What is the most expensive beer that you have ever aquired?

[chazwicke]

What is the most you have ever paid for a single beer? Was it worth it? Why was it so expensive? How much is too much to pay for a decent beer. What will you pay in a bar / pub? how about for a bottle from a shop? I have payed over 120.00 for a single beer on three occasions. These beers are still in my cellar. I have never tasted them. I have often payed over 10.00 for single bottles of rare beers for my cellar or to drink. but I guess the norm would be between 2.00 - 5.00 a bottle or a pint. What is your limit?

[wortchillergoal]

I think, if I remeber right, the most i have spent is around $12 for a bottle. I would spend more fof a very special beer but have yet to come across one. I don't think $120 is out of line if you find something you really want.

[studentofbeer]

wow. where i am now i cannot see ever spending more than maybe $15 for a 12oz. or $30 or so for a 750 bottle, but im poor, havent experienced cellared beer, just started working and have student loans to pay off, among other things.

once (if) i felt reasonably financially secure and it was something i wanted, i could see paying that much, but that wont be for many years for me.

i think the most expensive thing ive bought so far was a ~12 oz. bottle of westvleteran 12 for like $9.50, which i havent tried yet (dont have a goblet glass yet and want to do it "right").

in a bar/pub, i hate paying $5 for a run-of-the-mill beer (even a decent one) unless its cask-conditioned, but when i go to hopleaf or something i dont mind paying $8-$10 for a glass of beer b/c most of the beer they have there ive never had on draft and is hard to find. I also don't mind paying $4 at goose to try new styles they are constantly brewing really, though i wish it could be cheaper. i still think draft in general is too expensive, especially for an american, rather than imperial, pint.

i try to comfort myself by explaining that even some of the most expensive and interesting beer is still a far cry from what expensive and interesting wine can cost.

[Bryant]

Originally posted by chazwicke
What is the most you have ever paid for a single beer? Was it worth it? Why was it so expensive? How much is too much to pay for a decent beer. What will you pay in a bar / pub? how about for a bottle from a shop? I have payed over 120.00 for a single beer on three occasions. These beers are still in my cellar. I have never tasted them. I have often payed over 10.00 for single bottles of rare beers for my cellar or to drink. but I guess the norm would be between 2.00 - 5.00 a bottle or a pint. What is your limit?

Hmmmm...... there aren't any $120 beers in East Alabama/West Georgia. Sam Smith is about $3 a pint and I buy them fairly often. I like The Oatmeal Stout and Nut Brown Ale. If some more expensive beers are introduced, I'll try them. I don't really have a "set limit" on how much I would pay for a beer, but $120 would be out of the question. $20 would not, but I doubt I would buy it often.

Bryant

[ray m]

I've tried to impose a reasonable (in my mind) ceiling for how much I pay for a brew. For a 6 pack, the most I've spent is $14 for Bell's Cherry Stout. For a single, I think the most I paid was @ $6 or so for some Belgian brew (which was pretty good---can't think of the name right now).

As far as paying $100+ for a bottle of any kind of brew, that is just way, way, way out of the boundaries of what I would categorize as "reasonable". I envy you guys who can, and are willing, to spend that kind of money for exotic brews. I just simply cannot afford that right now.

Drink hearty!!! Up the irons!!!

Ray

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by Bryant
Hmmmm...... there aren't any $120 beers in East Alabama/West Georgia....

So what sort of beer can you get where you are that is local to you? Anything really cool? I'm in Nashville and I get very little...

I'm considering paying $40 for a bottle of Sierra Nevada BierSchnapps, but haven't bitten the bullet yet. Just not that brave.

[newportstorm]

Even if money weren't an object, I can't justify $120 on a single bottle. I've seen the SA MMII and Utopias at the better beer stores but pass them buy without a second thought. The most I have spent to date was $18+ apiece for 750s of DFH 120 Minute - not my favorite so I traded it. I've paid nearly that much for some 3L bottles of Anchor OSA vintages and some lambics, too.

I am considering paying about double that for a bottle of Cantillon St. Lamvinus, but I'm still hesitant. Maybe my views would change if I had money to burn, but right now I'd say $40 is my "limit".

Cheers!

[Bryant]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
So what sort of beer can you get where you are that is local to you? Anything really cool? I'm in Nashville and I get very little...

