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Spoons give Heineken a kick

Started by Padraich, December 09, 2014, 01:11:51 PM

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Bubbles

Had the Smithwicks PA a couple of years ago when I was on a stag in Killarney.I was glad of it at the time, given the rest of the choices on offer. But I've tried it subsequently, outside of any craft beer deserts, and it's pretty shite. It's not just the fact that they appear to have waved the hops over the copper, it's the fact that it's way to dry and not enough malt flavour. Just bland..

brenmurph

On that note is o sheas pa a consistent flavour profile or is it made like a 'soup of the day'  like the amber?

irish_goat

Quote from: brenmurph on December 10, 2014, 10:20:17 AM
Agree rory. I wasnt saying the quality wud drop but could depending on how much pressure is on. Am i right in saying a keg of heino comesvinto a pub at  roughly same price as oharas bru trouble?  Anyway its most likely prices wil stay high

Pretty much but arguably the Heino is cheaper as you get free kegs off them all the time if you hit certain targets, plus they give away free kegs/bottles if you offer to do certain promotions like on rugby days the B&C would sometimes give out a free pint of Heineken if you wear your jersey. Would probably work out a good bit cheaper in the long run.

In saying that, I'm still paying £1.50 a pint for the cask ale in Derry and that includes big American breweries, as well as local ones like Hilden and Whitewater.

brenmurph

And we go to germany and pay 2.70 a pint anywhere (half litre + a big frothy head so same volumeas an irish pint really) and premium beers e.g ayinger, weihenstephan at 80cent in shop.. other good beers 50 cent in shop. Are we just way too expensive coz even allowing for beer taxes we are way off With pricing and no surprisenpubs closing everywhere

Qs

I wont be feeling sorry for the vintners anyway. They've brought most of their troubles on themselves with their price fixing and refusal to change their own practices.

Bubbles

Quote from: Qs on December 10, 2014, 11:04:40 AM
I wont be feeling sorry for the vintners anyway. They've brought most of their troubles on themselves with their price fixing and refusal to change their own practices.

Not to mention the gouging they're doing on craft beer in a lot of places, as has been documented on another thread recently.

Padraich

Quote from: Bubbles on December 10, 2014, 11:46:35 AM
Quote from: Qs on December 10, 2014, 11:04:40 AM
I wont be feeling sorry for the vintners anyway. They've brought most of their troubles on themselves with their price fixing and refusal to change their own practices.

Not to mention the gouging they're doing on craft beer in a lot of places, as has been documented on another thread recently.

Hugely naive question: is the cost of production for craft & micro breweries not higher than commercials? Given they don't have the purchasing power of commercials, I assumed they're forced to pay more for inputs so I just assumed a keg of Ken was significantly cheaper than say Kinsale, or O'Haras or Bo Bristle.

To qualify the next statement I've only managed to make it to the pub about 6 nights in 2014 so... I didn't mind paying €6+ a pint for craft brews as I thought at least half (or maybe a bit more) went to the brewery (aka real people) but if brewers are selling a keg into a pub @€80/90/100 and the pub is selling that on at 300% I'm definitely not impressed.  Can anyone put figures around this - I couldn't find the other thread mentioned.

Oh Crap

Beer
1 is good, 2 is better, 3 is enough & 4 isn't half enough

Bubbles

Quote from: Padraich on December 11, 2014, 08:30:51 AM
Quote from: Bubbles on December 10, 2014, 11:46:35 AM
Quote from: Qs on December 10, 2014, 11:04:40 AM
I wont be feeling sorry for the vintners anyway. They've brought most of their troubles on themselves with their price fixing and refusal to change their own practices.

Not to mention the gouging they're doing on craft beer in a lot of places, as has been documented on another thread recently.

Hugely naive question: is the cost of production for craft & micro breweries not higher than commercials? Given they don't have the purchasing power of commercials, I assumed they're forced to pay more for inputs so I just assumed a keg of Ken was significantly cheaper than say Kinsale, or O'Haras or Bo Bristle.

To qualify the next statement I've only managed to make it to the pub about 6 nights in 2014 so... I didn't mind paying €6+ a pint for craft brews as I thought at least half (or maybe a bit more) went to the brewery (aka real people) but if brewers are selling a keg into a pub @€80/90/100 and the pub is selling that on at 300% I'm definitely not impressed.  Can anyone put figures around this - I couldn't find the other thread mentioned.

