Can you afford to buy craft brews?

[SwampassJ]

If you expect to get Midas Touch or Pliny the Elder or Arrogant Bastard for the same price as a Bud Light or Miller, you need to wake up and smell the hops.

Stone Arrogant 6 pack for 12 dollars I'll think about it. 16 dollars for the non oaked is stupid.

 

[SwampassJ]

I was thinking about trying some midas touch to see if I might want to brew something similar (just for example) and when I found it, the FOUR pack was like $16!

Priced 33% higher than the Total Wine, just checked on it. 11.99 for a 4 pack.

 

[david_42]

Easily affordable, but I rarely drink more than 2 pints a day. If I was slapping back 8-10, like I did in college; then no.

 

[McGarnigle]

If you treat beer as food, these prices aren't bad at all. I don't drink coffee: what are the prices at Starbucks? I cook for myself rather than order in pizza or Chinese.

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

Overpriced compared to what?

overpriced compared to the enjoyment I get out of it.

they get what they can on the market, and that's fine. But I'm curious if they couldn't make the same profit by dropping prices and selling more beer.

 

[slowbie]

they get what they can on the market, and that's fine. But I'm curious if they couldn't make the same profit by dropping prices and selling more beer.

The problem is that most of them have a hard time keeping up with demand already and they are at max production levels. So there's no way they could sell more beer.

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

The problem is that most of them have a hard time keeping up with demand already and they are at max production levels. So there's no way they could sell more beer.

I've heard this before, but honestly I don't see the microbrew flying off the shelves at the beverage superstore. A lot of the microbrews there have been on the shelf for a looong time.

 

[Brewdouche-RuBrew]

Theres a place near me that specificly has empty six pack holders and you mix what you want to have 1 or 2 of what I want, but if you want to drink more beer..........

Buy in bulk...

Brew more of your own....

Cry less..

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

Buy in bulk...

Brew more of your own....

Cry less..

If you think I'm losing sleep over it, you're mistaken.

Pardon me for posting a topic on an internet discussion board...

 

[Airborneguy]

Craft brew prices will not go down because they are selling at the level they need/want to at the prices they currently ask. This is simple market economics. They are selling a "superior" product to a group which is willing to pay more to enjoy their product. Most of us wouldn't turn around and buy lesser products because of a slightly increased price, and the breweries obviously know that.

 

[slowbie]

I've heard this before, but honestly I don't see the microbrew flying off the shelves at the beverage superstore. A lot of the microbrews there have been on the shelf for a looong time.

I've seen stores like that too but it's not like these places are reordering beer that they've had on the shelf for months and months before it's sold. It's the stores that go through cases and cases of craft beer every day that keep reordering beer keeping these breweries at full production. I think Founders is growing faster than most breweries, so it's not necessarily a typical example, but just to illustrate my point, Founders just finished increasing their capacity at the beginning of this year and in the press release talking about this expansion the are already talking about their hopes to have another expansion done by the end of the year. Their projected production for this year is nearly triple what it was just two years ago.

Article here

 

[beowulf]

Didn't mean for my other post to sound like a tirade....just pointing out some facts...

As for buying craft brews (the genesis of the post)...I do buy some every once in awhile if I'm getting low on a certain style or if I want to try something new or different. Normally I'll stick to homebrew if at all possible. I doubt if I'm saving much money by doing so, but it's a fun hobby and I really enjoy it. I just don't get any enjoyment out of a BMC-esque product, so I'll have a single malt instead if I'm out of a beer that I like.

 

[HokieBrewer]

I was on a kick for a while spending lots of money to try rare and new beer. Special releases and trading on Beer Advocate. But I realized the majority of what I wound up with was pretty good, but not mind blowing. Plus, I started to turn into a bit of a beer snob.

Now I enjoy getting a solid six pack of something like SNPA or a local beer instead of one bomber of a mediocre bourben barrel aged stout.

(sometimes I'll buy BMC too )

 

[Beerthoven]

I can afford to buy craft brews, but rarely do. 98% of the beer consumed in my household is my own homebrew.

 

[curlyfat]

I taught my kids to like ramen noodles. Now I can afford craft brew!

Just kidding. I treat myself to a "reasonable" craft brew weekly ( <$10/sixer), and occasionally splurge on the really pricey stuff. 90% of my consumption is my brew, but if I don't keep tasting, I won't expand myself.

 

[Mermaid]

I like beer with personality.
It also tends to be on the strong / highly caloric side.
With this in mind, I try to treat my craft brew habit like my sushi habit - it's a nice treat a couple times a month, but it's not something that I can justify drinking "every day".

I don't mind paying a bit more for something that I really like and/or if I want to support a brewery that I like, but yeah there's no way I'm buying more than a 6 of anything priced above $2/bottle on a regular basis.

 

[alexdagrate]

I love craftbrew and buy it often. I think the key is to pay attention and know where the good deals on the different types of beer are.

I kind of have a four layer pricing scheme:

1) Homebrew: Good quality, low cost, frequent. I can make an IPA for about $0.67/pint.

2) BMC, Refreshing, low quality, low cost, frequent: I actually like yellow fizzy beer in addition to quality homebrew and craft brew. My favs like High Life, PBR, Hamm's, Olympia, Rainier, and Old German are often available for around $0.67/pint. This stuff is nice for simply supplementing my drinking or giving to people who come over, etc.

3) Affordable Craft Brew, medium cost, medium quality, less frequent: This is where finding the deals is key. Costco often has craft beers such as Sierra Nevada (PA, Summer Ale, Celebration), Bridgeport (IPA and Hop Czar), Deschutes (Mirror Pond, Jubelale, Twilight), Kona (Longboard, Fire Rock) and even Stone (Arrogant Bastard 12 packs of 22s). Some times the price gets down to around $1.33/pint (around a $1 a 12 oz bottle). Fred Meyer often has craft breweries like Deschutes priced at $1.33/pint. The Albertson's near my house has an excellent selection and often prices big beers like Mirror Mirror or Stone Old Guardian for the cheapest I've seen.

4) Unaffordable Craft Brew, high cost, high quality, infrequent: Can I afford $14 a bottle for a barleywine? No, probably not. However, I agree with other posters who compare my craft brew obsession with wine. Barleywines and Russian Imperial Stouts are special favorites of mine and I have about 4 dozen different ones "cellaring." Someday I plan on having vertical tastings with close friends. This gives me the opportunity to have something unique. The price differentital between different sellers can be vast. My local bottle shop sells beers like Mirror Mirror for $15. At my Albertson's, it's $10.

I am a devout hophead and not above paying $5.50/pint for Pliny at my local craft beer tavern (which has 40 taps, the only thing close to BMC there is Olympia). But that same tavern also has great deals like $3/pint specials on interesting brews. Right now, for $3 I can try many winter ales (it's Christmas in July) on tap, some of which have been aged for a year or two. Granted, $3 a pint is about twice what I prefer to pay for beer at home, but the selection is fantastic.

Basically, brew your own and drink some BMC to stretch the dollar. Hunt for deals on medium-quality craft brew, and don't be afraid to treat yourself every once in a while and always look for the best price on the top beers.