tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post6599248817125834510..comments2024-03-03T19:52:17.901+00:00Comments on ReARM ~ RedNev's Blog: Real ale 'isn't dear enough' and it's all our fault!Neville Grundyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10923209266005338452noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-14327612413661891392019-09-19T19:03:00.152+01:002019-09-19T19:03:00.152+01:00Some of the local pubco pubs sell smooth bitters f...Some of the local pubco pubs sell smooth bitters for less than cask. But it's more likely to be a slow drip-drip-drip of drinking a bit less or going less often. For every price increase, no matter how trivial you may think it is, there will be *someone* was is deterred.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-49665210397330827182019-09-19T18:17:13.688+01:002019-09-19T18:17:13.688+01:00Now, that is an interesting question!Now, that is an interesting question!RedNevnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-46617411496364191082019-09-19T14:06:35.153+01:002019-09-19T14:06:35.153+01:00I agree that blaming drinkers for the lower margin...I agree that blaming drinkers for the lower margins in real ale is misguided, there are a raft of other factors to consider.<br /><br />One question that pops into my head though is if people stop drinking real ale because of a price increase, what do they start drinking in its place?Alistair Reecehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15929927359428659775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-7143401216210023332019-09-19T12:24:59.827+01:002019-09-19T12:24:59.827+01:00My post was intended as one of explanation, firstl...My post was intended as one of explanation, firstly as to why real ale is dearer in real terms now than it used to be, and secondly why people may be unwilling - unable in some cases - to pay more. If excessive taxation and rip-off pub companies were reigned in, just to cite two factors, more profit could end up in the hands of brewers and pubs. My main point was that it is misguided to blame drinkers if real ale isn't as profitable as it should be.RedNevhttps://rednev-rearm.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-77509781700764482372019-09-18T22:52:42.582+01:002019-09-18T22:52:42.582+01:00While I generally agree with the premise of the po...While I generally agree with the premise of the post, I do wonder sometimes whether new breweries coming into the market are put off from producing real ale as a result of the lower margins involved.<br /><br />A couple of years ago I wrote a brewery business plan with my brother as we were investigating the possibility of starting something in the East Midlands and the cost of creating the actual beer is exactly the same for real ale and the dreaded "craft keg", but keg beer has a longer shelf life, even if unfiltered and unpasteurised. <br /><br />Given largely similar production costs but the ability to sell for a higher margin, why would I as a business owner leave money on the table?<br /><br />When I was home in the summer I went to a couple of pubs in the Inverness area that were charging a fiver a pint of excellent kegged beer from the Black Isle Brewing Company, while the average price of real ale seemed to be about 3.50-4.00.<br /><br />To play devils advocate, while it is true that turnover is necessary for real ale given its short shelf life, unless a pub uses cask breathers, does that not create a form of scarcity that would allow pubs to charge a premium on the basis that they consistently provide a superior quality product compared to pubs with lacklustre cellarmanship.<br /><br />The too ready acceptance of mediocre real ale pulls down the places that put quality first.Alistair Reecehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15929927359428659775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-53438005954847567002019-09-18T10:07:26.182+01:002019-09-18T10:07:26.182+01:00Well said Nev. Excellent article.Well said Nev. Excellent article.Tandlemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06804499573827044693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-70308419018492319952019-09-18T09:19:10.649+01:002019-09-18T09:19:10.649+01:00Living in Leytonstone, £4 a pint would increase th...Living in Leytonstone, £4 a pint would increase the cost for standard beers.<br /><br />The new voucher scheme includes Stonegate, Castle Rock and Brains.<br /><br />Certainly agree that draught beer is a bulk commodity and needs to be priced as such to sell.Ian Wordennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-55864179858247192472019-09-18T08:44:11.833+01:002019-09-18T08:44:11.833+01:00I think real ale should be more expensive. £4 mini...I think real ale should be more expensive. £4 minimum. To save pubs and real ale and what not.<br /><br />Keep Spoons Bud Light at £1.99 tho yeh?Cooking Lagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02830924433230427226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-79096979464824053542019-09-17T19:42:00.329+01:002019-09-17T19:42:00.329+01:00Ditto,sadly even some well established breweries d...Ditto,sadly even some well established breweries dont seem to get that point anymore,and try to chase the niche product price for cask,£4.30 for a 3.6% cask ale,when the average in area is £3.50 for an equiv strength ale at best,and then they bemoan the decreasing volume of cask beer they sell at that higher price,cause & effect dont seem to register to them anymoreStonohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656315721111561414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-39640581608300984332019-09-17T18:48:20.712+01:002019-09-17T18:48:20.712+01:00Good point; I completely agree.Good point; I completely agree.RedNevnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285162121291357473.post-30012089547462839432019-09-17T18:27:22.892+01:002019-09-17T18:27:22.892+01:00And arguments like this always miss the fundamenta...And arguments like this always miss the fundamental point that, if you charge more for something, you will inevitably sell less of it. Cask beer is critically dependent on turnover - it has no future as a low-volume niche product sold at a premium price.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.com