598416 Sun Feb 22 15:19:03 -0800 2009 108 35 Beer 0 4442157 The economy is going south and the price of beer is skyrocketing. $7.49 a six pack is now the standard price in SoCal chain supermarkets of no-character, generic swill like Bud, Coors and Miller. Heineken and Becks as high as $10 for a six! Will i have to go back to drinking the Meister Brau, Milwaukee's Best and Natural Light from my youth? I found a nice, cheap beer at Trader Joe's. "Simpler Times" lager brewed by Minhas Brewery in Monroe, Wisconson. $3.99 for a six pack. full bodied, slightly amber colored and not too sweet. 6.2% alcohol. I know you save money when there are sales on 12, 18 and 30 packs but I'm talking everyday price. Any other bargains out there? Sun Feb 22 15:19:04 -0800 2009 13997 2chez mike 1 4442319 Natty Boh all the way. That said, I haven't seen prices like the ones you mentioned for Bud/Coors/Miller, although I don't really drink them either. I can still get any Sierra Nevada, including the excellent Torpedo, for $7.99 a six pack. Sun Feb 22 16:26:03 -0800 2009 4442157 11273 JonParker 2 4744768 X2 on the National Bohemian Fri Jun 05 07:19:22 -0700 2009 4442319 206445 thecheeseisblue 2 4999153 Ah, If only Nat Boh was avaiable everywhere! If you can't get it, I have seconded the vote for PBR...I think there are very similar. Wed Sep 02 10:14:41 -0700 2009 4442319 101367 BigSteve 2 5035750 Got a case of Natty Boh for $10.99, and it is now my favorite cheap beer. Wed Sep 16 19:57:51 -0700 2009 4442319 15018 elgringoviejo 1 4442322 Full Sail Session Lager. 12 pack of stubby 11-oz. bottles goes for around $11 or so. It's a 100% barley malt lager, and quite tasty. Sun Feb 22 16:26:44 -0800 2009 4442157 10809 Josh 2 4445202 Session! I agree wholeheartedly. It's my go-to beer in clubs now, where it's becoming more available (in the type of music clubs where you usually only find the big-brewery adjunct lagers and maybe Guiness; maybe because of the retro-looking bottles? Whatever; I'm just glad to find it). Didn't know it was from Full Sail; that's cool. Mon Feb 23 15:13:55 -0800 2009 4442322 98500 Bat Guano 1 4442431 I believe that a case of Bitburger cans is still under $20. Sun Feb 22 17:19:20 -0800 2009 4442157 26180 Chinon00 1 4442887 Budweiser American Ale and the Michelob craft beers are priced very reasonably. Sun Feb 22 20:36:33 -0800 2009 4442157 10998 Jim Dorsch 2 4442963 "Budweiser American Ale and the Michelob craft beers are priced very reasonably." Budweiser "American Ale" is a step up from Budweiser. But at $7.49 a six pack. fpr that or regular Bud, here in SoCal, I have to disagree about it being priced reasonably. Sun Feb 22 21:25:20 -0800 2009 4442887 13997 2chez mike 3 4443027 Where I live BAA is typically 6.99, compared to Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, et al, at 9.49. Mon Feb 23 03:28:11 -0800 2009 4442963 10998 Jim Dorsch 4 4448965 Where I live, BAA, SIerra Pale/ESB/Torpedo, and Sam Adams are ALL 6.99. The Bud American Ale is a nice change to, owing to its very good balance. Tue Feb 24 15:46:29 -0800 2009 4443027 116047 The Professor 1 4443396 12 packs of Sierra Nevada's seasonals are the best deals in craft beer today imo. Usually less than $14 with tax & deposit around here. Mon Feb 23 07:27:14 -0800 2009 4442157 12014 LStaff 1 4443654 Funny that you mention the "Minhas Brewery." This used to be my beloved Huber Brewery, maker of Huber Premium that sold for $4.50 a CASE in St. Louis (1984). Believe it or not, the bottles were returnables - I used them for home brewing for many years. Man, you could almost chew the grain in Huber Premium! As pennance I guess, Huber Brewery was also the producer of the "Berghoff" line, respected and flavorful beers. Can you imagine $4.50 a case? Even Schaefer and Schlitz were selling for $6.00 or more at the time! Now that's some cheap beer... Mon Feb 23 08:47:33 -0800 2009 4442157 131933 MDBBQFiend 2 4444666 An old friend of mine lives in central Pennsylvania. They have these beer shacks there and you can still get cases of Genessee and Yeung Ling in 16 oz. returnable bottles. I haven't been out there for several years but I always remember it being a great bargain. Mon Feb 23 12:44:13 -0800 2009 4443654 13997 2chez mike 3 4445535 I think Genesee (now High Falls- soon to be "North American Breweries") dropped the returnables awhile back, and Yuengling