I'm considering paying $40 for a bottle of Sierra Nevada BierSchnapps, but haven't bitten the bullet yet. Just not that brave.

I live in the bi-city area of Phenix City Alabama/Columbus Georgia. There is no local brewery but we have one brewpub, The Cannon Brewery. www.cannonbrew.com Fortunately, I am only 90 miles from Atlanta and there are a few micro breweries in Atlanta. I travel to Atlanta occasionally to visit my mother, so I am able to pick up some quite often. Atlanta Brewing Co. Black Bear Brewing Company, Dogwood Brewing Company, and Sweetwater Brewing Company are the micros in Atlanta. Sweetwater is my hands down favorite as all of their beers available have a great amount of character. www.sweetwaterbrew.com


http://www.beerinfo.com/atlbeer/micros.html To me, the better of these

Bryant

[jlttb]

Originally posted by chazwicke
What is the most you have ever paid for a single beer?
Do bachelor parties count?! The beer I've spent the most on was probably something lame in a 'gentleman's club.' The servers were very nice, though....
Actually that's not true. The most I've ever spent was for one of those Anchor Christmas Ale magnum bottles.

[Bryant]

Originally posted by jlttb
Do bachelor parties count?! The beer I've spent the most on was probably something lame in a 'gentleman's club.' The servers were very nice, though....
Actually that's not true. The most I've ever spent was for one of those Anchor Christmas Ale magnum bottles.

That reminds me.........I almost bought one of those huge bottles of Heineken for a two day concert event. If I actually liked Heineken, I would have bought it as the bottle was really cool and about three feet tall, but I can't tolerate Heineken.

Bryant

[davesarman]

I bought a bottle of beer a couple years ago for around $30, if I remember correctly. This was a collector beer and I doubt I will ever drink it. I was in an antique/junk store just kind of milling around and in the back I came across a bottle of Truman's Royal Ale. This was brewed in England in 1982 to commorate the birth of Prince William to Charles and Diana. It's a lovely bottle with foil over the cap and it comes in a nice box with a ribbon tied around it. I'd never heard of it and have done a little research on the web and have not been able to find any references to the beer or the brewery anywhere. Anybody know anything about this beer or the brewery?

[toneyc]

I guess I really am a cheap bastard. I spent a couple of weeks waffling over buying a 750 ml bottle of Unibroue's La Fin du Monde for $8 at the booze superstore before I found it at my local grocery store for $5.50. I just can't justify spending that much money on *a* beer.

:)
Toney.

[chazwicke]

Yep the 3 beers that I paid 120.00 were SA Utopias (2 2003, 1 2002.) I probably will not drink them either. Keep them for a few years and to Ebay they will go. I will post my other cellared beers on the other thread as soon as I do an inventory. Fortunately for me, expense is usually not a consideration when purchasing beer. I usually go for taste. I am fortunate that I own my own business and my income is quite good. My wife does well too. Beer is my number one vice / hobby so I don't mind spending a little bit on it. Especially beer related travel. I bought the Utopias as an investment. May or may not pay off in the future. I have much rarer beers in my cellar though.

[b3s]

well, for drinking, i can't envision spending more than $20 for a beer (magnum sized) or $ 20 on a six pack...for cellaring, i'd probably go up to $40, maybe more.

so far i've been in the under $15 for a magnum (even cellaring) and under $20 on a six pack (dogfish barley wine, which i personally dislike, but my GF loves).

[Herb Ninja]

My most expensive beer..... maybe a 6 euro bottle of 20 year aged Kings Ale in Belgium. On Maui, probably just a simple 350ml lindemans lambic for 5$. Amazing how close those are in price but yet how the Kings Ale is countless times better then the lindemans.

[danno]

my limit has been $10-12 for a 750ml, and I think the most for 12oz sixer was $15.99 for Celebrator...

What I find interesting about this conversation, we're out spending less than $20 for arguably the best beers in the world. Compare this to wine, where this sort of investment barely gets you the Budweisers of the wine world...

[b3s]

well, i would dispute that, danno...there are many excellent table wines (i.e. every day wines) for under $12....several excellent merlots and shirazs come to mind and a lot of columbia river valley wines as well.

but in terms of cellaring? absolutely correct...no way i'd cellar a $12 wine...there are many decent $75 wines that i would, but not a $12 wine...while a $12 beer would be excellent in the cellar.

