tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post8699785568685577871..comments2024-02-22T08:58:23.617-05:00Comments on The Session Beer Project™: Bitter American is back (and so is this blog!)Lew Brysonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-67171221354096902342012-02-23T10:31:35.357-05:002012-02-23T10:31:35.357-05:00A buck less for a sixpack doesn't sound bad to...A buck less for a sixpack doesn't sound bad to me, actually. $11 for a sixer is starting to get a bit salty, agreed, but that does seem to be the way things are headed. Can't find much for under $8 anymore.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-68994784740231063602012-02-23T10:27:44.948-05:002012-02-23T10:27:44.948-05:00OK, I rarely get out for a beer, so I am talking i...OK, I rarely get out for a beer, so I am talking in the aspect of the whole six pack for a buck less. I have never worried too much about the cost in a pub, since I don't get out much. If I am out, I much prefer smaller beers for the driving factor.<br /><br />I can understand the malt cost difference, and as a homebrewer tend to get better malts for my small beer to help the character as well.<br /><br />I bought some Levatation yesterday since I have been thinking about it. And to be completely honest, I have a hard time spending $10.99 on any six pack (especially something that is not local).Matt Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08970122953115901469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-38373143588652895262012-02-23T10:18:29.468-05:002012-02-23T10:18:29.468-05:00When you say a dollar difference, I assume that...When you say a dollar difference, I assume that's on a glass at a pub, not on cans. That would be a $24 difference in a case, and I don't see that! <br /><br />I talked to two Pennsylvania commercial craft brewers yesterday about this, and the answers were so interesting that, sorry, I've decided to write about it and sell it, rather than giving it away here. Short version: malt costs vary a lot, based on what malts you're using, and small beers tend to get more malt love because of the extra flavor they impart. The nickel a pint difference isn't my opinion: it's the opinion of just about every commercial brewer I've talked to (some wanted to go as much as a dime), and bars won't bother making a difference on a nickel a glass. Hops and malt are about 20% of the cost of a beer when it leaves the brewery (before wholesale and retail markup), so even changing that a lot doesn't change the price a lot.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-69607287714906043492012-02-21T23:55:59.837-05:002012-02-21T23:55:59.837-05:00And, for what it's worth, I buy Levitation oft...And, for what it's worth, I buy Levitation often...because I love the beer. But, the cost just comes to mind for me, that's all.Matt Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17539874611356506965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-50044208275952774942012-02-21T23:46:54.706-05:002012-02-21T23:46:54.706-05:00OK Lew, you make some good points, but a nickle se...OK Lew, you make some good points, but a nickle seems a bit off to me. When you figure in the cost per grain and hops (I'll give you the yeast aspect), Levitation probably uses 2/3 the amount of product as does the IPA. As a business owner myself, that is significant at any cost. If I knew what they were paying, I could probably lay it out. With that said, I am not expecting the beer to cost 2/3 as much...but Surly's example of Bitter at a dollar less than Furious seems much more reasonable. <br />Distribution can also play a roll in this, which I also understand.Matt Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17539874611356506965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-43103261397691817282012-02-20T15:47:31.062-05:002012-02-20T15:47:31.062-05:00Cost? Your issue may be obvious, but the real cost...Cost? Your issue may be obvious, but the real costs aren't. Yeast is almost free on the scale Stone is brewing. The difference in malt and hops is minimal when you take it as the cost of a barrel brewed: labor, energy, debt service, transportation, packaging are all exactly the same for IPA and Levitation. Best estimates for the difference in cost of materials between a pint of session beer and a pint of 7% IPA? About a nickel. If Surly is selling Bitter Brewer for a buck less...they're not charging the same mark-up, which is, of course, their option. But if you're expecting a big cost difference with similar but bigger beers (i.e., not sours, which are a whole different thing), it's not really there. There's probably more of a difference with lagers, and no one really expects to pay more for them.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-9600672749452381652012-02-20T15:37:54.678-05:002012-02-20T15:37:54.678-05:00Kristen, I know a friend in Atlanta who is also ge...Kristen, I know a friend in Atlanta who is also getting 21A cans from Cold Spring, for what it's worth.<br /><br />As far as the cost aspect. Levitation is a great beer, but I have a hard time paying $10.50 for a six pack of it. Alchohol level means nothing to me, I actually prefer session beers (currently drinking a 3.5% American Bitter Homebrew, which is awesome). My issue is the obvious one: less grain, less hops, less yeast and even less water is needed to brew these beers so why am I paying the same as I would for Stone IPA?<br /><br />Surly sells Bitter Brewer for $1 less than Furious, seems much more reasonable to me. Now, if they woud just make it year round :)Matt Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08970122953115901469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-26716263179126601002012-02-02T22:06:15.627-05:002012-02-02T22:06:15.627-05:00I personally love this beer, I had it for the firs...I personally love this beer, I had it for the first time over the summer and have been hooked since. <br /><br />I found this site on Facebook, and thought I'd check it out. Thank you for being the voice for session ales out there! All too much any more, people are getting into craft beer for the wrong reasons, and it's blogs like this about beers like this that remind me why I went for local, well made beers when I turned 21 and not the mass produced garbage. <br /><br />I look forward to checking back often, and reading more on great session beers.<br /><br />Cheers!Philly Beer Nerdshttp://www.phillybeernerds.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-86491868925996869252012-01-22T22:16:15.547-05:002012-01-22T22:16:15.547-05:00Don't get the perfumey thing in the cans we...Don't get the perfumey thing in the cans we're getting, but yeah, different beer at the brewpub. <br /><br />And Anony...it probably does. Yeah, I think we can pretty much take that as given.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-24283230027293379782012-01-22T21:07:18.348-05:002012-01-22T21:07:18.348-05:00A very unbalanced beer. It probably has it fan tho...A very unbalanced beer. It probably has it fan though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951352146709932219.post-67940157021560513462012-01-20T10:25:08.484-05:002012-01-20T10:25:08.484-05:00Lew,
21st Ammendment beers are now made up here i...Lew,<br /><br />21st Ammendment beers are now made up here in MN at Cold Spring (for us anyway). I had the bitter american at the brewery and it was quite lovely. The one I had last night, made in MN, was definitely quite different. It lacked pretty much all the malt character and was massively perfum-y. How is the canned stuff out there?Kristen Englandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05212694853976179911noreply@blogger.com