has shrunk their marketing of them to the immediate Pottsville area (from what I've heard). Straub's stuck with the package (even to the point of having to pay for new molds since no one else uses them) and The Lion still sells some of their old Pennsylvania local brands in them "when they get enough empties back from the distributors". Mon Feb 23 16:57:18 -0800 2009 4444666 11059 JessKidden 2 4446605 "Huber Premium that sold for $4.50 a CASE in St. Louis (1984). " Not as good a deal as one might imagine, if you believe the Bureau of Labor Statistics "Inflation Caculator", where they claim $4.50 in 1984 equals $9.14 in today's dollars. I'm not sure what the "cheap" beers go for these days but aren't some in the "10 bucks a case" range still? "Believe it or not, the bottles were returnables" Actually, the deposit bottle was one of the reasons WHY the beer was so cheap. Tho' they cost more for the brewery initially (heavier glass to hold up to multiple usage), they could be used numerous times unlike the one time cost of the "throw-away" bottle and so the cost of packaging (both bottles and case cardboard) could be spread out. By you keeping the bottles - your "deposit" wasn't a purchase but more of a rental - you were costing the brewery money. (Think of it like the current situation where the keg deposits were often much less than the true cost of a stainless steel keg.) "Not getting back the empties" was one of the reasons why all but a handful of US breweries have dropped the package- now, of course, the cost of the glass is simply passed onto to the consumer. Not blaming you or the other homebrewers for their disappearance, of course <g> (I did the same thing and still have several cases of steinie bottles - my favorites- in both 12 oz. and 32 oz. sizes- from Straub, Ortlieb, Horlacher and Ballantine). Altho' I was told by an A-B employee that they gave up on the returnable/refillable bottle when those little "test tubes" of liquor became popular and people were "disposing" of the empty tubes inside the empty beer bottles and screwing up their bottle washing machinery. "Stuff" in the bottles were always a problem- as the once "complimentary" free bottle/can openers got smaller in the days before the twist-off bottle and "pop top" cans, THEY started being deposited inside the bottles- so the opener mfg's had to stamp little "ears" into the openers so they wouldn't fit inside the returnable bottles. Tue Feb 24 04:18:53 -0800 2009 4443654 11059 JessKidden 3 4447424 "Not as good a deal as one might imagine, if you believe the Bureau of Labor Statistics "Inflation Caculator", where they claim $4.50 in 1984 equals $9.14 in today's dollars. I'm not sure what the "cheap" beers go for these days but aren't some in the "10 bucks a case" range still?" A standard case back then was 24 bottles/cans. I don't think 12 packs had arrived on the scene yet, let alone 18 and 30 packs. If there were 12 packs then, they were relatively new and not what a beer drinker considered a "case of beer". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Actually, the deposit bottle was one of the reasons WHY the beer was so cheap. Tho' they cost more for the brewery initially (heavier glass to hold up to multiple usage), they could be used numerous times unlike the one time cost of the "throw-away" bottle and so the cost of packaging (both bottles and case cardboard) could be spread out." Also, energy costs were a lot lower then. Another reason why beer has skyrocketed in price is because it's high water weight costs more to ship and deliver. Tue Feb 24 09:04:07 -0800 2009 4446605 13997 2chez mike 4 4447980 "A standard case back then was 24 bottles/cans." And ever shall it be. Don't know what gave you the idea I was calling a "12 pack" a case, but either way, it's difficult to talk "price" with folks from other parts of the US, since it varies greatly from state to state. Checking my local newspaper I see an ad for a 30 pack (i.e., a case and 1/4 <g>) of Schaefer for $12.99, not really much different (well, to my mind) that the "adjusted for inflation" of Huber at $9.14. 