Comments on: Why Are There So Few Low-Alcohol Specialty Beers?

By: RobbyA12

RobbyA12 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:12:02 +0000

I remember this discussion at the Lupulin Reunuless, and I remember thinking it was kinda BS. Craft brewers have carved their whole niche by telling us that they have higher alcohol, better ingredients, bolder flavor. They insult fizzy yellow beers, then ask us to spend up for a better product. Many have gotten so used to this, in fact, that they cork and cage everything they brew and presume that their whole line is worthy of a $20+ price point.

You can't turn around now and blame the market for not supporting your low ABV/session beer efforts. You helped create this monster, and you'll need to adjust if you want out now. Package and price your session beer appropriately, and you might just be surprised at how the market responds.

By: Heff

Heff — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:39:10 +0000

I don't understand the 'session beer' thing. Maybe it's because I have a bladder like a little girl.

By: Chris Lohring

Chris Lohring — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:06:16 +0000

Session Beer is all about the occasion for drinking it. Maybe we have just few when flavor is paramount, but alcohol is required in moderation (driving is on the horizon, etc) - or - maybe we have many beers during the back yard BBQ over a long day tending to the fire (wood smoked BBQ... ahem). So, we may scale our price sensitivity based on the occasion, and the volume.

And let's not forget that the price reduction the brewer provides the wholesaler for the small cost savings in brewing a 4% ABV beer over a 6% ABV beer will be pennies on the dollar by the time it's in your glass. Why? The wholesaler and retailer are not changing their margins (mark-ups), and the brewer cost difference on a 4% beer over a 6% beer is a few dollars per keg (ingredient cost). That's the grim reality - ingredient cost is a fraction of the overall cost in getting beer to your lips. Repeat this last sentence 5 times.

Why is higher alcohol beer so much more expensive (say a 9% over a 6%)? Beyond the increase of ingredient cost, reduced brew house yields also come into play. So, the 9% is not only more expensive for ingredients, the yield per batch is much lower. Beyond that, look in the mirror. As long as you continue to stand in line for the next ultra-rare release, the price will continue to rise.

By: Beer Made Clear

Beer Made Clear — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:33:13 +0000

Nice article. Have to agree w/Lew that price is not just a matter of ABV. Take 21st Ammendment for example, their Watermelon wheat is 4.9% and their brew free or die IPA is 7.0%, but yet in McLean, VA, both canned sixers cost me $10.50...

By: Raul

Raul — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:34:22 +0000

I'd be happy if more brewers made beers like Dogfish Head Festina Peche, which is flavorful, reasonably unique, and sessionable.

For me, it comes down to the packaging. Why would a brewer put a session beer in a 750 mL bottle? If it's a session beer, you're probably going to want to have more than 25 ounces, right? Why not a four pack or a six pack? If it's flavorful and interesting, I'll buy it.

By: Tammy Tuck and Bruce Falconer

Tammy Tuck and Bruce Falconer — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:33:51 +0000

Smaller bottles seems like an easy fix. And true about lambics, Lew, but we weren't counting imports in our discussion since we can count on paying through the nose on those no matter what.

By: Rick Garvin

Rick Garvin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:28:52 +0000

At Mad Fox our biggest selling beer is our 4.4% Kolsch. But, the most asked for beers are the high alcohol hop bombs like the Molotov Hoptail DIPA. Big and extreme beers are objects of obsession. Session beers are objects of consumption.

Cheers, Rick

By: Lew Bryson

Lew Bryson — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:36:24 +0000

We DO pay big bucks for session-strength beers with intense flavor in cork-finished big format bottles: Cantillon, Hanssens, etc. LAMBICS. So...it can be done, and we will pay for it. I know I do. But I just saw Stone Levitation (4.4%) for $16 a sixpack, and I balked at that. Price is not just a matter of ingredients and ABV, it includes rarity, and age, and work, among others. We need to have this discussion more often, and more deeply.

By: Sheepy

Sheepy — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:41:24 +0000

I think the problem is more packaging than price -- why are they tied to 750ml bottles? If I'm looking for a *session* beer, I'll ignore the single bottles, but pay $10-15 for a 6 pack.