Why are Stone beers so expensive?

[TRainH2o]

FYI......here in Georgia, a Ruination six-pack is right at $15 wholesale unless you can work some type of discount from the distributor. I highly doubt a smaller shop would have any buying power.

I agree it is a bit much, so I have been brewing the clone found here on HBT.

 

[ktblunden]

Apparently you seem to know so much so do you know exactly what their bank account looks like and how their accounting works?

I never said I did. I never made a claim on how much profit they made. You did. We'll just have to both agree that neither one of us has any idea whether Stone is breaking even or gouging their customers. If the price is more than you want to pay then don't pay it.

 

[ktblunden]

Has anyone really been far even as decided to use to want to do look more like?

I have read this five times and I think my brain is going to explode. It reminds me of some of the auto corrected texts I've received from my mother-in-law.

 

[BrewKnurd]

I have read this five times and I think my brain is going to explode. It reminds me of some of the auto corrected texts I've received from my mother-in-law.

exactly! Im assuming it came from a phone and was autocorrected.

 

[neosapien]

exactly! Im assuming it came from a phone and was autocorrected.

not a bit of it

google the phrase. the answer to that question is even better. the thread just started to look like a couple of boys peeing in each other's cheerios, so I figured a non sequitur would cheer everybody up.

But about stone's pricing, who knows. St Arnold's does much the same thing. In the end, everything is worth exactly as much as the market is willing to pay.

Do I like Stone beers? Yep. Do I think they are overpriced beers? Yep. Does that stop me from snagging a bomber every once in a while. Nah.

 

[BrewKnurd]

not a bit of it

google the phrase. the answer to that question is even better. the thread just started to look like a couple of boys peeing in each other's cheerios, so I figured a non sequitur would cheer everybody up.

Ahhh, got it.

-10 points for bringing 4chan out into the real world.

 

[neosapien]

Ahhh, got it.

-10 points for bringing 4chan out into the real world.

psh. should be +10 for finding a non-trolling practical use for it.

 

[BakRivrBruen]

I never said I did. I never made a claim on how much profit they made. You did. We'll just have to both agree that neither one of us has any idea whether Stone is breaking even or gouging their customers.

I never made a claim to any profit the make. All I said is they are gouging because to me, I see those prices as gouging. If you don't then good for you as I couldn't care less what you think in the first place. This whole thread was to ask why charge so much. It was a simple question meant for anyone who had some insight. If you wanna get your panties in a bunch over something you think I said or meant then good for you. I'm not gonna argue with you anymore about this "I said, you said" bs. Agree to disagree and move on.

If the price is more than you want to pay then don't pay it.

And that price IS more than I would pay. If you re-read my initial post you will see I didn't buy it, my buddy did. But I'm sure you already knew that

 

[iambeer]

But anyway I am not sure if it's a west coast thing but Stone is a fail for me. If someone could direct me to their best offerings so I could by chance redeem them, then I wouldn't have to cringe each time I see their 'angry beer' demon cartoons on the shelf.

Edit: I've only tried Ruination. It did Ruin my hopes of finding a good beer in the 22 ounces.

 

[duboman]

I never made a claim to any profit the make. All I said is they are gouging because to me, I see those prices as gouging. If you don't then good for you as I couldn't care less what you think in the first place. This whole thread was to ask why charge so much. It was a simple question meant for anyone who had some insight. If you wanna get your panties in a bunch over something you think I said or meant then good for you. I'm not gonna argue with you anymore about this "I said, you said" bs. Agree to disagree and move on.

And that price IS more than I would pay. If you re-read my initial post you will see I didn't buy it, my buddy did. But I'm sure you already knew that

Dude, you went to a public forum and made a claim that you felt you were being gouged on a reputable and well enjoyed product. You opened yourself up to an economic debate so don't get YOUR panties in a knot because you feel like you are being slighted with your OP.

For all you know one of these posters is affiliated with the brewery and knows more than you read into

All of the relevant posts in this thread are spot on in how market prices is developed and all of the costs involved in the brewing and distribution to retail aspect and if you don't want to pay it then don't.

