Beer prices from Microbrewaries

[DirtyAl]

I'd like to know is the beers made by microbrewaries is the US and other parts of the world are so more expensive then the normal big labels.
A example in brasilian currency, a heineken longneck, 355ml, costs R$ 1,50 and a longneck from a microbrewary costs around R$ 4,00, there are even some more expensive.
I wonder if this is the same in other countries.

Thanks.

[bigben]

i know in my area a case of yuengling cost around 18.00 for bottles and for the lancaster brewing stuff (micro) it is around 30.00. the troegs mad elf ale (micro also) I got a little while ago was 45.00 I think. but it has double the aclhol of most brews.

[corkybstewart]

It's a matter of simple economics. Heinekin buys a million tons of grain from the same supplier every year and pays a lot less than your microbrewery that buys 200 tons of grain. Same with hops, sugars, etc. Then the big guys have much more streamlined distribution systems. They make a lot less profit on each bottle, but since they sell a billion bottles per year they still make huge profits. Economies of scale, it works the same in any industry.

[zoom6zoom]

Plus there's things like quality of ingredients and such. I'm also convinced that Bud uses the same amount of hops to flavor a tanker truck full of brew as DogfishHead uses in a single bottle of 120 Minute.

[MichaelM]

Originally posted by zoom6zoom
Plus there's things like quality of ingredients and such. I'm also convinced that Bud uses the same amount of hops to flavor a tanker truck full of brew as DogfishHead uses in a single bottle of 120 Minute.

LOL I have as much hops in my damned 5 gallon batch of 90 minute IIPA I brewed then bud uses in an entire tanker truck :)

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by zoom6zoom
Plus there's things like quality of ingredients and such. I'm also convinced that Bud uses the same amount of hops to flavor a tanker truck full of brew as DogfishHead uses in a single bottle of 120 Minute.

don't forget that they are low in abv, so they use less fermentables and don't use specialty malts, which are a bit pricier

[DirtyAl]

Thanks for the replies, that's the same down here, economics are economics everywhere.
Special malts are also a lot more expensive down here and so are Hops, I don`t think Brazil produces any hops, we do have pilsen malt here, I use it, the beer is good, but I dont have the knowledge to tell if the malt is a good malt . I prefer the smell of my german munich malt thow. :D
Thanks.

[corkybstewart]

Originally posted by HogieWan
don't forget that they are low in abv, so they use less fermentables and don't use specialty malts, which are a bit pricier

And rice or corn syrup is also a lot cheaper than malted barley.

[brewmonkey]

Originally posted by corkybstewart
It's a matter of simple economics. Heinekin buys a million tons of grain from the same supplier every year and pays a lot less than your microbrewery that buys 200 tons of grain. Same with hops, sugars, etc. Then the big guys have much more streamlined distribution systems. They make a lot less profit on each bottle, but since they sell a billion bottles per year they still make huge profits. Economies of scale, it works the same in any industry.

Bingo!

When I would buy grain it was 2 pallets at a time and even with the best pricing my guys could give me it was still close to .40 cents a pound with shipping. Glass is a HUGE price killer in the brewhouse for small guys. Believe it or not a lot of glass folks will not even talk to you unless you are buying several trailer loads, let alone 2-3 pallets at a time like we did. Add to that the cost of labels, 6pack carriers and cases and you are looking at far more then the big guys will spend. Even some regional breweries pay an arm and a leg compared to AB and the rest of them.

No one is trying to pull one over, they are just trying to make beer and stay in business.

I forgot to add that the big guys also own a lot of their own barley and hop farms. They also contract with other farmers who grow only for them at a guaranteed price.

[DirtyAl]

Glass is really expensive and I got the same problem, they don`t want to sell little quantities.
I bought the last 80 bottles, 970ml bottles, of beer made in Uruguay that is sold in Brazil and the bottles are thrown away in the garbage. So, some people, mainly poor people, collect this bottles, all kinds, and bring to recycling centers where they wash the bottles, remove the label and sell you it back.
It is a great thing, as you are helping save the planet in some way, generate some jobs, geee, a lot of families feed on money made in recycling materials down here. Some microbreweries but their bottles this way.
I've not yet checked prices for labels and six packs.