43¢ a can vs. 38¢ a bottle, especially considering the cost of the one-way can vs. the refillable bottle. I also reject the concept of "skyrocketing" beer prices today. Again, *adjusted for inflation* it's cheaper than it was 30-40 years ago. Tue Feb 24 11:35:33 -0800 2009 4447424 11059 JessKidden 5 4448090 "Don't know what gave you the idea I was calling a "12 pack" a case, but either way" It's just that $4.50 a case sounded really cheap. I was buying beer in NJ at that point and even the cheapest, Meister Brau in cans, was around $8.00 a case. I've been in SoCal for the past twenty years and in the past 3 or 4 years the non-sale price of beer has almost doubled. Tue Feb 24 11:59:49 -0800 2009 4447980 13997 2chez mike 1 4444352 Do they fill growlers in your state? Mon Feb 23 11:30:40 -0800 2009 4442157 238787 Insidious Rex 1 4445726 Costco has 24 cases of Stone Pale Ale and Sierra Nevada Pale ale for about $25. Hard to beat that. Mon Feb 23 17:51:43 -0800 2009 4442157 72231 DougOLis 2 4446994 During the holiday season my local Costco (Austin) had cases of Sierra Nevada Celebration for the same price as the Pale Ale, which was around 23. Best deal ever; I think it was probably a mistake, but I certainly wasn't going to clue them in.... I ended up getting 3 cases; sadly, I'm almost at the end of my supply, though I've done my best to nurse it along as long as possible. Tue Feb 24 07:09:30 -0800 2009 4445726 98500 Bat Guano 3 4447009 I believe they're all line priced these days, with the exception of Bigfoot, of course. Tue Feb 24 07:13:15 -0800 2009 4446994 10998 Jim Dorsch 2 4447021 In California?.......I haven't been to a Costco, but I am assuming the pricing on the Stone and SN can't be that close here on the east coast.......if so I'll have to join. Tue Feb 24 07:16:13 -0800 2009 4445726 180133 Saddleoflamb 3 4448046 I paid $26.49 for Celebration and (I think, can't find the receipt) the same for Torpedo on the East Coast (NJ) and I didn't need to join no !@#$ "club" (see Marx, Groucho for my opinion of those clubs). <g> Sierra Nevada beers like Celebration, Bigfoot and now Torpedo, are certainly among the best values one can find in the world of "good beer". They are one of the very few brands I'll routinely buy despite my preference for "local" beer (and their excellent distribution means it's usually fresh, too). Tue Feb 24 11:48:58 -0800 2009 4447021 11059 JessKidden 4 4448604 Thought Costco was a membership club.....is this where you paid the $2649? Cheapest I've seen/heard for the torpedo was $32 and change.... Tue Feb 24 14:02:55 -0800 2009 4448046 180133 Saddleoflamb 5 4449586 No club. I've never even SEEN a Costco (are they on the East Coast?) much less been inside one. Found the receipt - it was $26.99 a case for the S-N Torpedo in New Jersey at Joe Canal's. Tue Feb 24 19:25:52 -0800 2009 4448604 11059 JessKidden 6 4451612 Costco is definitely in NJ...they used to be called Price Club. I know there's one in Edsion on Rt 27, and another in Somerville/Bound Brook area near the Patriots ballpark, just off Rt 28. Wed Feb 25 13:31:37 -0800 2009 4449586 116047 The Professor 5 4449864 Yeah, Costco is membership only and this was in California so I'm not sure what kind of deal you would get back there. Tue Feb 24 22:02:23 -0800 2009 4448604 72231 DougOLis 4 4448813 It is a little known fact because of the squirellyness of Texas' liquor laws, you can go into a Costco and buy alcohol without being a member. The real Costco, not just the liquor store next door. The only caveat is that you can't buy anything else. The is perhaps the only place where our liquor laws have benefited me, though i am a member now so it doesn't matter. When you check out some of the cashiers don't know about it and they have to get a supervisor. This is probably Texas only. Tue Feb 24 15:01:33 -0800 2009 4448046 60603 TroyTempest 5 4488300 Minnesota is the same way. The liquor store must be separate from the retail food store, and they will sell beer to anyone. Mon Mar 09 14:08:33 -0700 2009 4448813 13136 Loren3 1 4449137 if you are one of the lucky states yuengling lager can be bought for 6 bucks a six pack Tue Feb 24 16:47:10 -0800 2009 4442157 259971 cockscomb 2 4786094 Yuengling is my pick, too. I'm in upstate NY and can get it by the case for less than $17. I prefer IPAs, but I've been buying more Yuengling lately to save some money. What's even better is that it's a much better beer (at least in my opinion) than the mass-produced cheaper beers. Thu Jun 18 18:57:57 -0700 2009 4449137 323691 writergeek313 3 4786412 Absolutely. Seek out their Lord Chesterfield Ale as well...not bad for the price