If you feel the need to express yourself in a public forum then always be prepared for debate, argument and the possibility that many people may not agree with you

 

[evrose]

All I said is they are gouging because to me, I see those prices as gouging.

Ugh. It's not gouging. Gouging is a specific term for a specific type of pricing that happens under very specific circumstances.

The word you are looking for is "overpriced". Reworded appropriately, your sentence should read, "All I said is they are overpriced because to me, I see those prices as being too high." (Sorry that the grammar still sucks.)

 

[Troutmaskreplica]

you guys don't want to know what we pay for beer here in ontario (canada).

imagine paying craft beer prices for bud or miller.

 

[bottlebomber]

Now THIS is gouging.

http://www.caviarexpress.com/organic_caviar-9-ounce-tin-in-california

And I think it's ridiculous what has happened to the price of artisanal goat cheese in the last 10 years.

 

[neosapien]

you guys don't want to know what we pay for beer here in ontario (canada).

imagine paying craft beer prices for bud or miller.

that's just....no....

worse than keanu on a bench with a sandwich.

 

[bleme]

But anyway I am not sure if it's a west coast thing but Stone is a fail for me. If someone could direct me to their best offerings so I could by chance redeem them, then I wouldn't have to cringe each time I see their 'angry beer' demon cartoons on the shelf.

Edit: I've only tried Ruination. It did Ruin my hopes of finding a good beer in the 22 ounces.

My favorite so far is their RIS, although the one I tried was a 2007 that was aged 5 years. A friend tried it fresh from a bottle and said that it had definite solvent qualities. I've had their IPA, Ruination, AB, and Self-Righteous. I can appreciate them for being very well crafted, but I'm not really a hop-head. I wasn't thrilled with VE 11.11.11 but I'm glad I got to try it. The only other offerings on my list to try is their Smoked Porter and Old Guardian.

 

[bleme]

Now THIS is gouging.

http://www.caviarexpress.com/organic_caviar-9-ounce-tin-in-california

Seriously??!?! Maybe if it was just a single serving, but that serves 6!

 

[FarmerTed]

But anyway I am not sure if it's a west coast thing but Stone is a fail for me. If someone could direct me to their best offerings so I could by chance redeem them, then I wouldn't have to cringe each time I see their 'angry beer' demon cartoons on the shelf.

Edit: I've only tried Ruination. It did Ruin my hopes of finding a good beer in the 22 ounces.

I hate cartoonish crap, too, and the labels aren't to my taste. I'm not a big Arrogant Bastard fan, and have never tried Ruination, in large part because I have no desire to drink anything that leads to Ruin of any sort, lol. That said, the smoked porter series is surprsingly not over the top, and it's well priced. The vanilla bean version is awesome, and I don't give a flip if at $4 a 12 ozer that translates to a $24 6er. It also translates to a sub-$8 bomber, which fits my budget.

The IRS is probably better than most of the bourbon-barrel monstrosities out there that may cost twice as much or more. It's a great value at $8 a bomber, imo. I really haven't had a lot of their other beers. Colorado is a competitive beer state, so I've got a ton of options other than my beers. I rarely buy 6ers, and at all my local stores, Stone bombers are on the cheaper end of the scale.

 

[ifearnothing0]

I'm not the biggest fan of Stone , but I jus went to a beer store down here in Tx last night , and actually saw a 17 dollar 12 oz bottle of beer !!!!! Not a bomber or a 24 oz ... 12 f-ing ozs of beer and guess what ? It wasn't a Stone ... Can't remember the name of it though ... Ended up going with DFH Pumpkin stuff ---- Wayyyyyyyyy wayyyy wayyy over rated beer , never getting that again .... I also grabbed a bomber of the 16th anniversary IPA from Stone --- and it was f-ing awesome y'all !!! Woooo ... Has all these crazy lemon oils and such in it , bad ass freakin beer if you like ipa's ... And it was only 7.09

 

[ifearnothing0]

Stone is expensive for sure , but there are much more pricey and more terrible beers out there than Stone for sure

 

[PapsD]

I've tried arrogant bastard and enjoy by 9.21.12

AB was pretty good and the price for the pint was fair.

