Craft beer: honeymoon period over?

[stupac2]

Wish I had a keggerator, or the desire to keep drinking the same stuff for 150 pours.

Sixtels are only 50 pours, and it's easier than you might think.

 

[abecall98]

Sixtels are only 50 pours, and it's easier than you might think.

Ah yes. It may be in my future when I get my own pad.

 

[neorunner]

 

[Skittle34]

I also enjoy the whole contract brewery debate. Brewers taking swings at those who do, but then making exceptions for those they're friends with. "No, no...that's a gypsy brewer not a contract brewer." Is this a national issue or are we just lucky to hear the grousing about it in MA?

I think this may just be an MA thing. Pretty sure Paper City has all but given up on their own beers and strictly does contract

 

[user 306809]

Sixtels are only 50 pours, and it's easier than you might think.

Sixtels are often pretty shitty deals though.

 

[stupac2]

Sixtels are often pretty shitty deals though.

Well, don't buy those ones! Shouldn't be hard to find a good one for $60. For Abe, since he lives here, Lagunitas ponies are like $75, which is the equivalent of a ~$5.50 sixer. (They only do halves and ponies.)

 

[sacrelicio]

Sweet...you get paid 8 bucks an hour to be a professional cool guy

 

[SSTroller]

One good instance of mobile canning out here is that Wormtown's Be Hoppy used to be an $8-9 bomber. Mobile canning turned it into a ~$10 4 pack of 16oz cans. I still get your point though.

Did Wormtown hint and promise to can their beer for over a year like a certain local-to-me brewery has been? I've refused to buy their $10-12 bombers till they come through with their canning plans, especially considering it seems like you can't even find their stuff on tap unless it's a at some cluster**** bar event, and even then it's $10 for a 10oz pour of DIPA.

 

[user 306809]

Holy **** I just went to brightestyoungthings.com.

Immediate regrets. Need something to wash my brain with.

 

[housepants]

Did Wormtown hint and promise to can their beer for over a year like a certain local-to-me brewery has been? I've refused to buy their $10-12 bombers till they come through with their canning plans, especially considering it seems like you can't even find their stuff on tap unless it's a at some cluster**** bar event, and even then it's $10 for a 10oz pour of DIPA.

Not sure if they promised or not. They might have just threw it out there without notice.

 

[Skittle34]

If I remember correctly, Wormtown cans just kind of showed up..?

 

[vav1]

Excellent Douglas Adams quote. Also, NoVA represent *fist bump*

 

[neorunner]

Excellent Douglas Adams quote. Also, NoVA represent *fist bump*

Likewise!

 

[pjl44]

If I remember correctly, Wormtown cans just kind of showed up..?

Yep. Some Be Hoppy dropped not too long ago.

 

[Dunt1]

Eh, i'd say no, but the landscape has changed. And it will continue to change, it's just the way **** goes.

The market itself is maturing, which is a big part of the way things are now. Customers are becoming more and more educated, and that's going to force breweries to get better. A lot of the new breweries have no idea how to actually sell their beer because they've been so used to it selling out as fast as they can make it. As the shelves get more and more full, the cream will rise to the top.

The "Session IPA" trend is an interesting one...it's proving what myself and many others in the industry have been saying for years, which is people want their beers full flavored but lower in ABV. The whole IPA part of it is, in my opinion, a sales gimmick (IPA's are hot, we'll call it that.) I'm guessing in the next year or two you'll see Pale Ales make a resurgence because people will get sick of hop water and want some actual depth to their drinking experience, same way Imperial Stouts have counterpointed the Imperial IPA phase.

Bomber Fatigue is also a very real thing, and here's why: For one, they're expensive and, perhaps more importantly, most of the time you have no idea if the liquid inside will be any good. With more little breweries coming online, they need to both sell what they make (good or not) to recoup what they've spent. Ergo, a flood of mediocre $9.99 bombers. They're their own worst enemy....they're going to make themselves category killers way better than any of the big breweries could.

You're also going to start seeing price wars with the larger, regional craft breweries. As the Bomber sales decline, the well priced, full flavored 6pk sales go up. To grab that marketshare, you need to price it right. Take careful note of who's priced at what in your local market, and watch who goes on sale and/or forces everyone else down.

Interesting perspective on how I've personally felt on our local scene. I've been saying Pipeworks won't sustain with their current business model while I will continue to crush Off Color like it's going out of style.

 

[vav1]

Interesting perspective on how I've personally felt on our local scene. I've been saying Pipeworks won't sustain with their current business model while I will continue to crush Off Color like it's going out of style.

Ask someone on the West Coast what they're paying for Off Color...

