Sticker shock: $56 six pack!

I about crapped my pants. It was a six pack going for $56! It was Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, which is ~20% alcohol, and I know a single bottle sets you back about $10, but after browsing the store's $10-15 a sixer micro selection that really made me indiscreet in my trousers!

Wow.

and I have a hard time swallowing the $12 a sixer for any of there other brews. That is REALLY insane. Do people actually pay for this?

The cheapest I've found it is in Delaware, $7.99 apiece. Considering my state does not allow beer at that abv, I could easily turn around and sell it for $15-$20 each.

People seem to love the big beers.

Wow, and to think I had sticker shock at $6.99 a bottle for the 120 minute IPA around here...

knights of Gambrinus said:

Wow.

and I have a hard time swallowing the $12 a sixer for any of there other brews. That is REALLY insane. Do people actually pay for this?

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Yeah, it is crazy. I an afford it, but won't out of principle. I'd rather put that 12 bucks toward a good bottle of wine.

The thing is, someone is paying that price cause they are selling it.

It was interesting to try, but not really a great beer when I first bought them.

After two years of aging, it was definitely worth the price.

Hair of the Dog specializes in high gravity ales & high prices, so $56/sixer isn't a big shock. Many winter warmers around here will go for $10-15 per 22 oz. I call this 'shot glass' ales.

On my recent expidition to DC/MD/VA, I was able to sample both the DFH 90 and Pliny for the first time. The latter isn't a BAD beer, IMHO, but it's far, far, far more sweet than an IPA should be. In the historical context, it hardly makes sense to even call it an IPA, those brews were designed to be very dry so there would not be many residual sugars to spoil (it wasn't JUST about the hops).

I'm not sure if it's a matter of being under-attenuated, or simply how much malt the use, but every DFH beer I've had has been way on the sweet side.

Pliny, OTOH, is an absolutely perfect example of a BIG beer that is attenuated fully and extremely drinkable (well, if you like hops).

the_bird said:

On my recent expidition to DC/MD/VA, I was able to sample both the DFH 90 and Pliny for the first time.

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Where did you find Pliny?

Long voyage; Brewtopia filled a growler, brought it to Denver, handed it off to Dude, who brought it home to VA.

the_bird said:

On my recent expidition to DC/MD/VA, I was able to sample both the DFH 90 and Pliny for the first time. The latter isn't a BAD beer, IMHO, but it's far, far, far more sweet than an IPA should be. In the historical context, it hardly makes sense to even call it an IPA, those brews were designed to be very dry so there would not be many residual sugars to spoil (it wasn't JUST about the hops).

I'm not sure if it's a matter of being under-attenuated, or simply how much malt the use, but every DFH beer I've had has been way on the sweet side.

Pliny, OTOH, is an absolutely perfect example of a BIG beer that is attenuated fully and extremely drinkable (well, if you like hops).

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I almost can't drink DFH 90 becuase of how sweet it is. 60 is better in that respect.

I am making a trip to Cali the first week in August and I am determined to find this Pliny character and give him a good talking to...and maybe bring some back if I can.

Beerrific said:

I almost can't drink DFH 90 becuase of how sweet it is. 60 is better in that respect.

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Really? I feel the exact opposite. I drink the 90, but the 60 seems too sweet. I have been to the DFH brewpub, and had the 90 throught the Randall, that is pretty good stuff. The Shelter Pale is pretty good stuff, but has limited distrobution. Same with the black and blue ale.

FWIW, I can get 120 for around $20 5 minutes from my house. I live on the DE border, and there is a beer megastore right outside of Wilmington.

Unclesamskid said:

Where did you find Pliny?

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If you are ever in PA, you can usually get Pliney at Kunda Beverage in King of Prussia.

I love the DFH 60/90/120 IPA....I want to grow hops next year specifically so I can make a ton of 120 minute clones......I'd rather make my own then spend the money and buy it, although SWMBO and I agree, it's bomb

Ryan_PA said:

If you are ever in PA, you can usually get Pliney at Kunda Beverage in King of Prussia.

