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[quote:kd7gtt0z]We Irish people are rubbish at business and rubbish at capitalism.[/quote:kd7gtt0z]

Totally disagree with this. When you have an economy that is made up of 95% SME's then that would suggest that we are in fact pretty good at business.In the world of capitalism just look at the likes of Kerry Foods or Ryanair to see how we are doing.

[quote:kd7gtt0z]Surely microbreweries should be availing of tax breaks?[/quote:kd7gtt0z]

Don't think this would go down particularly well in the current economic climate. When we are cutting spending to suddenly offer a tax incentive to brewers would be political suicide.

"halite":34xaqmcu wrote: [quote:34xaqmcu]We Irish people are rubbish at business and rubbish at capitalism.[/quote:34xaqmcu]

Totally disagree with this. When you have an economy that is made up of 95% SME's then that would suggest that we are in fact pretty good at business.In the world of capitalism just look at the likes of Kerry Foods or Ryanair to see how we are doing.

[quote:34xaqmcu]Surely microbreweries should be availing of tax breaks?[/quote:34xaqmcu]

Don't think this would go down particularly well in the current economic climate. When we are cutting spending to suddenly offer a tax incentive to brewers would be political suicide.[/quote:34xaqmcu]

When I say we're rubbish at business I'm talking about how we never price stuff to sell and pay no attention to what people wanna buy - case in point is pubs. I was privvy to a conversation between two lads who worked at/ran hotels in the west of Ireland. One guy was saying how their business is dead, they're doing nothing. The other fella said they were doing grand because they lower their prices!

The tax incentive would be promoting small indigenous business not massive international shareholders. It would go well with the "buy Irish" rhetoric if people could buy genuine Irish stout instead of Guinness and it'd be even better if it was cheaper.

[quote:ds0h9ed8][quote:ds0h9ed8]Surely microbreweries should be availing of tax breaks?[/quote:ds0h9ed8]

Don't think this would go down particularly well in the current economic climate. When we are cutting spending to suddenly offer a tax incentive to brewers would be political suicide.[/quote:ds0h9ed8]

There is a 50% rebate on excise.Other than that,I'm not sure why miros deserve anymore tax breaks than any other industry than is dominated by a few major players. In the (pie in the sky) knowledge economy it makes much more sense to invest in start up biotech like Opsona or cellix.
Grants and start-up funding is available as it is to any other start up if you can convince the cheque writers what you are doing has the potential to succeed and even more likely if you can establish export sales.

I think the fact of the matter is;
We here on this site are obviously in favour of irish craft beer. So we have a vested interest. There are specialist pubs to suit our need - but we are the minority.
While Irish craft beer may be of better/equal quality to the stuff we often refer to as bubbly p*ss, the big guys have marketed bigger and gotten in first. So the majority of people are happy drinking bubbly yellow stuff, and dont know any different.

I personally think the only way they would change or even try other beers would be if it were considerably cheaper. In this case we're back to the fact that its not in the pubs in the first place.
And the only way it will make it into the pubs is if 1. there is demand AND 2. Something in it for the publican.

"JamesM":1as6rk5a wrote: I personally think the only way they would change or even try other beers would be if it were considerably cheaper. In this case we're back to the fact that its not in the pubs in the first place.[/quote:1as6rk5a]

The thing is, it often is cheaper than the alternatives - think €4 for the Messrs homebrews, €3.85 Buckley's and most other draught pints between €4 and €4.50 in the Bull & Castle, €4-something for druaghts in the Porterhouses. That's one of the points I make when I'm trying to get friends to any of the above.

That said, the point could equally be made that they're cheaper in specialist pubs (as above) than macro brews are in 'regular' pubs, which brings us back to the beginning. Hooker, for example, costs more in Anseo than it does in the Porterhouse or B&C. Unfortunately, I have no comparisons to make in Letterkenny...

[quote:2spbzdno]That said, the point could equally be made that they're cheaper in specialist pubs (as above) than macro brews are in 'regular' pubs[/quote:2spbzdno]

Yes, sorry that is the point i was making.
I'm talking about your regular in, e.g. a suburban local, which only stocks your heinekens and budweisers and guinness.
For these guys to try it, it would have to be 1. obviously available in their local, and 2. Much cheaper than the stuff they are already used to.
Making it cheaper, in my opinion is the only incentive (for these kind of drinkers), because they are happy with their heineken, budweiser and guinness.