and has some nice hop character. They've changed it a bit lately, I think, but for a long time I found it very reminiscent in some ways of the old original Ballantine Ale...maybe not so much "nose" and not quite the bitterness, but very good hop character nonetheless. I remember buying Yeungling products back in the early/mid 70's for around 1.20/sixpack. Seems they got "hip" and the price changed, what seemed like overnight, to about twice that. In any case, they are quite the "comeback" story, since they were on the verge of closing in the 70's...now they have three breweries and seem to have a bit of a cult following. It's all good...they make solid products and are a cut above other yellow water beers, at a good price to boot. Thu Jun 18 21:30:55 -0700 2009 4786094 116047 The Professor 4 4867130 In college in the late 80s, we would get Lord Chesterfield for $2.10 a six pack. Five years later, it was twice that price and much more widely available. Fri Jul 17 08:18:18 -0700 2009 4786412 141889 MGZ 5 4945011 In college in the sixties, we wouldn't drink Yuengling, because it had the reputation as a cheap coal miner's beer. In Maine today we buy what ever is on sale. Wife just brought back a six pack of UPTA Camp (translation: up to the cabin) beer on sale. Thu Aug 13 18:14:29 -0700 2009 4867130 93538 Passadumkeg 3 5029315 I was able to score 3 cases on vacation and my brother from Philly brought me 2 more. I'm down to my last case and had to give away 8 to my friend for plumbing work. Don't know if I can last until Thanksgiving when I travel back east. Yeungling is definitely my favorite cheap brew. I'd drink it over a lot of premium beers as well. Mon Sep 14 13:20:49 -0700 2009 4786094 227406 JohnE O 1 4449885 12 pack of Miller High Life is $5.49 at Rite-Aid in SD.. Stone Pale Ale Arrogant Bastard..case is $23 at Costco.. Mission Pale Ale at Trader's is $5.99 a sixer. Mi Pueblo Mex Market has 30 pack Miller Lite for $10.99..that is a deal! Tue Feb 24 22:16:29 -0800 2009 4442157 97452 Beach Chick 1 4454823 Wittekerke from Belgium sells for $4.99 a six at my local Trader Joe's, pretty tasty if you like Begian wit bier. Thu Feb 26 12:01:37 -0800 2009 4442157 149239 juantanamera 2 4455027 Huh, I tried that beer last summer and found the citrus flavors quite artificial tasting. Thu Feb 26 12:52:49 -0800 2009 4454823 10809 Josh 3 4455341 Wittekerke isn't my favorite wit, Jolly Pumkin's Calabaza Blanca is, and I also really like Ommegang's and Lost Abbey's versions, but those are all more expensive. I don't recall any artificial citrus flavors in the Wittekerke, and I thought it was pretty solid for the price, and conveniently packaged in cans. To each his/her own. Thu Feb 26 14:13:29 -0800 2009 4455027 149239 juantanamera 4 4456456 For a (relatively) lower cost wit I like the Avery White Rascal. Maybe there's some variation in the Wittekerke. I just remember thinking, especially as it warmed up, that it tasted kind of ersatz. Thu Feb 26 21:35:36 -0800 2009 4455341 10809 Josh 1 4457494 I read a few of the posts and it seems that people see $1.25-$1.50 a can a deal. When I go out I drink Mich Ultra, for one reason and one only. I drink a lot of it nd I can't drink heavy dark beers when I'm out. If I had to buy a beer strictly to save money, I'd buy Pabst Blue Ribbon. I have no idea what the price is, but I can't see it being more than $9 a 12-pack. I know in NH a few years ago, we were drinking $1.25 cans at the bar. It's better than bud, coors, michelob, and miller. So strictly for price, it's a good cheap beer! Fri Feb 27 08:52:26 -0800 2009 4442157 165800 jhopp217 2 4457909 Guinness is nearly black in color, but is lighter-bodied and lower in calories that many "light" beers (though probably not Ultra). Fri Feb 27 10:34:37 -0800 2009 4457494 10809 Josh 2 4465358 you're right. It tastes better than the big 3 American lagers, at about half the price. Mon Mar 02 07:38:53 -0800 2009 4457494 60603 TroyTempest 3 4468965 i just want to clarify. No way am i saying this is a great beer, but if the style you like is Bud, miller, Coors, then it's definitely better. Tue Mar 03 08:37:07 -0800 2009 4465358 60603 TroyTempest 2 4466195 I just saw Pabst in cans for $6.50 a twelve pack. I used to drink it a lot but haven't had it in years. Maybe I'll give it another shot. Mon Mar 02 11:18:41 -0800 2009 4457494 13997 2chez mike 3 