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1/2bbl Keg only and IIRC the Beer Yard in Wayne, PA also has RR kegs.

brewt00l said:

1/2bbl Keg only and IIRC the Beer Yard in Wayne, PA also has RR kegs.

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I thought you could get the bottles there... where the hell am I thinking of then...

Ryan_PA said:

I thought you could get the bottles there... where the hell am I thinking of then...

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I have purchased RR singles over at Capone's in Norristown but I haven't seen any Pliney over the past year or so. Either Kunda or the yard prb has some RR stuff in bottles but I think Pliney has been a keg only thing...idunno:fro:

I agree that $10 is a mighty high price for a beer compared to BMC, but it isn't just a beer and I imagine/hope that a growth market for beer will be this high gravity, high quality beers. It is a whole area of beer that has not been readily available to the general public. But if you think that is costly, what about the Sam Adams Eutopia for crying out load?! What is it, something like $100 a bottle? But it is unlike any other beer I have ever had and in a world of $300 Scotch, why not?

Besides, this premium market might be a nice spot for a little guy to get in and make a nice living.

The great thing as private brewers is we can make them ourselves, or our own variation! It is a bit like Brewtopia's barrel. He will have a huge amount of time and energy invested in that beer by the time he gets some in a glass.

I can get 120 here for $10 when its available. $14 at the local beer bar

We've got it at our shop for $8. Given how much malt and hops go into making something like it, the price tag doesn't surprise me. I've had the brew exactly once...SWMBO and I did a horizontal DFH ale tasting. Shelter-60-Aprihop-90-120. The difference between the 90 and the 120 was tenfold what the difference was between the others. Good beer, but, yeah, definitely a sweet brew. Though, if it wasn't for that sweetness, I do believe that all you'd taste/smell is the 20%+ ABV. So you can't fault them for that.

The 60 used to be one of my favorites, but as my palate has evolved, I've shied away from it. I still love the 90 minute...don't find it too sweet at all. Less-than-bone-dry IPA's certainly have their place, and I don't really find fault with them.

The price tag is also not that insane in the context of other beers around the world. Trappists regularly cost $7-10 for a 10oz btl. Deus Brut runs in the 20's for a 750mL. Certain aged Cantillon Gueze's and Lambics are $30 easily. Avery's "Beast" series or whatever they call it, has 12oz'ers going for $8/btl or so.

Not everyday stuff, but I don't think it was ever intended for such. At the end of the day, in terms of exorbitant prices, the beer world still has the wine world whipped by a long shot. You can still get a bottle of the best beer in the world for under $10, which is not that much more than "normal" beer. Try that in the wine world. See how much a bottle of Petrus or DRC Romanee Conti costs you. Go beer!

Another reason for the high cost of 120 is that they only brew it 3 times a year..therefore tightly controlling supply. I heard the last time they brewed it they made 800 cases...for the entire US/World and our distributor said FL got 50 of them. So thats pretty good.

Evan! said:

Not everyday stuff, but I don't think it was ever intended for such. At the end of the day, in terms of exorbitant prices, the beer world still has the wine world whipped by a long shot. You can still get a bottle of the best beer in the world for under $10, which is not that much more than "normal" beer. Try that in the wine world. See how much a bottle of Petrus or DRC Romanee Conti costs you. Go beer!

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One difference between the beer and wine world is one of the big differences between good wine and top wines is the grapes that were used. The process is not that different. In the beer world the ingredients are readily available to any brewer the differences are the recipe and process. So the only reason for shortages are mostly artificial. With wines the short supplys are due to limited availability of ingredients. Kind of the reason gold costs so much more than silver or stainless steel. The gold has a much shorter supply.

Still I agree that you can buy some very excellent beers for less than the price of an average bottle of wine. Definitely a better value proposition.

Craig