. Overpriced, I don't think so; it seems like they are in line with other craft breweries to me. But hey, I don't live all that far from their home turf.

PseudoChef said:

So every Rogue bomber sells for $5.99.
The Brutal Bitter and Santa's Private Reserve are $12.99/6 pack
The Dead Guy and Mocha Porter are $11.59/6 pack.

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I pay 8.99 for a six pack of brutal bitter (in Missouri) and 7.99 I think for SNPA. I think the beers are probably comparable in quality (though I prefer BB in this case) so the Sierra Nevada is probably a better deal for me slightly which makes sense as they produce much more beer than Rogue. Seems fair.

Rogue bombers are priced variably here (and I happen to know that the brewery prices them variably) and almost all are between 4.50 and 5.50.

Now, if my liquor store can sell me Rogue cheaper than yours do you think my liquor store is using Rogue as a loss leader or do you think yours is bending you over because they know that you (or someone else) will pay the higher price?

Unless you think my liquor store is throwing money away on Rogue sales, why are you holding Rogue accountable for the retail markup being charged at your store? Based on my stores prices I would guess that the Rogue wholesale prices are only slightly higher than Sierra Nevada wholesale prices which I think is fair given comparable quality and lower production at Rogue.

Now, if my liquor store can sell me Rogue cheaper than yours do you think my liquor store is using Rogue as a loss leader or do you think yours is bending you over because they know that you (or someone else) will pay the higher price?

But it's not like it is just one store per city. Rogue is available at several outlets where I live (including the supermarket), and it's never only $4-5 a bomber. There's no way one place could have a big markup for a beer that's available at several locations.

I'd guess that because Sierra Nevada is a bigger operation, they have better distribution channels. Possibly there's one more middleman needed to get Rogue here in the Northeast.

I actually paid less for a bomber of Hebrew Jewbelation 12 (12% ABV!) than for a bomber of anything by Rogue.

McGarnigle said:

Now, if my liquor store can sell me Rogue cheaper than yours do you think my liquor store is using Rogue as a loss leader or do you think yours is bending you over because they know that you (or someone else) will pay the higher price?

But it's not like it is just one store per city. Rogue is available at several outlets where I live (including the supermarket), and it's never only $4-5 a bomber. There's no way one place could have a big markup for a beer that's available at several locations.

I'd guess that because Sierra Nevada is a bigger operation, they have better distribution channels. Possibly there's one more middleman needed to get Rogue here in the Northeast.

I actually paid less for a bomber of Hebrew Jewbelation 12 (12% ABV!) than for a bomber of anything by Rogue.

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Yeah, I would assume that in reality the Rogue is selling the beer at the same price to everyone and the retail stores are more or less marking up the same. I think the disconnect occurs at the distribution level.

People will always complain about their health insurance not covering birth control or something. The insurance company would be thrilled to sell your employer a plan that covers birth control, your employer chose not to buy that plan. Yet the insurance company always gets blamed.

See what I'm getting at?

I don't know who to hold accountable: be it Rogue itself, the distributor, or the retailer. All I know is the price the retailer offers turns me away from buying their products. I hear critical acclaim for the Shakespeare and I've had the Chocolate Stout before and would love to be able to drink them on a regular basis.

remilard said:

Yeah, I would assume that in reality the Rogue is selling the beer at the same price to everyone and the retail stores are more or less marking up the same. I think the disconnect occurs at the distribution level.

People will always complain about their health insurance not covering birth control or something. The insurance company would be thrilled to sell your employer a plan that covers birth control, your employer chose not to buy that plan. Yet the insurance company always gets blamed.

See what I'm getting at?

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Yeah, I understand. I am not on board with the Rogue backlash, but that being said, I can't buy their beers all that often.

St Rogue dry hopped red ale. amazing.

dpower said:

St Rogue dry hopped red ale. amazing.

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+1 :rockin: