Russian River Brewing Sucks

The brew pub which opened in Santa Rosa California used to charge 2.50$ for a 20 ounce imperial pint. Then they raised prices to a 16 ounce non imperial pint to 3.25 during happy hour.

Did the cost of ingredients go up that much? I don't think so. Russian River brewing used to sell wholesale "belgian style" bottles in 750ML format...They doubled the price and reduced the volume of liquid by half to small bottles.

They use cargill GMO malts in the belgian beers. Yet they charge a premium for them.

I'm sorry folks there is no excuse to call yourself a craft brewer if you use GMO barley. It's sickening. Russian is the pinnacle of America...cheaper grain, higher prices...

Screw em...

What's your problem with GMO crops?

Damn them for wanting wanting to make money! how dare they!?!

GMO crops are produced by and for the pesticide industry. Mother nature can grow what she wants better than us humans...

Also...why should they charge twice the price for half the beer? Cargill malt is the cheapest in the industry yet they call themselves "craft beer"

You have us all now convinced that Russian river is a backward corporation hell bent on screwing over their customers and putting out a shoddy product. I heard they've now outsourced all their brewing to china for the cheap labor. Instead of filtered water they use the tears of children.

How's their beer taste? Any good?

Edit: Rhetorical question. I've been there. Awesome stuff.

tmurph6 said:

Instead of filtered water they use the tears of children.

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Rich in Vitamin R.

My point exactly freakish...They used to charge less...yet now they are using the cheapest ingredients the market will sell yet call it craft beer.

Craft beer ought to be aobut sourcing the finest ingredients and not market based economics. Craft beer ought to be about the craft not marketing or industry trends. Sadly the smalerl guys only want to get bigger.

I truly hope we see a nano brewing revolution...Give everybody a piece of the pie to compete...we don't need stone...dogfish...russian river...laguniats...

Woudln't you rather have regional fresh beer than mass distributed beer freakish?

OldWorld said:

Did the cost of ingredients go up that much? I don't think so.

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Energy costs are going up, so that means everything is going up in cost/price.

There's a place around here that regularly charges $6.50 or $7.00 for a 10 ounce pour of higher alcohol beers. They were charging $6.50 for GF Palate Wrecker and other beers around that ABV (~9.5%). Complete ripoff.

Yes Ty...they make a tasty beer...but I will defend to the death that the quality of Russian River has gone down since they expanded with a new facility...They are working on max profits at the expense of ingredients.

Most of the beers have been tainted with GMO barley...Heck to make a point...before Budweiser sold out they refused GMO grain. Even the most lackluster brewery in America once had integrity.

You seem to not understand the concept of a business.

OldWorld said:

GMO crops are produced by and for the pesticide industry.

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Which begs the question... what's your problem with the pesticide industry?

OldWorld said:

Mother nature can grow what she wants better than us humans...

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If you really think growing organically is somehow easier or produces better yields than conventional farming, you're either severely uninformed or intentionally deluded.

OldWorld said:

They are working on max profits at the expense of ingredients.

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I didn't realize they existed solely to provide you with free beer.

Show me one brewery that's not trying to maximize profits and I'll show you one brewery that's about to go out of business.

Please point me to another brewery in Norcal that charges 2.50 for a 20 ounce pint (except maybe SN).

No ffoense bro, but I think you are way off base. Now if RR was opening breweries left and right and driving to work in a Lamborghini sure I'd agree with you. But I've been to the brewery several times, it doesn't strike me as flush with money.

So...you're mad they charge $3.25 for a pint? What are prices on craft draft beers at other bars in your area?

You're mad they increased prices in light of demand?

You're mad they use the malt available on the market, instead of trying to find a local organic source? Is there a local organic source?

OldWorld said:

Woudln't you rather have regional fresh beer than mass distributed beer freakish?

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Yes, because they will certainly choose the most expensive ingredients on the market.

mcarb said:

Please point me to another brewery in Norcal that charges 2.50 for a 20 ounce pint (except maybe SN).

No ffoense bro, but I think you are way off base. Now if RR was opening breweries left and right and driving to work in a Lamborghini sure I'd agree with you. But I've been to the brewery several times, it doesn't strike me as flush with money.

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What do you have against Lamborghini?

I love these threads where someone posts a rant thinking they'll get support from the HBTers. And then they don't.

Seriously, if I could get a $3.25 pint of ANY craft around her, I'd park myself at the bar that chose to sell me that and NEVER LEAVE.

Quit griping about "problems" that many of us would love to have!

stratslinger said:

Seriously, if I could get a $3.25 pint of ANY craft around her, I'd park myself at the bar that chose to sell me that and NEVER LEAVE.

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I'm lucky to get pints of Bud Light for $3.25 here; and my craft beer options are Blue Moon.

I think a lot more people should take OldWorld's position. Then maybe there would actually be some RR beers on the shelves.

AZ_IPA said:

I'm lucky to get pints of Bud Light for $3.25 here; and my craft beer options are Blue Moon.

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duh,Blue Moon is an Import. Menu says so.

In Canada, even the worst/cheapest/most horrible corn lagers are $5+/pint. Can't believe anyone would complain about RR's prices.

Up here we pay $6-8 for a pint of craft beer, sounds like you still have it pretty sweet.

If they used more expensive grain they would have to raise prices a lot more.

I won't speak to the RR stuff as we don't get it here, but this word "Craft" needs to go.

Seems like you ask someone it's definition and they really can't define it accurately. I think "good" should replace "craft" when talking about beer. My.02

All I know is that it takes a lot of pesticides, herbicides, and ammonia based fertilizers to grow the barley and hops that make up your $3.25 pint of good beer. Would you prefer to pay $10.00+ a pint for an all organic/GMO free beer?

I don't like the idea of brewing with GMO barley and all the chemicals used to grow it, as much as anyone else, but you do get what you pay for.

AZ_IPA said:

I love these threads where someone posts a rant thinking they'll get support from the HBTers. And then they don't.

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I'm not sure why no one is jumping on board. He has such a solid argument that the cost of ingredients haven't gone up much. We all know ingredient cost=beer cost. Simple math.

You're complaining about a $3.25 pint from one of the best breweries in North America. You have it made if you drink at RR. I don't have much sympathy for you.

You want it all but you don't want to pay for it and RR is the problem with America?

tmurph6 said:

Instead of filtered water they use the tears of children.

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The cost of importing unicorn tears is ridiculous.

$7 pints of craft beers are common here.

And here I thought $4 for a 16 oz pull at a pub was reasonable. I guess I'm just a 1%'er or something.

Loud noises!!!!

Rubes said:

Up here we pay $6-8 for a pint of craft beer, sounds like you still have it pretty sweet.

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Damn, that's a growler fill on Wednesday.

Notice the OP hasn't posted in a while.

And if you have a problem with GM crops, I'd love to hear your ideas on how to feed everyone on the planet. GM crops make it possible to grow with less natural resources and in places that otherwise wouldn't be possible.

tmurph6 said:

I'm not sure why no one is jumping on board. He has such a solid argument that the cost of ingredients haven't gone up much. We all know ingredient cost=beer cost. Simple math.

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Didn't they just build out a new facility? Have to pay for that, too...

tmurph6 said:

I'm not sure why no one is jumping on board. He has such a solid argument that the cost of ingredients haven't gone up much. We all know ingredient cost=beer cost. Simple math.

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True. Stainless steel kegs and fuel to transport said kegs, let alone salaries of producers, distributers, shippers, workers, etc. is all free.

I can't even get RR here in Chicago. I wish I could. Had it when I was in Colorado last year and loved it. $3.25 for a pint? That's NOTHING. I'll pay that all day long without batting an eyelash.

There are other costs than just ingredients that a business has to consider: salaries, rent, electricity, transportation cost of shipping product, health insurance for employees, and a whole lot more. A small increase like this is NOTHING.

Also, the notion that a craft brewery will only use totally locally sourced products...That is not what I would define as a craft brewery. I think you'd be hard pressed to find any breweries that can distribute using only local products. That would be pretty tough to do I think. To me, craft brewing is about making GOOD beer, using high quality ingredients, regardless of where they come from. That doesn't mean it has to be organic. Organic does not necessarily mean good, sorry. It's about focusing on the beer first and foremost, which is what places like Russian River, Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, and other craft brewers do, whereas BMC just cares about profits, and they spend more on advertising than all the craft brewers in America probably bring in in a year, combined.

I would happily pay that for a good beer. Some of those beers have tons of hops and some have been aged 12-18mo. I will pay. Have u see the prices of their bottles?

You guys buy beer? Why?