I don't think it's a naive question at all.. I'd love to know the answer myself.

There's some speculation that regardless of the cost of producing a pint of craft, the pubs are jacking up the prices by attaching a premium to those beers.

The thread I was referring to is here, plenty of discussion about the price of craft pints.

Will_D

Latest word on the streets of Swords is that Spoons will NOT be developing the Boro and will just hold on to it for the forseeables!

Bummer I say
Remember: The Nationals are just round the corner - time to get brewing

Greg2013

I'm sorry guys but at the end of the day we are all consumers so i am going to be blunt here,i really don't care about what the pubs overheads and costs are or how the poor publicans are struggling tbh,any pub that is charging 5euro plus for a pint of the black stuff and 6 plus for a pint of craft(depending on the beer) is ripping us all off.I got sick of it which is one reason i brew my own now and have not seen the inside of any pub in over a year.I think 5 euro is reasonable for a pint of good craft(again there are greater exceptions) and on macro i reckon JDW has it about right. ;D

When you weigh it against what you can get a can or bottle of the same beer for in a shop the price difference is too great to warrant using pubs at all IMHO,hey i know there are other considerations here but at the end of the day it all comes down to what is coming out of your pocket,everything else is irrelevant re pricing structure, i hope the pubs keep doing it as it will drive more people to home brewing and we might even get a few live ones down in the south east :o :o :o

Btw i am still a Guinness man and always will be ;D

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."  Gen. James 'Mad Dog' Mattis USMC(Ret.)

Pheeel

I was in Supervalu the other day. Say the 'new' Guinness bottles for 3.29. WTF!!
Issues with your membership? PM me!

beanstalk

Quote from: Pheeel on December 11, 2014, 11:00:55 AM
I was in Supervalu the other day. Say the 'new' Guinness bottles for 3.29. WTF!!

Yeah €3.30 in my local centra. would like to try it but no thanks. they just don't get it do they?

Oh Crap

Quote from: Greg2013 on December 11, 2014, 10:42:22 AM
I'm sorry guys but at the end of the day we are all consumers so i am going to be blunt here,i really don't care about what the pubs overheads and costs are or how the poor publicans are struggling tbh,any pub that is charging 5euro plus for a pint of the black stuff and 6 plus for a pint of craft(depending on the beer) is ripping us all off.I got sick of it which is one reason i brew my own now and have not seen the inside of any pub in over a year.I think 5 euro is reasonable for a pint of good craft(again there are greater exceptions) and on macro i reckon JDW has it about right. ;D

When you weigh it against what you can get a can or bottle of the same beer for in a shop the price difference is too great to warrant using pubs at all IMHO,hey i know there are other considerations here but at the end of the day it all comes down to what is coming out of your pocket,everything else is irrelevant re pricing structure, i hope the pubs keep doing it as it will drive more people to home brewing and we might even get a few live ones down in the south east :o :o :o

Btw i am still a Guinness man and always will be ;D

That's a very broad sweeping statement.....I have a pub and CANNOT charge more then €4.00 Guinness or €4.20 lager, craft beer is priced same as lager. Three craft on tap, and due to overheads etc I'm lucky to pay myself at the end of the week... NOT ALL PUBLICANS ARE MONEY GRABBERS.  Wages rates, Insurance, etc are cost in most businesses, what about the cost of driving people home safely or providing sky sports or music for them. It is not all about the price of a pint, I agree that some pubs rim it with pricing but the breweries keep hiking the price up and us small pubs have to absorb it most of the time.  I try to provide a diverse range of beer but still have to have the big 3 on tap and they try to bully you into getting rid of "fashionable" beers.  I make a stand every time and have threatened to take them out, their reply..." We'd love to see that". So if trying to make a living out of serving beer offends you then you're right to stay at home as you'd ruin the mood of the people having a good time.
Oh and as for the cost difference in the supermarket, try buying it at that from the breweries to serve in a pub

I brew my own cause I like to not because of the cost savings.
Beer
1 is good, 2 is better, 3 is enough & 4 isn't half enough

molc

Brewing at home saves money? Where did you get that idea :D
Fermenting: IPA, Lambic, Mead
Conditioning: Lambic, Cider, RIS, Ole Ale, Saison
On Tap: IPA, Helles, Best Bitter