4485845 $11 for a 24 pack today at CVS. I bought one. Not such a bad beer, really. Sun Mar 08 19:52:35 -0700 2009 4466195 13997 2chez mike 3 4771441 There is a beer store near me that sells Pabst in cans for $10.99---and that's for a 30 pack! Sun Jun 14 08:10:10 -0700 2009 4466195 100812 jayjay 4 4771910 that's pretty amazing. I think 12 is about 7.99 here in NoVA. Sun Jun 14 11:36:06 -0700 2009 4771441 10998 Jim Dorsch 2 4945031 In Maine, I judge a convenience store if they sell single 16 oz. PBRs for less that a buck. Many do. "Red Neck, White Sox and Blue Ribbon Beer", heee haw, a classic C&W song. Thu Aug 13 18:19:26 -0700 2009 4457494 93538 Passadumkeg 1 4480697 My local shop in CT just put on sale BARONS from Australia, $4.99 per six. The lager is clean, light bodied, crisp. ESB has a bit more mouth and a touch of hops on the finish Black Wattle Seed Ale is almost like a cross between a stout and a brown. Similar to a more roasted flavored Newcastle. I mean...how can you go wrong with a craft beer @ $5 a 6pk??? Fri Mar 06 14:41:45 -0800 2009 4442157 253803 triggs73 1 4481498 My local supermarket here in NYC has Old Milwaukee for $3.99 a six pack. Cheapest beer at local Traders Joes is $5.99 a six pack. I like their dark imported Mexican beer, Trader Jose's, also a buck a bottle. Fri Mar 06 20:36:53 -0800 2009 4442157 12867 BluPlateSpec 1 4494120 PBR, and I aint even joking. We get that on tap by me. Wed Mar 11 08:39:45 -0700 2009 4442157 202497 MattInNJ 2 4999144 Agree - PBR!!! Wed Sep 02 10:12:30 -0700 2009 4494120 101367 BigSteve 1 4539099 For the last year or two, Coors six packs of regular long neck bottles have been $3.73 at all the Rite Aids in Ventura, CA. Coors Lite bottles are regularly priced ($6.99+-). Is that true at Rite Aids elsewhere? Anyone know why they leave the price so cheap? I almost think its a Rite Aid computer pricing glitch that was never corrected. Wed Mar 25 20:39:11 -0700 2009 4442157 277505 klr 1 4544250 PBR. Fri Mar 27 12:32:18 -0700 2009 4442157 142652 madgreek 2 4554914 damn straight! Tue Mar 31 12:38:04 -0700 2009 4544250 202497 MattInNJ 3 4999146 Agreeing again with PBR. Wed Sep 02 10:12:57 -0700 2009 4554914 101367 BigSteve 1 4545638 Homebrew. Fri Mar 27 22:00:47 -0700 2009 4442157 51760 joshekg 2 4546330 Now you're talking. Been brewing at home for almost 38 years and while I like quite a few commercial beers, I have very rarely had one that I could honestly say was better than good homebrew. Sat Mar 28 09:47:21 -0700 2009 4545638 116047 The Professor 3 4547443 " I have very rarely had one that I could honestly say was better than good homebrew. " Even counting say the Trappist Ales? Sat Mar 28 18:51:29 -0700 2009 4546330 26180 Chinon00 4 4549453 Not my favorite style, I'm afraid... I drink them very rarely. So I guess that's a "yes". I do have a lot of respect for the style though, and glad that it's kept alive. Sun Mar 29 16:45:20 -0700 2009 4547443 116047 The Professor 3 4551284 I definitely enjoy many commercial beers and probably won't brew some styles due to time / space constraints (Russian River Consecration comes to mind, sour beer blend aged in oak), but you can't beat it on price. Yesterday I brewed up a low alcohol Saison (should be around 3%). 5 gallon all-grain batch cost $20 so approx $2.25 / 6 pack. My brew before this was a Barleywine (8%) which cost around $4.50 / 6 pack. Obviously there are some startup costs involved (mine were around $100) and it takes time to brew, but if you enjoy it it can be a lot of fun. Mon Mar 30 11:03:52 -0700 2009 4546330 51760 joshekg 1 4555765 I think eye of the hawk at trader joes is a great bargain for i think $7.99 a sixer Tue Mar 31 16:58:20 -0700 2009 4442157 74192 chuckl 1 4589379 At BJ's (membership store) in my area you can get a 28-pack of Sam Adams Boston Ale for $24.99 - probably this will be my everyday drinkin' brew this summer. They also have (or have had; some are seasonals) craft packs of Michelob, Sam Adams, Blue Moon, and Shipyard for equivalent - slightly upwards of a buck a beer. Our really cheap house plonk/cold one after yard work/too many bills this month beer is Labatt's Blue - usually $17.99 for 30 cans at the supermarket. Good cold with a wad of lemon or lime in the glass, and cans with drinkable beer inside are great for camping and such, and easy to lug to the redemption center. Sun Apr 12 10:58:48 -0700 2009 4442157 160926 Kinnexa 1 4625058 Simpler Times is a good cheap beer. It's definitely the best in that price range. The price breaks down to about $0.06/oz. Though PBR ends up being about $0.04/oz., I will agree that simpler times has a lot more depth. That doesn't mean I will stop drinking my PBR-lol. Fri Apr 24 09:51:23 -0700 2009 4442157 142652 madgreek 1 4629417 Back when I was in a poor college kid in SoCal, the best of the cheaps was Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve. I seem to remember it being a bit like a Negro Modelo and could always find it for a hair under .75/bottle at supermarkets. Sun Apr 26 07:08:44 -0700 2009 4442157 100905 cali2ia 2 4632276 I remember that there were always great deals on Henry Weinhardt's beers at the Safeway supermarkets in CA. They came in a variety styles, and one of them was an amber-colored brew w/ a distinct Cascade hop character. IIRC, the "Private Reserve" was a pilsner... Mon Apr 27 09:18:37 -0700 2009 4629417 90936 Kenji 1 4741794 If it's brewed in Monroe, it's made by Huber and must be good. i will look for it. Thu Jun 04 07:57:50 -0700 2009 4442157 245387 scaryjoe 1 4742418 I was told @ NorCal TJ's that both Wittekerke(my white go to) & Simpler Times(my camping go to) aren't coming back. Stock up now :( Side note, they are also discontinuing a Vino Verde, "Espiral"(?) that was I believe 3.99 a bottle...sad. Thu Jun 04 10:53:47 -0700 2009 4442157 14087 mmerino 1 4829179 I normally pick up Yeungling. But if I'm looking for dirt cheap, Natty Light is what I go with. I kinda like that it is completely unpretentious and doesn't try to be anything it isn't. I don't normally mind stepping up in price a tiny bit and getting something better, like a Sierra Nevada. It depends in the context of how I intend to drink it... Sat Jul 04 08:53:45 -0700 2009 4442157 199612 Fritish 1 4866470 Full Sail LTD Series Recipe No. 3 (pale blue label says :well looky here, a crisp new pilsner style...) is very tasty and my local Trader Joe's currently sells it for a very reasonable $6.49. A great malty flavor that reminds me of good crusty French bread, a light touch of caramel, and a pleasant hop bitterness, nicely balanced, really enjoyable. I don't have much experience or expertise in 'authentic' pilsner, so I can't say if it's true to style, but it is truly delicious and a great value. Fri Jul 17 00:37:08 -0700 2009 4442157 149239 juantanamera 1 4879253 Somehow I don't think anyone has mentioned Narragansett yet - New England specific, but if you live here, it's affordable and/but better than you would expect. I've been paying $5.99 a 6 pack and haven't been hunting too hard for a bargain. http://www.beercrusade.com/2009/06/its-bit-humbling-to-learn-that.html Tue Jul 21 19:50:10 -0700 2009 4442157 68210 andytee 1 4897775 a little surprised to not find lionshead on here. a case of 24 bottles is about $11ish and it is a decent beer and has puzzles on each cap...for when your bored at a gathering or on your porch! Tue Jul 28 13:14:08 -0700 2009 4442157 192154 pie22 2 4897818 Busch Lite 30 pack for $13.99. The right price for times like these. I used to drink Sierra Nevada pale ale... I have lost some weight since I cut them out. The amount of carbs per bottle is equivalent to a loaf of bread. Tue Jul 28 13:26:37 -0700 2009 4897775 106788 foodsnob14 3 4897896 "Sierra Nevada pale ale...The amount of carbs per bottle is equivalent to a loaf of bread." Damn. Must be some small loaves up there in Connecticut. There's 19g in one SLICE of the bread I bought yesterday (Vermont Bread Co.'s Organic Multigrain)- more than a bottle of SNPA (14.1g). (Not that I've ever paid attention to carbohydrates - in either bread or beer. <g>) Tue Jul 28 13:48:34 -0700 2009 4897818 11059 JessKidden 4 4898678 Perhaps it was a gross exageration about the amount of carbs, all I know is that my waistline is a lot smaller since the switch. Although from time to time I do enjoy a good home/micro brewed beer. Here is an article that applies to this thread. http://gawker.com/5324930/the-rotgut-economy Tue Jul 28 18:24:08 -0700 2009 4897896 106788 foodsnob14 1 4910812 I'm back to what I was drinking when I was a teenager....Pabst Blue Ribbon. I had been on Sierra Nevada for a few years, that along with Guiness will allways be my top picks (for commercial beer anyway). I'm getting PBR for 