Is Beer Too Expensive?

[Bribie G]

The discussion around take home pay in various countries isn't really productive. I'd be more than happy to earn 30 percent less for:



and that's the new price off the Ford Website

Not to mention



Reckon I could handle that mortgage, hey. Edit: and if you look at that date, it was before the subprime crisis . The Australian consumer gets shafted right left and centre, and not just on beer.

 

[pbrosnan]

Dear Patrick,

Do you honestly think I am an idiot? You raise an issue regarding prices of SNPA between USA and Australia...we (it was more than just I) meerely pointed out that that is unlikely to be a reasonable comparison...and I did produce figures (as meaningless as they are) of average incomes, not GDP per capita or household income or some other even less relevant number....

Being backed into a corner, you then throw up Chimay? I am not into your trolling games. If I respond (with many issues related to Belgium), I have no doubt you'll have another country with another beer.

By all means, keep persisting with your ill-informed understanding of international salaries, labour costs, taxes, pricing parity, tariffs, shipping costs etc etc etc but I aint gonna research each example for you.

I re-state the bottom line, it aint that simple.

Cheers
Leigh

Calm down there! I brought up the subject of Chimay way back. And I wasn't the one to start banging on about relative wages rates etc. My indignation at the cost of beer stems from having been to Belgium and the US this year and observing that in both places the lucky punters are getting their quality beer a lot cheaper than we are. It seems as though I'm a pariah for that. To bad, I'll just stay away from overpriced beer. I take it you are too incensed to response rationaly. And your last line is ironic given that you appear to have reduced the cause to a single factor.
"Being backed into a corner" LOL.

Just noticed BridieGs post. I noted when in the US that a 2 year old Merc would be worth about $20,000.

 

[Scruffy]

The Australian consumer gets shafted right left and centre, and not just on beer.

Amen, ...bet you haven't noticed your grocery bill from your favourite Cartel; Coles and Woolies has gone up 40% in the past 3 years.
When we arrived from London last year we thought at least food would be cheaper - nope, a tin of own brand budget tomatoes in Woolies is about $0.80 - equivalent in Asda (UK)... $0.50. A pack of San Remo Linguine, Woolies $2.71 - Asda $1.34. Potatoes? Woolies $2.99kg, Asda: $0.88kg. (shopping online today, xe.com for conversions to AUD)

They're taking the piss!!

Pint Of Beer?

 

[beersom]

Well you can suggest what you like but you haven't produced any figures. And I don't really see what you second point adds. And you still haven't addressed the price of Chimay. It's a pity that we can only buy sample sized amounts of these beers. If you get to like it you'll end up with a very expensive habit. And it's correct to say that the outrageous (remember 87 bucks for 12 330ml stubbies) price is part of the reason to brew, it would be nice to have an sensible option though.

WHen I get a bit of time (next day or so ) I will post some rough production costings up here for a bigger Belgian style Australian brewed beer.
Bigfridge is on the mark as to ripple effect of excise.
As far as a Chimay comparison goes , well yeah it does seem odd but the figures I post will help show a little of detail about that. We must also remember that Chimay is not a little brewery by output standards of Australian craftbreweries- they also benefit from economies of scale. We must also remember that a lot (not all) of imported beer in Australia is the arse end of euro-distributors consignments so it may get sold relatively cheaply to the Aus importer who then has to add in all their associated costs before it lands on your local shelf for $7.99.

As a comparison a brewery that I work for sells a 7.2% dubbel for $28 a 6 pack... but the margin is tight and the price will likely rise soon.

Will get onto those figures tonight.

 

[pbrosnan]

"As a comparison a brewery that I work for sells a 7.2% dubbel for $28 a 6 pack... but the margin is tight and the price will likely rise soon."
Where is this brewery of which you speak that dares to sell quality beer a reasonable price?

 

[jimi]

If we're finding the commercial product a bit too pricey we could always brew our own
May be sound out a "extra special" case swap, rules being everyone must offer a tripel and be AG (if ever a flame suit was warrented). If you make the organising you make the rules, no one has to join if they don't want.

 

[gregs]

This is getting a little off the original subject, but as far as groceries go we are all getting screwed over by the two large chains Coles and woollies, this is because its all to do with delivering profits to share holders. And thats a shame because there is virtually no competition in this country and we dont have the population to produce competition when this situation arises. As for the beer prices, some are way too expensive for what they are offering, craft brewed or not. Others are priced to my liking such as OeTTINGER German Pils made to the German purity law just $30.00 for 24 X 330ml @4.7% alc and is a great beer now thats value. So how can they do that when by comparison an Australian pils of similar quality is around $50.00 for the same amount and a pils form a micro brewery would be around $70.00. Im not after any argument I just feel ripped off some times.

 

[ledgenko]

The price of a beer is completely irrelevant in this matter ... I try new beers I see at Dan Bloody Murphys in the hopes I will find another taste sensation.. hell I found White Rabbit Dark ale becasue of this site .. never tasted but followed the AG recipe and drank 10 litres or there abouts before trying the real deal ... sadly I was let down as I believe the clone on here shat all over the "real one"... but the excitement of trying both made it all worth while twice...

 

[Nick JD]

There's expensive beer?

You guys should look into homebrewing. You can make it at home.

It's much cheaper.