Cheapest Beer You Remenber?

[Triple Freak]

What's the cheapest beer you remember? When I was 20 or so, I used to work in a liquor store. We carried some stuff called
"Red, White, & Blue" beer. It came in a flag covered can.
It cost $2.69 for a CASE of 24 cans. This was at a time when Budweiser went for $3.99 a six pack.

[animal]

Red, White, and Barf- Haven't seen that in 10 years. Do they even make it anymore? Somebody once told me about a beer called Dubuque Star- never had it, but they said it was selling for $2 a case. I don't remember the prices, but here's a few cheap beers I remember;

Weidemann's
Black Label
Cost Cutter
Buckhorn- "In the tradition of the famous Buckhorn Bar"(Which I'd never heard of) Me and a couple of friends got some of that for a party once back in December 1985. What we didn't drink I put in my car's transmission- not really, but it was THAT BAD!
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[wild]

Originally posted by animal
Weidemann's
Black Label
Cost Cutter
Buckhorn
Those were some nasties that I remember. In the '80's a friend of mine used to drink one called Meister Brau that boasted of being "As good as Budweiser but at half the price."

Wild

[Grog]

Originally posted by wild
Those were some nasties that I remember. In the '80's a friend of mine used to drink one called Meister Brau that boasted of being "As good as Budweiser but at half the price."

Wild

Hey, you stole mine! If I remember right it was like 99¢ per 1/2 rack when I was in HS.

[gallowd7]

I can still get a 12 of Natty Boh for $5.25 including tax. Been that way for 10 years!
Nothing to be proud of, but we all have our guilty pleasures.

[sharkstewbrewer]

back in the 60s in upstate NY there was Old Bohemian, Knickerbocker, and Rheingold all 3 qts or a 6 pak of pounders for 99 cents

of course in the 80s there was that generic Beer that was pretty cheap

Schmidts Tiger Head Ale
Utica Club was pretty cheap at time too

[animal]

Originally posted by wild
Those were some nasties that I remember. In the '80's a friend of mine used to drink one called Meister Brau that boasted of being "As good as Budweiser but at half the price."

Wild Meister Brau- forgot about that one! And there was also this Wisconsin beer called "Braumeister". MeisterBrau, Braumaeister- Kinda sounds like the name of that evil Mayor in that old "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" Christmas special the one that wanted to throw Santa in jail.
And of course there's also Goebel, which I refuse to buy again if I can help it, Olympia, Hamm's, Blatz, Schitz(Schlitz), Falstaff, and the old familiar Milwaukee's Worst.
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[kinjar]

A mere 10 years ago, I was able to pick up a 30 pack of Golden Anniversary Ice for $4.99, but it also came with a two-dollar instant rebate - so it cost less than 3 bucks.

Of course, really cheap beer doesn't need to be always horrible. Old Dominion in Virginia drastically cuts the price of its seasonal cases at the brewpub when they get ready to role-out the next seasonal.

I believe I scored a case of their summer ale for less than 5 bucks a few years ago.

[MeridianFC]

Do ¢25 pitchers of macro served at the Rendevouz Inn in College Park, MD count?

[surfadelic23]

I remember paying $16 for 1/2 kegs of Piels

[chazwicke]

I've had nearly all of the above listed beers one time or another. Red, White and Blue was Pabst's low end product.

In the 1970s we used to get sixpacks of Brown Derby, Blatz and others for 99 cents. Rolling Rock used to sell 12 packs of their pony bottles cheap too. Some sixpacks had the price printed right on the cans. Virginia was one of the only states that had 14 ounce cans so we would occasionally buy Falstaff or Old Milwaukee in the 14 ounce cans because it was like getting an extra beer free. These usually cost around $1.50. Schaeffer was also another fairly cheap beer.

When I collected cans, we used to look for roadside dumps or places where folks would throw away their cans. In the poor areas we inevitably found Black Label, Gunther and National. All were produced in Baltimore.

I still remember the early 60s commercial jingles from the TV for Black Label and National.

[HogieWan]

I just payed $0.25 per bottle of "past date" SNPA a couple weeks ago - I picked up a 12 pk for $3!!! It tasted GREAT too!!

