£7.60 for a pint?

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"I won't overpay for beer" is a relative statement for me. A beer made at home versus grocery store versus beer store versus restaurant all have different price ceilings. For example, I know that the price of a beer I buy at a restaurant is going to hurt because I'll only get something in the higher ABV range (RIS, Quad, Tripel) and so I'll only have a couple, relax because it's a night out and not grumble that I can make something similar for $1.15. I do the same thing with a burger joint or a steak house.

Side note: I wasn't aware, until I read this thread, that you all have the "hipster" thing going on like in the US (could have started in the UK, I don't know). I haven't had a NEIPA or anything similar. I haven't run across any hipsters and have no personal opinion of a hipster. The main knock, from what I gather, is that this group, allegedly, is willing to overpay for the newest beer no matter the quality and that this group influences the craft beer market/microbreweries. Maybe so, maybe not. If the product I like dwindles from the alleged catering to a subgroup, it just means making more beer at home.

Crazy cans: At the specialty beer store, there are so many options and, probably, half with these insanely busy labels that I just pass over because they're like street graffiti that I can't read immediately. I just assume they are targeted to a different group.

That's absolutely right that the price that one deems accptable is based on context (i.e where you're buying).

From what I can tell, I think the "craft beer movement" came over from the US. I lived in Houston for two years (2013-2015). I don't recall much in the way of craft beer in the UK before I moved there, then witnessed it in full flow in and around the states, and by the time I came back, it seemed to be picking up here too. It's worth knowing that my tastes changed over those few years, and my memory is appauling for someone in their early 30s.
I certainly don't recall all the "crazy cans" that are available now back then in the UK (plenty in the US). The funny thing I think about the crazy artwork on cans and pump clips is that I assume they're meant to stand out, but to me, they're now all so similarly psychedelic that they end up being just one big blur of unicorn vomit, and the simple designs stand out to me more as a result.

 

[DavidDetroit]

I noticed that as well about "standing out." If they're all getting artistic--nothing wrong with that, inherently--they all look the same. I think reputation is the best way to increase sales. As an aside, in Detroit, a business or two started putting up intense, white strings of light around their storefront windows. It did draw the attention but now 80% of the business have them. I've noticed a beer company or three here has resorted to plainer cans and labeling and now they stand out. Go figure.
Personally, I just need to be able to read the maker, the style and the ABV.
Were you in Texas for work or are you from the US? "Craft Beer" from that time frame you mentioned was more or less Blue Moon for me

 

[Kerby]

20yrs ago i only earned a paltry 450 quids a week net. So i could just about afford to go out after work
with it costing about 1.20pt
at 7.60 a pint Do these pubs take American Express. ?????

That means you earnt approx £26500 (gross) a year at a time when the average UK salary was £18848 or almost exactly the current average for Wales, I wouldn’t describe that as “paltry”. In fact had these beers existed at the time you’d probably be their target market, just an observation not a judgement. I’m amazed at £1.20 a pint even twenty years ago, nearly 25 years ago at bar 101 in Derby I was paying £1.01 after changing its name to bar 121 can you guess what the beer cost?

 

[Kerby]

The problem is that their are a lot of ”upmarket” bars that will call something craft and charge you £7.60 for the privilege. I don’t mind paying £7.60 or more for a pint but I do mind paying £7.60 for a mediocre pint. If you want to charge a premium price you need to actually offer a premium product.

That said in certain circumstances I will tolerate paying a premium for average beer if the pub itself is particularly pleasant and the company is good (if you go to a pub in the city centre or many rural pubs you just have to accept that you will pay a premium) but too many breweries and venues use the “craft” label as an excuse to mark up beers which aren’t mealy average but down right awful.

Absolutely agree, I’ve had some excellent and unusual beers that I’ve paid a premium for, as Clint said the occasional “treat”. However, there are also some pubs around here that charge £7 for a Peroni, I can’t see how they vacant justify it, needless to say I don’t frequent these establishments much.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I noticed that as well about "standing out." If they're all getting artistic--nothing wrong with that, inherently--they all look the same. I think reputation is the best way to increase sales. As an aside, in Detroit, a business or two started putting up intense, white strings of light around their storefront windows. It did draw the attention but now 80% of the business have them. I've noticed a beer company or three here has resorted to plainer cans and labeling and now they stand out. Go figure.
Personally, I just need to be able to read the maker, the style and the ABV.
Were you in Texas for work or are you from the US? "Craft Beer" from that time frame you mentioned was more or less Blue Moon for me

I was considering making bottle labels for my homebrew, just black text on white background using Times New Roman. Mainly because I am not artist. I recon if a brewery did the same, counterintuitively it would stand out.

I was in the states for work, as a teacher in an International school (British curriculum). My teaching days are behind me now, but it afforded me and the wife (weren't married at the time) the opportunity to see a lot more of the US and Canada than we had done before. She's half American, though it doesn't show. She used to teach too and we both had jobs in the same school. Loved all of it except the teaching job.

 

[obscure]

I was considering making bottle labels for my homebrew, just black text on white background using Times New Roman. Mainly because I am not artist. I recon if a brewery did the same, counterintuitively it would stand out.

I was in the states for work, as a teacher in an International school (British curriculum). My teaching days are behind me now, but it afforded me and the wife (weren't married at the time) the opportunity to see a lot more of the US and Canada than we had done before. She's half American, though it doesn't show. She used to teach too and we both had jobs in the same school. Loved all of it except the teaching job.

Possibly something akin to how penguin did some of their books


The simplicity is what makes it stand out, of course I suspect in reality every part of the design was carefully thought out and planned.

 

[Zee]

That is probably from the South Western Arms.

 

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Possibly something akin to how penguin did some of their books

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The simplicity is what makes it stand out, of course I suspect in reality every part of the design was carefully thought out and planned.

Yes, that's exactly the sort of thing that stands out for its elegant simplicity. I like it!

 

[Arcs]

Lets be clear. Just because someone has set up a microbrewery knocking out a few barrels of beer a week, does not mean the beer is guaranteed to be any good whether badged with the term 'craft' or anything else, and sold at whatever price the market will stand. I sampled quite a few beers at the GBBF a few years back and found that out.
So the same applies the microbreweries just as it does for the major brewers, with the difference there being between say TT Landlord (or substitute your own favourite beer) and John Smiths.

However if we all banded together to make one large microbrewery and sold beer, I am confident we'd be a mighty force in the brewing industry to be reckoned with and easy price our beer at twenty quid a pint ;d