Galway Bay Breweries

ben.schlomo · 02-04-2014 10:33pm #1

So i've been a Salt House regular for four years, long before it became mainstream. 18 months ago you could get a pint of Stormy Port for €3.90, now they're €5. They've now also done away with the loyalty cards. Has pissed me off no end. Their costs cant have gone up considering sales are rising and they've moved to a larger brewing facility. Looking for peoples opinions, greed or just good business.

Geuze · 03-04-2014 12:46am

This is the second thread I recall over last year about GBB prices going up.

Geuze · 03-04-2014 12:48am

My last visit was maybe 8-10-12 weeks ago.

One or two house beers were 4.55.

Others were 5.00

The loyalty card was in use.

So I was paying 4.55 - 0.45 = 4.10 effective price per pint.

That's ok, in my mind.

In small town in rural Irl, Guinness is 4.00.

So 4.10 in a different style of pub, in a busy city, is ok.

thesandeman · 03-04-2014 2:30am

They are definitely taking advantage of their popularity. But that's business I suppose.
For I instance their DIPA can be up to €3 more expensive than O'Haras DIPA in off licenses (I know it's a bit stronger but I'm sure the costs aren't that much extra).
Buying through suppliers is more expensive also. We have been able to sell all our craft bottles for a fiver but have to charge €5.80 for the Galway Bay bottles in order to keep the margin.
However I do admire them for having the first Brew Pub in Galway. They certainly have got the locals interested in real beer.

ben.schlomo · 03-04-2014 7:56am

Geuze wrote: »

My last visit was maybe 8-10-12 weeks ago.

One or two house beers were 4.55.

Others were 5.00

The loyalty card was in use.

So I was paying 4.55 - 0.45 = 4.10 effective price per pint.

That's ok, in my mind.

In small town in rural Irl, Guinness is 4.00.

So 4.10 in a different style of pub, in a busy city, is ok.

Loyalty card is gone so you can add the 10% back on and the 4.55 is for their less desirable Full Sail and Bay Ale.

Hootanany · 03-04-2014 8:04am

It's pure greed

Lovely Bloke · 03-04-2014 8:07am

Are they still honouring full cards?

BeerNut · 03-04-2014 8:24am

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Are they still honouring full cards?

They said they would, yes.

Hootanany wrote: »

It's pure greed

A couple of new pubs each year; a continuous expansion of the brewery capacity and beer range: you can see where the money goes more than with any other Irish brewery, IMO.

ben.schlomo · 03-04-2014 9:29am

BeerNut wrote: »

They said they would, yes.

A couple of new pubs each year; a continuous expansion of the brewery capacity and beer range: you can see where the money goes more than with any other Irish brewery, IMO.

New pubs and bottle sales leads to increased sales and profits. New and bigger brewery leads to lower cost per unit so i just dont see how that excuse washes.

irish_goat · 03-04-2014 9:36am

Tax increases would cover a bit of a jump in price too. Arguably, quality has gone up, thus price should.

drumswan · 03-04-2014 9:42am

ben.schlomo wrote: »

New pubs and bottle sales leads to increased sales and profits. New and bigger brewery leads to lower cost per unit so i just dont see how that excuse washes.

Dont think they need an excuse? They'll charge what people are willing to pay, they are not operating a beer charity

ben.schlomo · 03-04-2014 9:47am

drumswan wrote: »

Dont think they need an excuse? They'll charge what people are willing to pay, they are not operating a beer charity

Hence why i raised the question of is it greed or just good business sense.

Did anyone suggest they were!!?

drumswan · 03-04-2014 9:50am

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Hence why i raised the question of is it greed or just good business sense.

Did anyone suggest they were!!?

Well charging what the market will bear is obviously good business sense...

ben.schlomo · 03-04-2014 9:51am

drumswan wrote: »

Well charging what the market will bear is obviously good business sense...

And a 25%+ increase in price in just 18 months could also be considered greed, added to the dropping of their loyalty scheme.

Lovely Bloke · 03-04-2014 9:57am

ben.schlomo wrote: »

And a 25%+ increase in price in just 18 months could also be considered greed, added to the dropping of their loyalty scheme.

Who cares if it's "greed" - I presume they went into commercial business with the express desire to make money. If you want to call that "greed" then so be it. I call it capitalism, and more power to them - if consumers are willing to pay X price for their wares, then they are well entitled to charge that price, that is not greed, that is the age old market of supply and demand. I've got a product, if you want it, you are going to have to pay for it - the price will be determined by what you, or others, are willing to pay.

They aren't under any obligation to supply beer at specific prices, or to run loyalty schemes, or to do anything other than run their business in a profitable way. It certainly doesn't seem to be hurting them so far.

I'll be in a GBB pub this evening, savouring their lovely pints.

drumswan · 03-04-2014 10:00am

ben.schlomo wrote: »

And a 25%+ increase in price in just 18 months could also be considered greed, added to the dropping of their loyalty scheme.

Greed? Im not sure you know how the real world works, they are a business and will look to maximise profit. If their product is too expensive for you as a consumer then seek an alternative.

Lovely Bloke · 03-04-2014 10:04am

Correct.

I as a consumer refuse to buy 330ml bottles of beer, I think they are a rip off compared to the 500ml

for that reason, 8 Degrees never get my business, outside of if I'm in a pub/festival which has their beer available from a tap.

drumswan · 03-04-2014 10:27am

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

for that reason, 8 Degrees never get my business, outside of if I'm in a pub/festival which has their beer available from a tap.

Um, Eight Degrees Howling Gale is cheaper per litre in drinkstore than O'Haras Pale Ale, Independent Pale Ale, Kinnegars Limeburner, Kinsale Pale Ale, McGraths Pale Ale and Bo Bristle. Only Galways Full Sail & Galway Hooker (marginally) and the Liberties Ale (considerably) are cheaper. Price per litre is the key.