[MeridianFC]

In all of this price oriented discussion it's important to account for inflation. A dollar doesn't buy what it used to.

[GooseIslandFan]

Not regularly a cheap beer, but I picked up a case of Pilsner Urquell bombers for $1 in college. Needless to say, they were less than fresh.

[Wilson]

About 12 years ago I used t get 6 packs of Schaefer light for 2.99. You could also pick up Pearl Light for roughly $5 a 12 pack.

[xtalman]

Back in college we use to drink Globel (I think that is the right spelling) for $1.25 a six. IIRC we could also get a case of Gennie Pounders for about $10.00 plus deposti.

[Seymour]

In college in the mid-80s, I could raid my penny jar and take four rolls to the Quick Stop. Schaeffer went for $1.99 a six-pack. We had Mystery Beer night at local bar back then, too. You paid a buck for a string that was attached to a beer. It might be Rolling Rock, it might be Heineken, it might be Guinness, or it might be Beast Light. You paid your money and took your chances. Back then we really thought we were getting a steal if the string we bought was attached to Miller Genuine Draught:rolleyes: .

[steveh]

Originally posted by animal
Somebody once told me about a beer called Dubuque Star- never had it, but they said it was selling for $2 a case.

I don't remember DS ever being that inexpensive, but it garnered a bad reputation from ownership that let the quality slip. In the late 80s, early 90s new owners were making a terrific version of the flagship brew, but it just couldn't survive the bad rep it built.

Anyone remember the Rhomberg beers? Also made by Dubuque Star, great regional, all malt brews at a time when the only good stuff was out west.

S.

[hops99]

In college, circa '90 - '91, I remember 24 pack cans of J. Ruppert's would go for about $5. Also, those 30 packs of Golden Anniversary were pretty cheap too. Plus, Wiedemann's was cheap, vile stuff as well.

From about '96 - '00, every summer in Northern Wisconsin I'd get a returnable case of Rhinelander (24 bottles) for about $9 for giggles.

[Dextolen]

Goebel. I think it was $3 a 6 pack in the early 90's. That's about all I could afford then and the BMC veil had not yet been lifted from mine eyes.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Seymour
We had Mystery Beer night at local bar back then, too.

that sounds like a fun thing to do with a bunch of micros. Have a bunch in an ice chest with strings attached for a bbq or something

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by steveh
I don't remember DS ever being that inexpensive, but it garnered a bad reputation from ownership that let the quality slip. In the late 80s, early 90s new owners were making a terrific version of the flagship brew, but it just couldn't survive the bad rep it built.

Anyone remember the Rhomberg beers? Also made by Dubuque Star, great regional, all malt brews at a time when the only good stuff was out west.

S.

I think it was Picketts that DS made and had the bad rep. I remember the Rhomberg and what was that Lager from Chicago that disappeared too - Baderbrau?

DS / Pickett was the brewery featured in "Take This Job and Shove It" Movie I'm told.

[corkybstewart]

When I was in high school we'ld drive to Slidell LA and buy Jax for $.59/6 pack or $1.50/case. If we were feeling particularly rich we'ld get Falstaff at $.79. Ah, those were the days.

[zoom6zoom]

When I was in college (late 70's to early 80's) we used to pick up Grain Belt for $4/ case.

The real cheapie though, was Lucky Lager, sold at Kroger for the seat-cushion price of 88 cents/six pack. Bleccccch!

[xtalman]

Originally posted by Dextolen
Goebel. I think it was $3 a 6 pack in the early 90's. That's about all I could afford then and the BMC veil had not yet been lifted from mine eyes.

Thats the beer I was thinking of. Price doubled since the early eighties.:D

Not beer, but wine. A friend of mine's dad and a neighbor had a little contest between each other to see who could by the most wine for the least amount of money. If I recall correctly the winner found some thng in a gallon jug for 99 cents. I think calling is wine was using the very broadest definition of wine one could think of.

[unkle bik]

Schaeffer (the absolute worst beer EVER) for $1.49/six.

Kegs of Schmidt's (from an employee of the Cleveland brewery) at $11. Many a softball game was ended with these.

[ralew2]

Back in the early 90's, my roommate and I used to drink Artic Bay. It was $5 for a 24. Good cheap college beer.

