TOPIC:

Small producers get tax breaks in an effort to level the playing field. And it's working: a keg of macro lager costs €160, a keg of micro pale ale costs €140. A keg of macro stout costs €131, a keg of micro stout costs €135.

Charging a premium for Irish craft beer in most cases is price gouging. It damages its reputation, and the public perceives incorrectly that the brewer is receiving this premium. In some locations it's exploiting "beer nerds" (as one brewer calls them) who will pay literally anything as it's all for "the cause", and/or tourists.

I think if Beoir wanted to do something useful for the craft beer consumers & industry it should campaign for fair pricing, to increase accessibility. As Dempsey said above current pricing makes craft beer look elitist.

"Tube":xchb8a74 wrote: And it's working: a keg of macro lager costs €160, a keg of micro pale ale costs €140. A keg of macro stout costs €131, a keg of micro stout costs €135.[/quote:xchb8a74]

To produce or to buy wholesale?
I'd guess that the micros, without economies of scale and with costlier ingredients (e.g. New Zealand hops), are operating on much narrower margins than the big boys.
In which case, if they're not far cheaper than the small producers, it's the macros doing the price gouging.

"Tube":xchb8a74 wrote: Current pricing makes craft beer look elitist. [/quote:xchb8a74]

Why shouldn't it cost more? It's a better product.
Nobody's complaining that Gourmet Burger Kitchen is more expensive than McDonald's or smoked Gubbeen is more expensive than EasySingles.
Some people will pay more for better quality, others won't. That's not elitism, that's capitalism.

30 years in, with 2000+ breweries, there are finally rumblings in the US craft scene that it's time for a widely distributed, all-malt craft lager that is priced and promoted to compete with Bud, Miller and Coors. And someday, with any luck, there will be 2 or 3 breweries in every county in Ireland.
But we're a loooong way from that now. Until then, I'm glad to pay a higher price for good beer.
If a publican needs to charge more to feel comfortable devoting a tap to a beer most people have never heard of, I understand that. Anyone surprised at the price of a pint in Temple Bar is probably ignorant about more things than craft beer, anyway...

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&amp;quot;KeeganAles&amp;quot;:vwh980uk wrote: To produce or to buy wholesale? [/quote:vwh980uk]
For the publican to buy wholesale.

&amp;quot;KeeganAles&amp;quot;:vwh980uk wrote: If a publican needs to charge more to feel comfortable devoting a tap to a beer most people have never heard of, [/quote:vwh980uk]
As it's actually costing the publican [i:vwh980uk]less[/i:vwh980uk], it's most definitely making him (and his accountant) feel comfortable! <!-- s;) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s;) -->

&amp;quot;KeeganAles&amp;quot;:1id59v1y wrote: Why shouldn't it cost more? It's a better product.
Nobody's complaining that Gourmet Burger Kitchen is more expensive than McDonald's or smoked Gubbeen is more expensive than EasySingles.
Some people will pay more for better quality, others won't. [/quote:1id59v1y]


Very well put. I'm going to be borrowing/stealing that for future arguements.

&amp;quot;KeeganAles&amp;quot;:1z2rwd7i wrote: Why shouldn't it cost more? It's a better product.[/quote:1z2rwd7i]

The fact of the matter is it doesn't cost the publican more. It costs the same or less. The 50% rebate in excise duty probably helps.

In my local a pint of macro lager is €4.40 and a pint of my favourite craft beer is €4.10. That reflects what he pays for them wholesale.

&amp;quot;baconsarnie&amp;quot;:jzmfpqk5 wrote:

&amp;quot;KeeganAles&amp;quot;:jzmfpqk5 wrote: Why shouldn't it cost more? It's a better product.
Nobody's complaining that Gourmet Burger Kitchen is more expensive than McDonald's or smoked Gubbeen is more expensive than EasySingles.
Some people will pay more for better quality, others won't. [/quote:jzmfpqk5]


Very well put. I'm going to be borrowing/stealing that for future arguements.[/quote:jzmfpqk5]

Yis are comparing apples and oranges. Easy singles are not the equivalent of a Guinness in this argument...maybe the offi cans that are dirt cheap are..

Tbh if it makes one feel good to pay more for something more fool to that person.

Are we buying snobbery by paying more? Possibly. It is like the wine industry. Huge amount of snobbery. We will be heading down that road soon and the higher prices at the pumps may be the downfall of the micros in the long run. They don't make the extra money the greedy publicans do. Sssh, if you listen carefully you can hear them laughing at us.

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