6.49 a 12 in the Charlotte area, while I can't find Sierra for less than 15 a 12! Sun Aug 02 10:33:29 -0700 2009 4442157 280632 randyhusted 1 4912789 Scmidts beer. I get it locally (central NJ) for 2.99 a six pack, 3.99 tall boys, or 12.99 for the "Animal Pack," i.e, 30 pack! You cant beat it for the money, cheaper than Pabst and just as "good!" Mon Aug 03 07:48:27 -0700 2009 4442157 1098804 Bill VonDoom 2 4913109 There has been a real resurgence of the retro brands, at least in NJ. It reminds me of a funny, old song by the Pleasure Seekers, called "What a Way to Die." I think it's avaiable to sample/buy on iTunes. Mon Aug 03 09:18:31 -0700 2009 4912789 141889 MGZ 1 4913515 Speaking of bad cheap beer, does anyone know if Black Label (Carling?) is still being produced and sold? I cant find it anywhere around me but I see reviews of it on Beer Advocate as recently as June so it must still be out there somewhere. Specifically Id like to find it in the greater Boston area if possible. Anyone have any leads? Mon Aug 03 11:11:01 -0700 2009 4442157 238787 Insidious Rex 2 4913702 It's another Pabst-owned brand now (going the familiar Carling>CarlingNational>Heileman>Stroh>Pabst route) but I notice they don't have a website for the brand yet. http://www.pabstbrewingco.com/portfolio/ (You'll have to go throught their age-check first), so official distribution info isn't available. This fan site, however, does list some distributors and retailers http://heymabelblacklabel.com/id32.htm including MA. It's an odd brand now that the once "worldwide" Carling empire has been broken up. In Canada, it's a Molson-owned brand since the 80's (IIRC) and in the UK (where it's one of the biggest brands), it's one of the former "Bass" brands that's now a Coors-owned label (so, since it's now MolsonCoors, both "halves" of the company brew a "Carling Black Label"). In the US, it's marketed by Pabst but one assumes that it's brewed in a Miller plant (well, techincally MillerCoors), as are most (but not all) of their brands. Mon Aug 03 12:10:07 -0700 2009 4913515 11059 JessKidden 3 4913843 Thanks for that Jess. Called up Downtown Wine & Spirits in Somerville. Looks like they may carry it at least. This was my Dads regular. So we gotta honor the old man once a year by tracking it down and making a toast. Mon Aug 03 12:44:00 -0700 2009 4913702 238787 Insidious Rex 4 4913888 I lived for a short time in Newton MA back when the Carling plant in Natick was still open. IIRC one of the early books on US breweries called it "one of the most beautifully situated breweries in America" (or something like that). I barely remember it- but it was on a lake (as was the Carling brewery in Frankenmuth, MI, too, I think). I can't say I ever drank much Black Label back then (tho' I did buy their Red Cap Ale whenever I came across a six-pack that looked like it might be fresh)- being in New England, I was big on the Narragansett-brewed ales- Croft and Pickwick (sister brews of my "house beer" at the time as well as "my old man's beer"- Ballantine Ale). Mon Aug 03 12:55:21 -0700 2009 4913843 11059 JessKidden 5 5031408 the carling plant was on the shore of lake cochituate, on route 9 close to its intersection with speen street in natick. there was also a ford assembly plant near by and a drive in movie theatre. they had tours of the plant and you could drink fresh beer until the next tour came through, they were not that concerned with checking ones i.d. in those days and the drinking age was eighteen. toured the plant many times in the afternoon on the way to an evening of trouble. actually i was a 'gansett guy in my heart, but free beer?!? come on... Tue Sep 15 09:24:24 -0700 2009 4913888 72635 hyde 4 5029173 They have it at supreme liquors at central sq. IIRC the 18 pack is roughly the cost of normal cheap beer 12 packs. Mon Sep 14 12:39:54 -0700 2009 4913843 111910 jgg13 5 5034525 Yeah I found it at Downtown Wine & Spirits in Somerville. They too only had the 18 pack so I still have about 15 of them in the fridge... But thanks to everyone that helped with recs. Wed Sep 16 11:30:53 -0700 2009 5029173 238787 Insidious Rex 6 5034952 BTW, why is it that it seems like a lot of the time when someone mentions a specific liquor store, it is one in the boston/cambridge/somerville area? Are we just a region of drunks? :) Wed Sep 16 13:56:03 -0700 2009 5034525 111910 