[threecb]

I'd have to set my limit at around $20 for 12oz, $40 for 750 ml, depending on what it is and how bad I want it. I haven't paid that much, but I would. I think the most expensive I've gone is around $12 for a Belgian. I've paid that much for a couple of different beers and it doesn't sting enough to remember which was which in a shopping excursion, but I don't think it was more than $12...

I need to get me more disposable income!

[stronk]

Anybody know anything about this beer or the brewery?

I don't, but I have seen it before (in a similar state). It's on a shelf in my favourite pub, along with some other odd bottles (like guinness special draught from 1959). All of them would taste like donkey's urine if anyone were to open them now, but it's great to even have a sealed bottle from a long time ago.

[SeaPA]

Hmmm. If I factor in the cost of a new tv after firing a half full bottle of Bud at the old one when that ground ball roll thru Buckner's legs back in 1986, the cost of that one bottle of Bud was about $279.65. :D Cost goes WAY up if I factor in the financial value of "loss of consortium" since wifey was VERY ANGRY.....

As for pure beer costs, I think the most I've paid was about $20 per bottle for some 750ml bottles of Malheur Brut. Very different but very good, well worth it IMHO.

[davesarman]

Originally posted by stronk
All of them would taste like donkey's urine if anyone were to open them now

Stronk, I don't want to know how you know what donkey urine tastes like! :p

[denver brewhoo]

I acquired a free Coors Light in Las Vegas at Caesar's Palace, whilst rolling the dice at a low-minimum ($10?) table in 1989...the cocktail waitress took my complimentary beverage order at a time when I had a little over $1000 in chips in front of me and by the time my free beverage--did I mention that it was a Coors Light? I was young and stupid in more ways than one--arrived I had only $550 in front of me, and the dice had been around the table 1 1/2 times.

You know, they don't exactly hurry back with those free drinks....

[chazwicke]

I vist Vegas frequently. I'll be there in January. Some of the casinos have Guinness, Bass, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada. So you don't always have drink at the lowest level.

[hopjack13]

Originally posted by denver brewhoo
I acquired a free Coors Light in Las Vegas at Caesar's Palace, whilst rolling the dice at a low-minimum ($10?) table in 1989...the cocktail waitress took my complimentary beverage order at a time when I had a little over $1000 in chips in front of me and by the time my free beverage--did I mention that it was a Coors Light? I was young and stupid in more ways than one--arrived I had only $550 in front of me, and the dice had been around the table 1 1/2 times.

You know, they don't exactly hurry back with those free drinks....

i usually wait for the dice to go around at least once before i start betting. that way i can see who's a good roller and who is not. by that time i usually have my drink and i tip her the first time so she keeps checking on me, then i tip about every 3rd time. if you spred yourself to thin on the table the $$$ goes quick, craps is a fast game.

[mesmartyoudumb]

Originally posted by davesarman
I bought a bottle of beer a couple years ago for around $30, if I remember correctly. This was a collector beer and I doubt I will ever drink it. I was in an antique/junk store just kind of milling around and in the back I came across a bottle of Truman's Royal Ale. This was brewed in England in 1982 to commorate the birth of Prince William to Charles and Diana. It's a lovely bottle with foil over the cap and it comes in a nice box with a ribbon tied around it. I'd never heard of it and have done a little research on the web and have not been able to find any references to the beer or the brewery anywhere. Anybody know anything about this beer or the brewery?

http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000070.html

[davesarman]

Thanks, that was an interesting read!

[unkle bik]

Lindemans Raspberry Framboise: $8.99/750 ml.
This stuff is ambrosia. They should put it in every drinking fountain.
I rarely buy something this expensive, so the wife got me a bottle for Valentine's Day. (along with Neil Young tickets)
Ironically, the last time I had it was 2 birthday's ago prior to seeing CSNY.

Anybody know the ABV of this product?

[davesarman]

Originally posted by unkle bik
Lindemans Raspberry Framboise: $8.99/750 ml.
This stuff is ambrosia. They should put it in every drinking fountain.
I rarely buy something this expensive, so the wife got me a bottle for Valentine's Day. (along with Neil Young tickets)
Ironically, the last time I had it was 2 birthday's ago prior to seeing CSNY.

Anybody know the ABV of this product?

