I refuse to ridicule someone for drinking “crap” beer…you know, anything brewed by a “Macro Brewery.” Why? First, negativity is far less conducive to communicating a better idea, and two, I’d be making fun of myself because I wasn’t just born into this idea that there are better beers out there. I, like many others, were weaned from MGD to IPA.
That being said, I do try introduce friends and family to better beers. Always, across the board, the number one complaint against craft beer is not that it tastes bad (although often acclamation is necessary), but that it is TOO EXPENSIVE. And the complaint bears some validity, though at times I have been know to argue otherwise from a broader alcohol perspective. But I get it. I mean, I love me some sour beers. I would drink a tongue twisting, lactobacillus born beauty everyday if I could, but I can’t afford it.
But there is a compromise, and I have proof.
At the grocery store I happened to notice that Boulevard’s Pilsner was actually CHEAPER than BudLight. Boulevard’s Pilsner was priced at $5.59 and Anhueser Busch’s BudLight was priced at $5.99 Even better, Boulevard’s Pilsner is actually a really good beer. When I’m in the mood for a good session pilsner to drink at a picnic or on my back porch in the summer and I don’t have any homebrewed Pilsner on hand, I’ll sometimes grab Boulevard’s Pilsner. It’s clean, crisp, full flavored, bready…and a hell of a lot better than BudLight.
The great thing is, is that Boulevard’s Pilsner isn’t a leap for the macro drinker. When weaning a baby off powdered formula or breast milk, you start introducing whole MILK not Coca Cola, right? So doesn’t it make sense to offer that Miler Light zombie a better tasting (yet familiar) Boulevard Pilsner that actually costs LESS than what their used to?
I am sure that keen eye can find these deals in other cities from other breweries. I’ll tell you what I’m doing…I’m keeping these pics on my phone, so that the next time somebody gripes, “Craft beer is just too expensive,” I’ll whip out exhibit A and exhibit B and hopefully make a convert.
Why would you choose a Bud Light for any reason whatsoever…let alone under these circumstances. Go craft!
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The only reason I drink anything from the big three… “its there.”
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michael reinhardt Reply:
February 2nd, 2011 at 10:11 am
I drink it if someone is being a gracious host…don’t want to insult. Then, I can hit ‘em with some good home brew when they come to my house.
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I totally agree that the superior tone of negativity is uncalled for BUT there are times when I want to sit people down who have a case of Natural Light and ask them what the end purpose of the beer is for them.
Are they buying just for price? Are they buying to get a buzz on? Because if it is price (like you pointed out) you can occasionally do a lot better for less. And if it is for the buzz reason, why are they drinking the lowest ABV on the shelves when there is much better flavor with higher alcohol out there.
I guess I am just confused as to why anyone would buy it, just like I am confused that anyone would buy cheese from a spray can.
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THFBeer_nate Reply:
February 2nd, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Agree completely, Sean. I had a conversation along those lines recently with a Miller Lite drinker.
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Big Tex Reply:
February 2nd, 2011 at 3:15 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXwvL7n7NCQ
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So when we starting talking about price points… we can begin to extol the virtues of homebrew. Now, I’ve got a 10-gallon batch of oatmeal stout in the works (as of this morning, only one fermenter was bubbling… weird) and paid $25 for the ingredients. (Caveat: my supplier has the best prices bar-none, and he does it out of his home). A similar recipe would cost me $35 to $40 at a standard home brew shop. At any rate, the numbers bear it out at cheaper than the new Walgreens light lager (50 cents a can). Only the initial cost of the equipment is the real price issue… and a stout will be less expensive than an imperial IPA.
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