9.21.12 was way overpriced @ 16$ for a bomber. I also couldn't finish it. I personally didn't care for it. It tasted like it wasn't ready yet with 11 types of hops fighting it out in some sort of battle royale.

But the grocery store near my house has 3$ fat tire and ranger ipa bombers.

Craft beer isn't cheap. But the price is usually fair for what you get.

Some breweries are over hyped. I personally think 3 Floyd's is over hyped. And their beers are also consistently more expensive when.compared to other beers. Some of their beers are pretty good. But some are kind of so so.

 

[FastAndy]

a bomber of Arogant Bastard is $4.99 here. Stone IPA is $4.39

 

[ktblunden]

My wife went up to Fresno for the weekend and brought me back a bunch of bombers of 16th Anniversary, since the local stores to me don't seem to have it. Looking forward to giving that a try tonight. I tried to track down 9-21-12, but they sold out everywhere too quickly.

 

[ifearnothing0]

What type is 9/21/12 ?

 

[PapsD]

I believe it's a DIPA. But it's really really fresh.

 

[justflow1983]

Is there really no value to quality when it comes to beer? Honestly, the price of something is more than just the sum of the cost of its ingredients. I pay more for certain expensive beers because I know I am going to reliably get a beer better than I would at a lower price point. I don't often buy Stone, but their IPA happens to be one of my favorites and it's always reliably good. So I pay extra to drink a good beer that they developed and that they crafted, both of which are tasks that they deserve to be compensated for. They own the recipe and the production process for it and that's part of the price too if they decide to include it.

If all beer should be cheap to you, then drink cheap beer. I have a $2.99/six pack beer I drink when I feel like skimping and its not bad. I also drink expensive beers, and I sometimes drink expensive wines. Expensive wines aren't made from more expensive grapes, you're paying for location and for the skill of the vintner in producing good wine. If you get good cheap wine, they you got lucky on the valuation of the product. Same goes for beer, you should just be happy that some good brewers are willing to part with their beer for less money.

 

[bottlebomber]

^^ this. I mean after all, Duvel is just some cheap pilsner malt and sugar. Probably almost as cheap as Bud to make.

 

[ktblunden]

Tried the 16th last night and wasn't too impressed. All I can think is how much tastier and better balanced Ruination 10th was with them both being about 10%. Too boozy and an unpleasantly harsh bitterness. Oh well, win some, lose some.

 

[jonmohno]

Tried the 16th last night and wasn't too impressed. All I can think is how much tastier and better balanced Ruination 10th was with them both being about 10%. Too boozy and an unpleasantly harsh bitterness. Oh well, win some, lose some.

Yeah. but at least its very modestly priced. Sometimes it seems price goes with abv also,but I think its a good deal for an anniversary beer and its abv( that I happend to not think was as great myself) Ive paid worse for much worse beer. And I think they could have put that over 10 bucks easily if they wanted,I got it for like 7 bucks wtf?? Its also limited.I thought it a good beer and different but I wasnt too gung-ho about it. The weird lemon thing may be somebody else's thing. Stone has some very good beers I personally like and some i dont but that just gives me a little more respect for them otherwise.

 

[ktblunden]

Yeah. but at least its very modestly priced. Sometimes it seems price goes with abv also,but I think its a good deal for an anniversary beer and its abv( that I happend to not think was as great myself) Ive paid worse for much worse beer. And I think they could have put that over 10 bucks easily if they wanted,I got it for like 7 bucks wtf?? Its also limited.I thought it a good beer and different but I wasnt too gung-ho about it. The weird lemon thing may be somebody else's thing. Stone has some very good beers I personally like and some i dont but that just gives me a little more respect for them otherwise.

Yeah the pricing on this one (as well as the Ruination 10th when they were out) was quite reasonable. I just had higher hopes for it. The 15th was a lot better.