Has the economy scare affected your beer purchases?
By William Brand
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 at 7:50 am in Beer Business, Craft Beer, Imports.
Here’s a brain teaser for today. OK, the markets are recovering, oil prices are falling. I don’t know about you, but I got really scared about the economy last week as I watched my 401k retirement fund turn into vaporware.
My question is are you going to cut back on your beer purchases as the Christmas season – with all the great beers out there – approaches? And what about regular beer purchases? Are you gonna’ cut back to bargain beer?
The Brewers’ Association reports that craft beer sales are slowing. But at the same time, all beer sales are nearly flat and import beer sales have dropped for the first time in 17 years.
It’s not surprising. Prices have had to rise. Costs are up for brewers, hops are up, barley’s up, even glass and the coset of transport are up. Sam Adams is selling its excellent new Imperial Pilsner, $10 for four bottles. That’s the standard price for the few Dogfish Head beers that have reached the BayArea?
Comments welcome.
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October 14th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I always have a Sierra Nevada variety stocked in my fridge and do not foresee things getting so bad that I need to switch to anything less. If anything I probably would reduce consumption before heading to the bargain shelves.
October 14th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Yes, I am scared. So I’m hoarding Russian River IPA in case the economy totally fails. I cannot be forced to go lower than a Drakes, I would die.
October 14th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I agree with Chris, if needed I could cut back my consumption, but my taste buds have long been corrupted by the Lagunitas and Bear Republics of the world. I can’t go back to Bud/Coors…or even worse, back to the Steel Reserve of my highschool days.It gives me a headache just thinking about them
October 14th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Stock up on Pliny. Great idea and maybe a few big bottles of Race 5 for good measure. You know, that’s a great idea. Both should be find if refrigerated and if, in six months, the wrold looks etter, then drink ‘em. Yeah.
October 14th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Sure, you might save some money but at what cost to your beer drinking soul?
Looks like my daughter’s wearing the empty burlap rice sack, daddy’s gotta Anchor Christmas to buy.
October 14th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
“Looks like my daughter’s wearing the empty burlap rice sack, daddy’s gotta Anchor Christmas to buy.”
That’s going up on my refrigerator. For my daughter to read.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Agreed, I went back to Yuengling for a few weeks and now that I found a decent beer store I’m not going back.
Although I did loose some weight. But drinking less good beer would have the same effect.
October 14th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Okay I am not the norm here, I am a serious beer geek. So my answer is no. It’s the one thing besides my homebrewing I probably won’t cut back on, but I ain’t the Mean or the Average.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I will continue to spend lots of money on great beer.
October 15th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
i always watch how i spend my beer money…thats why i love “norm’s”..on hartz ave in danville…all draught beers are a 1.50$ on sundays…during the 49ers and raider games…they have the nfl package so all the games are on..they have 5-7 taps…guinnes..serria..trumer…racer five..a wheat..and a domestic..it’s the best deal contra costa
October 15th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Wow, $1.50 for a pint of Racer 5. Not too shabby.
October 15th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
My kegerator yields big savings. Each half barrel works out to a little over a buck a pint (when you’re drinking something good). So economical and a hit at every party I have.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
haven’t cut back either and I agree with Chris my kegerator keeps my cost down…always have Drakes IPA in it
October 16th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Hey tom, fill me in on a kegerator? How long does it keep beer fresh? Does it take growlers or do you have to buy a partial keg? How much does a kegerator cost?>
October 20th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Hi, Bill.
My kegerator was bought new for about $550. It accepts all sizes of kegs, but I always keep a half-barrel in it. Most decent kegs in SF run about $125-145 a piece. I deal with a few different liquor stores and each can get you some quality choices if you put an order in a few days in advance. The longest I had a keg was 2 months and it was still as good as the first day I tapped it.
October 20th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Thanks Chris. How does the beer heep for 2 months? Is there CO2 inside that keeps oxygen out?
October 21st, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Yep, CO2 does the trick.