[jjpm74]

In a can:

Beer (the actual name). It was $3.99 for a 12 pack.

Draught it'd have to be the penny 'till you pee nights back in college.:D

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
I think it was Picketts that DS made and had the bad rep. I remember the Rhomberg and what was that Lager from Chicago that disappeared too - Baderbrau?

Baderbrau came out sometime in the late 80s, great stuff - I believe Goose Island is brewing the Pils under the same name, but they may have discontinued it. The orig. owner, Pavichevich (sp?), is an alum of my university, dunno what became of him.

Legacy was another brand from Chi that was outstanding that never took off. Steve Dinehart was a great spokesman, sounded better on the radio than Jim Koch ever will,

DS / Pickett was the brewery featured in "Take This Job and Shove It" Movie I'm told.

Take This Job, F*I*S*T, and some Akyroyd flick...it's really great complex architecturally.

S.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by steveh


Take This Job, F*I*S*T, and some Akyroyd flick...it's really great complex architecturally.

S.

As are many old breweries. Sadly many have long been torn down. I collect Lithos and man were there ever some beautiful structures. I think Penn Brewery is in the old Eberhardt and Ober Brewery.

[Vienna Lager]

In the 70's. Bub's, Old Timers, Chippewa Pride, 1,000 Dollar Beer and Blatz for $.99 a six pack during 'dormitory special night'. Olympia was high priced stuff @ $1.13 a six pack.

[chief703]

In college in the 1980's, long before I realized beer was more than a vehicle to get one drunk, I remember drinking Old Milwakue 16 ouncers ("pounders") for around 8 bucks a case.

Even cheaper was a beer called Red, White, and Blue, selling for 5 bucks a case.

Then there was Shaffer Light (shudder), at about 6.50/case.

Awful stuff.

[chazwicke]

Welcome to the board Chief.

[Halgarmeister]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Red, White and Blue was Pabst's low end product.


Now they just call it Blue Ribbon... :p



20 years ago I was buying Lucky Lager for $5 a case. It was Gawd aweful, but to the unemployed beach bum, it was just the ticket to wile away an afternoon at the lake! Now that I'm much older and wiser, it's either pub brew or home brew which cost about the same a $45 per 5 gallon keg.

[ontap78]

When I was in high School you could buy a case of returnable Fox Deluxe, Western or Buckhorn for $2 a case plus deposit.

[animal]

Originally posted by chief703
In college in the 1980's, long before I realized beer was more than a vehicle to get one drunk, I remember drinking Old Milwakue 16 ouncers ("pounders") for around 8 bucks a case.

Even cheaper was a beer called Red, White, and Blue, selling for 5 bucks a case.

Then there was Shaffer Light (shudder), at about 6.50/case.

Awful stuff. I went through quite a few kegs of Schaeffer back in college.
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[animal]

Originally posted by Vienna Lager
In the 70's. Bub's, Old Timers, Chippewa Pride, 1,000 Dollar Beer and Blatz for $.99 a six pack during 'dormitory special night'. Olympia was high priced stuff @ $1.13 a six pack. Bub's? You wouldn't mean Bud, would you?
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[MikShau]

Last time up in Chi'town, the local megamart was selling Old Style 30 packs for $8.29, or about 3 cents an once.

Does that qualify as cheap?

[Vienna Lager]

Bub's and Old Timer's were brewed under contract by Walters Brewing Company in Eau Claire, WI. at one time.

[revans618]

Do none of my fellow Ohioans remember POC(Pride of Cleveland)? That stuff was cheap and bad. Also Hudepohl(?) was cheap. Little Kings was a good cheap buzz in high school at about 1.59 an 8-pack of 8oz bottles.

I actually found a decent beer for 11.25 a case over in PA called Stegmaier 1857. Not the greatest in the world but it does go down pretty good on a hot summer day spent fishing.

[unkle bik]

Originally posted by revans618
Do none of my fellow Ohioans remember POC(Pride of Cleveland)? That stuff was cheap and bad.
I do.
I remember my father drinking the swilliest bunch. POC (Piss On Cleveland), Duke (it even sounds like a "man's beer"), and Stroh's.
Egad!

I also remember him paying .~49/qt for that garbage.

[chazwicke]

My dad liked his cocktails and wine. He rarely drank beer.

