Comments on: Twenty beers before lunchtime http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/twenty-beers-before-lunchtime/ zee-tho-fyle, a beer, history, pubs, beerstyles, beer-with-food blog Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:25:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: MicMac http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/twenty-beers-before-lunchtime/#comment-1228 MicMac Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:48:24 +0000 http://zythophile.wordpress.com/?p=96#comment-1228 It's an interesting one this - the blurb to brewers was in many ways much clearer (than other comps) in telling us what we would expect to receive if we were to win - how much the initial order would be in beer volume, and how much we would need to have available every week, ongoing (seemingly, with no commitment from Sainsbo's to buy any of it, though). Rumour has it that the initial price they were willing to pay drew so little (positive) response that it was followed by an increased offer, but having looked then at this, plus the amount of beer that *might* be ordered, it's a bit of a hard sell to many microbrewers. If memory serves, with the increases of duty, raw materials, fuel, etc I think that the costs of brewing & bottling (if outsourced, which for many micros it would need to be, due to supermarket QC outlawing handbottling, etc) all of this would come close to being more than the price being offered. & in terms of the volumes expected only the big boys can play really i.e. initial order - 40,000 bottles = 20,000lits, +5% bottling losses(?) = 21000lits = 128 brewers barrels. When split into e.g. Red Rat's dinky 2.5 barrel brewlength, that's 51 brews! & an ongoing commitment to having 30barrels available every week (another 12 x 2.5Bbl brews for Red Rat). The upshot seems that if you're not pretty big & bottling professionally in-house (St.P's & BathAles, Hamps, WmsBros), then I wonder is it going to be worth your while? It’s an interesting one this - the blurb to brewers was in many ways much clearer (than other comps) in telling us what we would expect to receive if we were to win - how much the initial order would be in beer volume, and how much we would need to have available every week, ongoing (seemingly, with no commitment from Sainsbo’s to buy any of it, though).

Rumour has it that the initial price they were willing to pay drew so little (positive) response that it was followed by an increased offer, but having looked then at this, plus the amount of beer that *might* be ordered, it’s a bit of a hard sell to many microbrewers.

If memory serves, with the increases of duty, raw materials, fuel, etc I think that the costs of brewing & bottling (if outsourced, which for many micros it would need to be, due to supermarket QC outlawing handbottling, etc) all of this would come close to being more than the price being offered.

& in terms of the volumes expected only the big boys can play really

i.e. initial order - 40,000 bottles = 20,000lits, +5% bottling losses(?) = 21000lits = 128 brewers barrels.

When split into e.g. Red Rat’s dinky 2.5 barrel brewlength, that’s 51 brews! & an ongoing commitment to having 30barrels available every week (another 12 x 2.5Bbl brews for Red Rat).

The upshot seems that if you’re not pretty big & bottling professionally in-house (St.P’s & BathAles, Hamps, WmsBros), then I wonder is it going to be worth your while?

]]> By: Kieran Haslett-Moore http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/twenty-beers-before-lunchtime/#comment-1221 Kieran Haslett-Moore Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:55:27 +0000 http://zythophile.wordpress.com/?p=96#comment-1221 I had Barnstormer recently and it was a tasty drop, it survived the trip to the antipodes far more gracefully than Wild Hare, a golden ale from the same brewery. I had Barnstormer recently and it was a tasty drop, it survived the trip to the antipodes far more gracefully than Wild Hare, a golden ale from the same brewery.

]]> By: Stonch http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/twenty-beers-before-lunchtime/#comment-1218 Stonch Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:57:12 +0000 http://zythophile.wordpress.com/?p=96#comment-1218 Andy H, with me it's the reverse. When I first became very interested in beer, strong and dark tended to be the order of the day. A few years on, and that's no longer the case. Andy H, with me it’s the reverse. When I first became very interested in beer, strong and dark tended to be the order of the day. A few years on, and that’s no longer the case.

]]> By: Andy H http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/twenty-beers-before-lunchtime/#comment-1215 Andy H Sat, 19 Apr 2008 07:17:47 +0000 http://zythophile.wordpress.com/?p=96#comment-1215 I think Golden Ales are a phase you go through, I did, as time goes on I like a darker beer with more malt character, am I getting old? I think Golden Ales are a phase you go through, I did, as time goes on I like a darker beer with more malt character, am I getting old?

]]> By: Bailey http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/twenty-beers-before-lunchtime/#comment-1213 Bailey Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:13:53 +0000 http://zythophile.wordpress.com/?p=96#comment-1213 Yeah -- ixnay on the itruscy oldengay alesway, brewers. Yeah — ixnay on the itruscy oldengay alesway, brewers.

]]> By: The Beer Nut http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/twenty-beers-before-lunchtime/#comment-1211 The Beer Nut Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:19:28 +0000 http://zythophile.wordpress.com/?p=96#comment-1211 Hurray! Down with pale golden ales! Or at least a moratorium of some sort. Hurray! Down with pale golden ales! Or at least a moratorium of some sort.

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