The Bar Towel

Cass wrote: It also said $12 for STIPA and $13.95 for Dogfish, not sure if that was mentioned before. Pretty awesome deal for the STIPA, it's cheaper than Tankhouse.

I just want to open this up to discussion...

So, the Southern Tier IPA is now listed on the LCBO website. The price is $14.10 per six pack. Interestingly Roland & Russell have the case prices for ST IPA listed on their website as $48 for licensee's and $52.80 for private orders. That works out to $12 and $13.20 per six which falls into line with Cass's price found in the LCBO's own literature. What's the price bump all about? Don't get me wrong, happy to have the beer here at even the higher price BUT...there's something about this that's fishy.

Interested in an explanation? Do you care?

Maybe the LBCO just thought they could do it and did. They do make irrational price increases all the time (hop shortage? Good catchphrase, now we can charge two bucks more!!) and rarely does our beloved Bureau behemoth bring too-high prices into line after the fact.

(Which is justified because it's the Government.)

What does a sixer of this usually go for in the states? I'm guessing around $9-$10 on average...so that would have us only paying about 50% more, seems fair to me.....NOT!

Jon Walker wrote:What's the price bump all about? Don't get me wrong, happy to have the beer here at even the higher price BUT...there's something about this that's fishy.

Seconded. The original price of $12.whatever was from the LCBO's US Craft Beer booklet, n'est pas?

Maybe the cost of fixing up the bar code issue is being passed along to the consumer? Don't care myself as I'll only be buying one bottle.

lister wrote:Maybe the cost of fixing up the bar code issue is being passed along to the consumer? Don't care myself as I'll only be buying one bottle.

It's pretty good. You may get hooked into more than one.

Perhaps they wanted to bring it in line with Dogfish and Dead Guy, which are listed at $13.95 in the craft beer booklet. It is odd to hike it $2 from a published price.

Cass wrote:Perhaps they wanted to bring it in line with Dogfish and Dead Guy, which are listed at $13.95 in the craft beer booklet. It is odd to hike it $2 from a published price.

Seeing as it's a published price, couldn't one argue that they have to sell it at that price, as it'd be false advertising otherwise?

Illuminatus wrote:It's pretty good. You may get hooked into more than one.

Betcha I won't.

Despite numerous tries (and I almost always try new beers once) I just can't get around big hoppy beers. Same goes with Belgian Wit style beers (bleah to corriander!)

lister wrote:Maybe the cost of fixing up the bar code issue is being passed along to the consumer?

Let's see what R&R have to say about it but I fear this may not be far off the truth.

The original application for the ST IPA went in well over one year ago and actually came in at that price point of $14.10.

Since then there has been fluctuations in currency values and oil which have an inpact on freight charges and production costs at the brewery.

There was extra costs also incurred at the brewery level for new labels to comply with this market.

It is not unheard of for prices to be adjusted. What was and remains very important, is that ST and other US craft breweries are not discouraged by this market and its requirements.

Agents are also not always privy to the pricing administration process. We are also obligated to respect client/LCBO relationship details.

While $12.00 sounded like a real bargain, Roland + Russell believes the product is still well priced for a product of this acclaim and quality.

We sincerely hope that you will support the Southern Tier IPA as this will open the doors to bringing in some of the other fantastic brews made not just by this brewery, but by other US craft brewers.

Very much doubt that support for the ST will be a problem. I'll be watching Ottawa area stores very carefully because I'm willing to bet it will fly and I don't want to end up empty handed... and I'm a drinker who isn't particularly gaga for American IPAs.

Hey, at least maybe now it won't sell out so quickly in stores. I had a hell of a time maintaining my DFH stock two summers ago.

FYI, Rogue Dead Guy has cleared the LCBO pricing hurdle (we're sticking to $13.95 including deposit) and it should start rolling out to stores soon.

I don't see why I get flak for trying to suggest the state-run monopoly should respect its customers in a democratic country.

The glossy booklet that is in stores now (not one year ago...but in stores now....) says $12 for ST IPA.
A price of $14.30...is a 19% increase over what the LCBO promises in the booklet, in stores now.
I guess they sense demand, so it's a easy thing to take it out of their customers pockets even more...
Calling it just a couple dollars more per six pack, is a bit misleading.
It's a nearly 20 per cent hike.

That is of course...if we ever get to purchase it...