[Snoochies]

I remember in the late nineties when a 24 pack of Old Milwaukee was only like 4.99.

[BrewDog]

I remember in High School (late 70's - early 80's) we used to get generic "BEER" for $1.99 a case.

Another particularly bad memory was doing shots of 100 proof Peppermint Schnapps and chasing it with Boone's Farm Apple Wine (this was a winter warmer type thing).

Back then, the drinking age was 18 and some of us looked old enough to buy even as freshmen. Made for some interesting purchases when the buyer had no clue of what was good and what wasn't.

Ah, to be young and stupid again.

[revans618]

Originally posted by BrewDog
I remember in High School (late 70's - early 80's) we used to get generic "BEER" for $1.99.

Ah, to be young and stupid again.


Sounds as if you're my age, and yes, to be young and stupid again would be a blast.

We could go to West (by God) Virginia and buy everything at 18.
Their laws let you buy 151rum at 18! Those were the days.
Shots of 151 chased with either Stroh's or Rolling Rock or maybe Iron City. I cringe just remembering it. But we did have fun.

[dennis3951]

Tudor Cream Ale was a house brand sold at A&P stores years ago. When i was working there it sold for 79 cents a 6 pack, worth every penny lol

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by revans618
Sounds as if you're my age, and yes, to be young and stupid again would be a blast.

We could go to West (by God) Virginia and buy everything at 18.
Their laws let you buy 151rum at 18! Those were the days.
Shots of 151 chased with either Stroh's or Rolling Rock or maybe Iron City. I cringe just remembering it. But we did have fun.

I'm 48 and if I recall correctly, the limit on alcohol in WVA for much of the 70s and 80s was 3.2%.

[wortchillergoal]

I was surprised to see no mentioned Rolling Rock at $.99 for a six pack. My employer, not then, in the late 70s early 80s during the generic craze sold beer labeled as such. I don't remember the cost.

[DecoJuicer]

Originally posted by Snoochies
I remember in the late nineties when a 24 pack of Old Milwaukee was only like 4.99.

When I was in college in the early nineties, we got Old Milwaukee for about $3.99 a case plus deposit. There was also Boone's Farm "wine" that we got 3 bottles for $4.

I split open a door with my head drinkng that stuff one night(my head was fine...go figure). Haven't had it since.

[xtalman]

Originally posted by DecoJuicer
There was also Boone's Farm "wine" that we got 3 bottles for $4.


Just thinking about this stuff makes my stomach do flips. It has been almost 25 years or so since I had this in high school and the memories still is there.:eek:

[Mad Scientist]

In the spirit of the black and white can simply labeled 'beer', I make a pale ale called generic plae ale, the label looks like this:

Ine the other hand, the bar nearest that I went to in college sold Pearl for a buck a can, this was less than ten years ago.....it was nice b/c you could drink at the bar for cheap...

[djaychris]

Back in college I once got a case of "King Cobra". It was under 20 bucks for a case of 40's. Hands down, the worst beer I've ever had in my life. Haven't seen it since.

-Dan

[Mad Scientist]

Still there...saw it the other day...I made the sign of the evil eye at it as I walked by....

[BignJames]

In the early '70s, we'd get Brown Derby pretty cheap. I don't think they're in bidness any more.

http://www.beerlabels.com/labels/labels.pl/3539/brown-derby-lager-beer.html

[Mad Scientist]

At least the label looks cool.

[Arassuil]

Originally posted by animal
Bub's? You wouldn't mean Bud, would you? Bub's (http://www.historyontheweb.org/minnbrew/bub2.jpg) as in Peter Bub's! My grandpa used to drink a Bub's 'Strong' (6.0%) before bed, & I remember being fascinated with the empty bottles which he kept in a wooden bottle crate to take back for deposit. I remember when we were visiting in 1969 and he was bitching because they closed the brewery in Winowa. He had them on later visits in the 70's because Walter's Brewing had bought the brand, and in 1977, a year after he had passed away, Dad and I finished the remaining four Bub's in the fridge and we brought home the four that remained in the celler.