Another website I frequent lists it as 2.5% abv, but I'm not sure that is correct. That seems pretty low.

A brew pub I frequent has this stuff on tap. It's a bit sweet for me, but my wife loves it. I asked if they'd fill a growler for me, but they said no, they only do growlers of their own beer. Plus they said they'd have to charge me about $20 or $30 for a growler of the stuff. My wife was bummed, she said she would have paid it.

[brewmonkey]

Originally posted by davesarman
Another website I frequent lists it as 2.5% abv, but I'm not sure that is correct. That seems pretty low.

A brew pub I frequent has this stuff on tap. It's a bit sweet for me, but my wife loves it. I asked if they'd fill a growler for me, but they said no, they only do growlers of their own beer. Plus they said they'd have to charge me about $20 or $30 for a growler of the stuff. My wife was bummed, she said she would have paid it.

It would be illegal for them to sell you a growler. ATF regulations prohibit the selling of any beer to go in growlers unless it is made by the brewery you are at.

[Beaver]

The most I've spent on a single bottle would be $8 for Chimay. I've spent $15 on a 6'er of Bell's Batch 6000.

Sometime in the future I will splurge and get some of the big Dogfish Head beers which are $8.50 for 12 oz.

[unkle bik]

Originally posted by davesarman
Another website I frequent lists it as 2.5% abv, but I'm not sure that is correct. That seems pretty low.



I tried doing some searching on my lunch hour by using "Lindemans" as a Google search.
That listing of 2.5% I found to be for a certain version of that on tap. The listing for the bottled stuff came up empty.
The wifey was whining, "your're gonna drink that whole bottle at once?" I told her it was only about 4-5% & she thought I was fooling her. She thought it was like champagne. (12-15%) That's why I wanted set the record straight.

[steveh]

Beer Advocate says it's 4% ABV: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/rate_results/187/599/

S.

[unkle bik]

Thanx steveh!

[MeridianFC]

This is proof that alcohol and auction don't mix. I paid $250.00 for a 3l bottle of "Fin du Monde" at a Brickskeller beer tasting a few years ago. It was for a good cause (Children's Hospital) but I doubt I would have gone that high had I not been so....high. It was one of only 5 in the world, but it was still just the regular old FdM. Don't get me wrong it's good beer but I definitely lost my mind.

I ended up drinking the entire thing with 3 buddies during the 1998 World Cup US v. Yugoslavia game. We lost 0:1 and I passed out on the couch.

Let this be a lesson to you.

What lesson I'm not exactly sure.

[patra7]

The most expensive beer I've bought was just a few months ago, in a beer pub/restaurant.
It was for a special type, collector's (?) Belgian beer, 750ml bottle, named Deus. It was a delicious, champagne like beer, quite distinctive! The funny thing was I hadn't realised what the price (and volume) was until after I had ordered it! Thank God I didn't go with empty pockets there (or maybe my girlfriend bailed me out?...:) Here are my notes:
11,5% alc.vol., amber color, unprecedented, intense spicy aromas (perhaps including nutmeg). Balanced taste. Drank whole bottle, had a headache the following day. Served in a pils type glass (with beer's own stamp). "Brut des Flandres - Cuvée Prestige 2002. 2-4° C. Brewed by Brewery Bosteels, 9255 Buggenhout, Belgium". Price 40€.

[DreamWeaver]

My most expensive beer was (I'm going to regret this) prolly a Budweiser I bought back in the 80's at Donna's Ranch. I swear I did'nt go past the bar though, and I only bought 2... One for me and one for her. I think they were $15 each. What was her name again? Repunzle?

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by MeridianFC
This is proof that alcohol and auction don't mix. I paid $250.00 for a 3l bottle of "Fin du Monde" at a Brickskeller beer tasting a few years ago. It was for a good cause (Children's Hospital) but I doubt I would have gone that high had I not been so....high. It was one of only 5 in the world, but it was still just the regular old FdM. Don't get me wrong it's good beer but I definitely lost my mind.

I ended up drinking the entire thing with 3 buddies during the 1998 World Cup US v. Yugoslavia game. We lost 0:1 and I passed out on the couch.

Let this be a lesson to you.

What lesson I'm not exactly sure.

I've contributed to Childrens Hospital via the Bricks auctions before myself. I guess there is a reason they have them at the end of the show.