jgg13 7 5035093 Am trying very hard not to make any Irish cracks... And it didnt help that you had a massively popular syndicated TV show that took place in a Boston bar for like 13 years! Wed Sep 16 14:50:24 -0700 2009 5034952 238787 Insidious Rex 7 5035472 "Are we just a region of drunks?" yes, and a region with one of the best cocktail cultures in the country. Wed Sep 16 17:38:37 -0700 2009 5034952 68210 andytee 2 4920470 It is sold at the Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland for $2/can. I guess it makes sense. It's a cheap beer that isn't well known enough any more to carry the negative stigma of PBR or Bush. Wed Aug 05 13:37:35 -0700 2009 4913515 142652 madgreek 1 4927227 Miller High Life-12 pack bottles-$7.49 at CVS in SoCal. Fri Aug 07 16:36:18 -0700 2009 4442157 13997 2chez mike 2 4944929 Coors Extra Gold always works for me. It's not sold all over the country, or so I'm told, but it's pretty refreshing. A few years ago it was $11.99 a 30 pack, now it's around $15.50-16.00. Yet I don't like Coors Light! Thu Aug 13 17:36:54 -0700 2009 4927227 82574 jethro 3 4949624 Can't go wrong with the 24oz can of Miller High Life at 7-11 Sat Aug 15 17:27:06 -0700 2009 4944929 1095683 scottydlv 1 5000619 Local store has Shiner Bock or Bohemian Black for $19.99 per case. Seems like a good deal to me. Wed Sep 02 18:37:27 -0700 2009 4442157 15018 elgringoviejo 1 5001642 In my local Costco (Austin, TX), you can get a case of SNPA for 19.99. Bud Light was 17.49. $1.50 difference between these 2 beers, that's whacked. Thu Sep 03 07:18:16 -0700 2009 4442157 60603 TroyTempest 2 5002085 And I'm almost sure that Corona would be even higher than both. They want 30 bucks for a case for it where I live. Please. Thu Sep 03 09:17:53 -0700 2009 5001642 26180 Chinon00 2 5003695 I think for what you get SNPA is maybe the best value in good beer. Good find Thu Sep 03 18:34:21 -0700 2009 5001642 74192 chuckl 2 5030693 Agreed, amazing that SNPA is priced so similar to 'premium' macro swill. A classic beer for nearly the same price as a crappy beer. Tue Sep 15 02:59:37 -0700 2009 5001642 149239 juantanamera 1 5004503 Bought a 30 can case of Stroh's for $13.99, and thought that it was not too bad. At least it didn't taste bad like Heineken and Beck's. Fri Sep 04 07:19:21 -0700 2009 4442157 15018 elgringoviejo 1 5028122 I've recently discovered Tap Room No.21 while searching for a cheaper beer. It's brewed in Rochester, NY. They make a really nice Lager, a mild Amber, and I'm sure others. I'm able pick them up at my local supermarket for $6.99 a six pack. Mon Sep 14 07:10:28 -0700 2009 4442157 1107075 Gurrdy 2 5028218 "Tap Room No. 21" is a "dba" for Genesee Brewing Company ("Rochester, NY" on a beer label of an "unknown" beer means Genesee brewed it)- it's a contract deal for a company called "Winery Exchange" which specializes in supplying grocery store chains with private label alcoholic beverage brands (which also means the beers will usually only be available at one retailer's stores in a particular region). http://www.wineryexchange.com/beer.asp?id=25 IIRC, City Brewing in Lacrosse, WI also does some of the Winery Exchange US beers (they also have some Euro and Mexican imports as well). Mon Sep 14 07:48:16 -0700 2009 5028122 11059 JessKidden 1 5037852 XX; mock if you must Thu Sep 17 14:30:34 -0700 2009 4442157 1081531 drlee_susquespine 2 5040397 Can't mock it...it's good stuff. Admittedly I haven't had it recently, but it was always one of the best examples around of a Vienna style lager. As with other 'big brewery' beers, there is a lot of undeserved prejudice against it. I always liked its balance. Fri Sep 18 13:19:39 -0700 2009 5037852 116047 The Professor 3 5040651 I don't think it's cheap, however. Fri Sep 18 15:04:27 -0700 2009 5040397 10998 Jim Dorsch 4 5041858 You're right I suppose... it's priced in these parts in the same ballpark as Warsteiner or Hacker -Pschorr (which seem to sell for less than most other imports). So it's definitely not PBR cheap. I guess it's only cheap compared to some of the 'craft' specialty beers. Still a good value though. Sat Sep 19 08:05:43 -0700 2009 5040651 116047 The Professor 5 5042038 Tecate must be the cheapest Mexican beer, although it bears scant resemblance to Dos Equis Amber. Modelo cans are priced reasonably, too. Sat Sep 19 09:45:32 -0700 2009 5041858 10998 Jim Dorsch