 

[stupac2]

Interesting perspective on how I've personally felt on our local scene. I've been saying Pipeworks won't sustain with their current business model while I will continue to crush Off Color like it's going out of style.

Does Pipeworks make any actually good beer? Nothing I've had from them has been noteworthy but they seem to get a lot of love.

Ask someone on the West Coast what they're paying for Off Color...

I haven't even HEARD of Off Color...

 

[stxSS07]

Does Pipeworks make any actually good beer? Nothing I've had from them has been noteworthy but they seem to get a lot of love.

I've only been impressed by the BA Last Kiss at FOBAB. So like...1/20 that I've tried?

 

[RedCoffee]

Does Pipeworks make any actually good beer? Nothing I've had from them has been noteworthy but they seem to get a lot of love.

I haven't even HEARD of Off Color...

I love Coffee Break Abduction. First beer of their I had and really dug it.

After having a spattering of other offerings I think I'm regressing to the mean on their stuff. Worth a shot if it sounds interesting and nothing else is on the shelves. Problem is they release so much new **** that SOMETHING is bound to sound interesting every now and then. And hey - maybe it will be one of the really good ones. Whether a gamble-based business model is a good idea long term is another issue.

I just bought my first 6 pack of Off Color last weekend (Troublesome). It's the only beer labeled a gose that I've ever had but damn is it delicious.

 

[SSTroller]

Does Pipeworks make any actually good beer? Nothing I've had from them has been noteworthy but they seem to get a lot of love.

I haven't even HEARD of Off Color...

I enjoy some of the ninja series, ninja vs unicorn and coffee break. And agree with stxSS07 about BA Last Kiss being the best of the three BA bottles. But like I said above, I'm done buying anymore till they at least come through with their promise to can. Even then who knows since I can easily get Half Acre, Off Color and Revolution in the burbs or drive the 20 mins to buy a case of Dust at FFF.
Someone def needs to extra you some Off Color though.

 

[pjl44]

Ask someone on the West Coast what they're paying for Off Color...

East Coast, too. And same with the Local Option stuff that hits. I have no idea how they sell anything out of market.

 

[bugdoc]

Someone def needs to extra you some Off Color though.

We get the stuff distro'd out here in the Bay Area - Stu just doesn't set foot in bottle shops.

 

[SSTroller]

We get the stuff distro'd out here in the Bay Area - Stu just doesn't set foot in bottle shops.

Is it outrageously expensive everywhere out there though? I saw a pic some one took where a single of Scurry or Troublesome was $7.99 or something. It's $8-10 per sixer here.

 

[stupac2]

We get the stuff distro'd out here in the Bay Area - Stu just doesn't set foot in bottle shops.

Sure I do! When you tell me there are 'loons available.

 

[bugdoc]

Is it outrageously expensive everywhere out there though? I saw a pic some one took where a single of Scurry or Troublesome was $7.99 or something. It's $8-10 per sixer here.

Don't recall the price, but pretty certain it isn't remotely near $8-10/sixer, otherwise I'd have taken a flyer on some bottles by now.

 

[SSTroller]

Don't recall the price, but pretty certain it isn't remotely near $8-10/sixer, otherwise I'd have taken a flyer on some bottles by now.

Yeesh! Yeah, not sure how they'll survive out of market with those prices for a 4% ABV beer. Really a shame since it is delicious beer.

 

[aml42000]

Don't recall the price, but pretty certain it isn't remotely near $8-10/sixer, otherwise I'd have taken a flyer on some bottles by now.

I saw Troublesome for $18 a six pack in Colorado. It was admittedly in a small place that is expensive. I didn't even look at the price here in Washington as we are always a bit more expensive.

 

[1987GN]

I enjoy some of the ninja series, ninja vs unicorn and coffee break. And agree with stxSS07 about BA Last Kiss being the best of the three BA bottles. But like I said above, I'm done buying anymore till they at least come through with their promise to can. Even then who knows since I can easily get Half Acre, Off Color and Revolution in the burbs or drive the 20 mins to buy a case of Dust at FFF.
Someone def needs to extra you some Off Color though.

I enjoy the ninja series and the unicorn v. ninja.

I've tried two of their other beers outside that - Orange truffle abduction and Game of Jones, and wasn't a huge fan. Orange truffle tasted like soy sauce. Game of Jones I didn't finish my glass..

If PW begins to can...hhhnnnnnnggggggg I'd buy that **** in a heartbeat. fawk.

 

[SSTroller]

I enjoy the ninja series and the unicorn v. ninja.

If PW begins to can...hhhnnnnnnggggggg I'd buy that **** in a heartbeat. fawk.