As for cheap beer in high school.... Lucky Draft.... perceived better than Lucky Lager, and still only $2.99 a 12-pak. We had the generic 'BEER' bottles too, but it was usually only marginally cheaper than Lucky Draft. Another brand that got drank alot in the mid to late seventies was Rainier

[MrNate]

What, really? Nobody remembers Maryland's Best?

I have never tasted anything so foul. If I recall correctly, a case cost about the same as a sixer of Bud.

Made a great game of Fizzball, though.

[Le Ray]

Schaefer Light, it was around $1.50 a six pack..lol.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Le Ray
Schaefer Light, it was around $1.50 a six pack..lol.

I can beat that -- back in late 1982 we were buying Rhinelander for $1.50...an EIGHT pack. Seriously, a carrying case of 8 returnable long knecks -- was very much like the soda pop returnables of that same era.

So, I think the deposit on the bottles added another .40¢ to the $1.50. I can remember a friend and me scrounging change in all possible hiding places to get an 8 pack for a Saturday night!

S.

[rhino777]

I'll put a second vote in for Grain Belt. Not sure I could stomach it these days but the ribbed can was kind of cool.

[Mill Rat]

Originally posted by steveh
I can beat that -- back in late 1982 we were buying Rhinelander for $1.50...an EIGHT pack. Seriously, a carrying case of 8 returnable long knecks -- was very much like the soda pop returnables of that same era.

So, I think the deposit on the bottles added another .40¢ to the $1.50. I can remember a friend and me scrounging change in all possible hiding places to get an 8 pack for a Saturday night!

S. I remember nasty old Rhiney at $6 per case in Indiana, and that included the $0.05 per bottle deposit.

[steveh]

Ahh... it wasn't that nasty! Rhinelander Bock was my first flirt with "seasonal" beer -- I remember the thrill of hunting it down when I was first 21.

S.

[Mill Rat]

Originally posted by steveh
Ahh... it wasn't that nasty!
S. Welllll, I do remember taking off my list of beers that could be consumed in the shower because it tasted more than a little to close to soapy. Dumped one convinced I had got soap into it somehow, cracked another and realized that was just the way it tasted !

[steveh]

Originally posted by Mill Rat
Welllll, I do remember taking off my list of beers that could be consumed in the shower because it tasted more than a little to close to soapy.

Hah! Been too long since I actually had a Rhinelander, but Hallertauer can take on a soapy character...remember that the next time you crack a Sam Adams!

S.

[jesskidden]

Originally posted by Mill Rat
Welllll, I do remember taking off my list of beers that could be consumed in the shower because it tasted more than a little to close to soapy.

You weren't using that shampoo that had beer it in at the same time, were you? :D

Forgot the name of that stuff. I don't think they make it anymore but when they did, a guy I knew at Newark's A-B plant told me they sold out-dated kegs to the local pharmacutical company that made the shampoo. (See, turns out all you guys who thought Budweiser was good for nothing are wrong. Probably is also top-notch for catching slugs, too, but that one garden pest I've never had).

Me, I'm still waiting for the hop-scented Clairol Herbal Essence to hit the market.

[hasher on hops]

I cut my teeth on cheap beer

The big one in high school was Milwaukees Best (the Beast) for $1.69 per six, but that was because 3-4 dudes worked in the Quick-n-Cold and would bring cases to parties.

Beyond that

Kroger - Cost Cutter Beer
King Kwik - Double K Beer
Top Hat
Big Jug - came in a bottle and all it said was big jug on the label
Burger - $5.99 a case in 1991

[Rabies]

.79¢ for a tall boy of Red Dog. One does not have to know better to know there is better beer than that.

[skahtboi]

When I was in high school, we could pick up cases of Texas Pride and Schafer for around $5.00 a case.

[animal]

Originally posted by jesskidden
You weren't using that shampoo that had beer it in at the same time, were you? :D

Forgot the name of that stuff. I don't think they make it anymore but when they did, a guy I knew at Newark's A-B plant told me they sold out-dated kegs to the local pharmacutical company that made the shampoo. (See, turns out all you guys who thought Budweiser was good for nothing are wrong. Probably is also top-notch for catching slugs, too, but that one garden pest I've never had).

Me, I'm still waiting for the hop-scented Clairol Herbal Essence to hit the market.

I remember the commercials for that. It said "... made with real beer... but don't drink it....".
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