Times are tough. You now need a home equity line to fill up the gas tank of your Suburban. Your home mortgage lender is likely insolvent. Feeding your children requires a second job. Worse than that, Anheuser-Busch just announced it's packing up and moving to
All is not lost sports fans – despite soaring grain and hop prices, not to mention shipping costs - you can still drink well and for not a lot of money (Okay, Okay -- yeah you the morally outraged one in the third row -- lets just dispense with the whole “why are you buying beer when you can’t afford food shock and outrage” this is a BEER COLUMN not a guide to healthy responsible living… Phew got that out of my system, must be the heat or the pending $700 a month ferry price. The weather is hot, the economy is cooling and tempers are flaring -- a properly cooled ale or lager on the front porch – under the new ceiling fans (Thanks Al) is what I need.
Point 1 – Craft Beer is still not a Bad Deal!
You can still buy world-class craft beers for around $8- $10 a six pack for home consumption. Drink three of bottles of a craft brew for just $5 bucks. Aside from a Bottle of “Three Buck Chuck” at Trader Joe’s try and find a single bottle of decent wine at that price?
Point 2 -It’s About the Taste Stupid!
But it's not just about the price. You want good value and taste for your hard earned coin. We are not at the
When bargain hunting you should look at a brews ABV - alcohol by volume - the higher the alcohol by volume, the more malt needed to get there. More malt usually means more hops to offset the sweetness with the end result being a more complex flavor. More ingredients usually mean a higher price, too. I say usually as there is a whole market segment devoted to high alcohol low taste brews like “Steel Reserve” and “Mickey’s Big Mouth” these brews use corn and other flavorless adjuncts to boost ABV without adding anything to the palate – except a nice “Corny” taste. Blecch!
For price/ABV comparison consider Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (9 percent ABV), at $10 a four pack as compared to Dogfish’s 60 Minute IPA (6 percent ABV) for $8 or $9 for a six-pack. Less ingredients = lower price. Dale’s TenFidy Imperial Russian Stout (10%ABV) $11.99 for a four pack of 12 ounce cans vs. $16 for a twelve pack of Dale’s Pale Ale at 6.8% ABV. Thusly forearmed, you can now seek out some very tasty bargains.
Dale’s Pale Ale a robust and flavorful IPA with a blistering hop kick at 6.8% ABV $9.00 a six pack (of cans) at Spirits Unlimited in Red Bank.
Dales TenFidy an incredibly well balanced brew that has a nice hop profile, strong notes of espresso and bittersweet chocolate. 10% ABV $11.00 for a four pack at Spirits in Red Bank.
Stoudt's Fat Dog, an exceptionally smooth, easy-drinking imperial oatmeal stout with huge chocolate notes, 9%ABV. Look for it at Spirits Unlimited in
Paulaner Salvator:$7.99 a sixer 7.2 percent ABV. A double bock from
Saranac Black and Tan (and others): 5.4 percent ABV. Usually $6 -7 for a sixer. For fans of the style this one's an easy sipper with a sweet finish. Most Saranc brews are a good value (Note- JW Dundee products come from the same brewery and go for even less…)
Troegs Sunshine Pils: $7.99 a six-pack. 5.3 percent ABV. A crisp, light Czech style pilsner for less than a buck and a half a bottle?
Or how about a blend? Mix 2 ounces of Dogfish Head Burton Baton $3.49 a 12 ounce bottle (10% ABV) with a 12 ounce CAN (NOT THE BOTTLES PLEASE!!!) of Ballentine Ale (5.3% ABV) $4.50 for six cans and enjoy a rare and flavorful treat. Ballentine is an American Classic and the Burton Baton adds an oaken and spicy hop dimension and a rich amber tint to an inexpensive “frat house” brew.
Can't find these brands? Look for any of the brews from Troegs, Victory,
These are some places to start. If you have another suggestions drop me a line…