I fear now that they see Surly DIPA cans in the market at $18, they'll price theirs similarly. Still better bargain than the bombers but let's hope it'll be closer to $12.

 

[SSTroller]

I saw Troublesome for $18 a six pack in Colorado. It was admittedly in a small place that is expensive. I didn't even look at the price here in Washington as we are always a bit more expensive.

 

[stxSS07]

I fear now that they see Surly DIPA cans in the market at $18, they'll price theirs similarly. Still better bargain than the bombers but let's hope it'll be closer to $12.

Would never buy for that price. Abrasive: world class DIPA. Ninja series: decidedly not.

 

[SSTroller]

Would never buy for that price. Abrasive: world class DIPA. Ninja series: decidedly not.

Especially since they self distro.

PW new delivery van

 

[beerinnv]

Ask someone on the West Coast what they're paying for Off Color...

3.99/12 oz bottle

 

[jtmartino1]

Pizza Port does it right.

Start small and lean how to brew with your equipment. Experiment with styles and figure out what people like. Draft beer only, cuz dem margins.

When you make enough money, open another location. Sell decent food which is hugely profitable and keep making great beer (draft only for your locals.). Experiment with styles and keep the business going.

Rinse and repeat.

Finally, when you have a nice, sustainable business with a good cash flow, build a production facility. Don't **** with contract brewing or Kickstarter because that **** is stupid. Oh, and 16 oz cans only because they are a cheaper option and better for the beer. And 12 oz is for babies. ****ing bottles, man.

Price your excellent beer better than your competitors and win.

I love Pizza Port.

 

[drgarage1]

Pizza Port does it right.

Start small and lean how to brew with your equipment. Experiment with styles and figure out what people like. Draft beer only, cuz dem margins.

When you make enough money, open another location. Sell decent food which is hugely profitable and keep making great beer (draft only for your locals.). Experiment with styles and keep the business going.

Rinse and repeat.

Finally, when you have a nice, sustainable business with a good cash flow, build a production facility. Don't **** with contract brewing or Kickstarter because that **** is stupid. Oh, and 16 oz cans only because they are a cheaper option and better for the beer. And 12 oz is for babies. ****ing bottles, man.

Price your excellent beer better than your competitors and win.

I love Pizza Port.

Hilariously, the antithesis of this is owned by all the same people and even shares one word in the brand name...

 

[SSTroller]

Pizza Port does it right.

Start small and lean how to brew with your equipment. Experiment with styles and figure out what people like. Draft beer only, cuz dem margins.

When you make enough money, open another location. Sell decent food which is hugely profitable and keep making great beer (draft only for your locals.). Experiment with styles and keep the business going.

Rinse and repeat.

Finally, when you have a nice, sustainable business with a good cash flow, build a production facility. Don't **** with contract brewing or Kickstarter because that **** is stupid. Oh, and 16 oz cans only because they are a cheaper option and better for the beer. And 12 oz is for babies. ****ing bottles, man.

Price your excellent beer better than your competitors and win.

I love Pizza Port.

I agree I'd like to see this more. Solemn Oath, out in Naperville, IL, started this way. Small taproom, no food, pushing out kegs all over Chicagoland area. After about 2 years, they are now bottling (in bombers unfortunately) but the majority are priced lower, between $7-8.

 

[falc0n26001]

I agree I'd like to see this more. Solemn Oath, out in Naperville, IL, started this way. Small taproom, no food, pushing out kegs all over Chicagoland area. After about 2 years, they are now bottling (in bombers unfortunately) but the majority are priced lower, between $7-8.

I like my $4 Lagunitas bombers, thankyouverymuch! Shelf turds FTW

 

[user 306237]

I agree I'd like to see this more. Solemn Oath, out in Naperville, IL, started this way. Small taproom, no food, pushing out kegs all over Chicagoland area. After about 2 years, they are now bottling (in bombers unfortunately) but the majority are priced lower, between $7-8.

Completely agree. They also need to produce another batch of Ravaged By Vikings.

 

[gtx281]

Does Pipeworks make any actually good beer?

Not really.

 

[bearsonacid1]

Bomber Fatigue is also a very real thing, and here's why: For one, they're expensive and, perhaps more importantly, most of the time you have no idea if the liquid inside will be any good. With more little breweries coming online, they need to both sell what they make (good or not) to recoup what they've spent. Ergo, a flood of mediocre $9.99 bombers. They're their own worst enemy....they're going to make themselves category killers way better than any of the big breweries could.

I don't see bomber fatigue at all in my area. Most breweries have to fall back on that format for many reasons. And it's really the easiest way to get shelf space. When they meet demand in one state then they expand to another, mediocre quality or not.