Lovely Bloke · 03-04-2014 10:42am

drumswan wrote: »

Um, Eight Degrees Howling Gale is cheaper per litre in drinkstore than O'Haras Pale Ale, Independent Pale Ale, Kinnegars Limeburner, Kinsale Pale Ale, McGraths Pale Ale and Bo Bristle. Only Galways Full Sail & Galway Hooker (marginally) and the Liberties Ale (considerably) are cheaper. Price per litre is the key.

that's great, but I still don't like 330ml bottles.

it's a personal choice.

mayordenis · 03-04-2014 10:52am

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

that's great, but I still don't like 330ml bottles.

it's a personal choice.

Ok but dont change the goal posts, last post it was about the price now it's just a personal thing.

I assume you don't drink any american, belgian, scandinavian or Brewdog beers.

Anyway with regards Galway Bay I more or less won't go to their pubs by choice, you can say all you want about what the market will bear, but I think it's way too expensive, certainly for their own bars selling their own beers.

Some of their pubs are quite empty a lot of the time so I'm not sure how well the market is taking to their prices, The Black Sheep, Brew Dock and Against the Grain should be grand because they'll pick up huge weekend trade but it seems to me that The Dark Horse is always fairly empty.

ben.schlomo · 03-04-2014 10:55am

drumswan wrote: »

Greed? Im not sure you know how the real world works, they are a business and will look to maximise profit. If their product is too expensive for you as a consumer then seek an alternative.

No i live in a fantasy world of €1 imperial stouts so the thought of a fiver for a drink that a short while ago was 3.90 makes me want to remain where i am.

Im happy to pay €5 for a pint but not overly pushed if its for something that was considerably cheaper not long before. Hence why i have taken my business elsewhere in recent times. Just a matter of principle really.

GLaDOS · 03-04-2014 11:06am

I'm the same with 330 ml bottles tbh. Unless it's a stronger beer (8%+), then the smaller portion is grand.

I'm happy enough with GBB pricing, value for money as far as I'm concerned.

drumswan · 03-04-2014 11:13am

mayordenis wrote: »

Anyway with regards Galway Bay I more or less won't go to their pubs by choice, you can say all you want about what the market will bear, but I think it's way too expensive, certainly for their own bars selling their own beers.

They dont really have a competitor though, do they? Just looking at their twitter feed the last week or so, they are pouring Sierra Nevada Northern Harvest, Nogne O Two Captains and Alaskan Boont Amber on draught, as well as Of Foam and Fury, decent cask and a massive bottle selection in ATG.

ben.schlomo · 03-04-2014 11:21am

drumswan wrote: »

They dont really have a competitor though, do they? Just looking at their twitter feed the last week or so, they are pouring Sierra Nevada Northern Harvest, Nogne O Two Captains and Alaskan Boont Amber on draught, as well as Of Foam and Fury, decent cask and a massive bottle selection in ATG.

In Galway its only the Bierhaus that offers real competition, their stout/porter is very nice and around €4.50 i think, usually have a decent selection of different taps too and great bottled selection. Other than that its just small selections of random craft beers in other pubs. Porterhouse and Bull and Castle offer decent competition in Dublin id have thought.

drumswan · 03-04-2014 11:21am

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Porterhouse and Bull and Castle offer decent competition in Dublin id have thought.

Yeah good point.

snowblind · 03-04-2014 11:50am

I dunno why everyone would have to just agree with capitalism and all it's rules just like that. "It's the real world blah blah" yeah but maybe everyone doesn't agree with that. Maybe capitalism is a flawed system just like any other system we humans have tried before. Why would we just have to accept it and not be critical? It's a very poor argument to just say "it's capitalism stop complaining". If InBev buys my favourite tiny rural brewery, I am allowed to be pissed off, even though it's just capitalism working. If InBev buys all the breweries in the world and uses it's monopoly to sell literal piss in a bottle and nothing else, I am allowed to complain, even though it's just capitalism working.

That said, I don't think GBB's prices are egregious, as long as they keep doing high quality beers like their latest new offerings (OFAF & 200 Fathoms)

And Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout, an InBev beer, is my favourite beer (or at least favourite stout) in the world.

Shrugs.

upforit101 · 03-04-2014 11:52am

BeerNut wrote: »

They said they would, yes.

A couple of new pubs each year; a continuous expansion of the brewery capacity and beer range: you can see where the money goes more than with any other Irish brewery, IMO.

In the interests of transparency Beernut; Can you confirm or deny that you receive any inducements (in the form of free beer(s) from the cottage group/Galway bay brewery?

Lovely Bloke · 03-04-2014 11:53am

plenty of competition in Dublin - JWS, Porterhouse, WJK, LMJ, Cassidy's, O'Neills, B&C, Headline...

@Denis, yeah, my bad there, I did move the goalposts - and yes, I don't buy BrewDog bottles either - just pints when I see them.

I sometimes buy Sierra Nevada Rye when I see it, only because I think it's a super beer, and there's nothing approaching it available in 500ml bottles - also it's 6%+, so the smaller serving suits me better.

Lovely Bloke · 03-04-2014 11:55am

upforit101 wrote: »

In the interests of transparency Beernut; Can you confirm or deny that you receive any inducements (in the form of free beer(s) from the cottage group/Galway bay brewery?

lolwut?

A post above reminded me - is there any Fathoms in ATG at the moment?

upforit101 · 03-04-2014 11:59am

snowblind wrote: »

I dunno why everyone would have to just agree with capitalism and all it's rules just like that. "It's the real world blah blah" yeah but maybe everyone doesn't agree with that. Maybe capitalism is a flawed system just like any other system we humans have tried before.

It's the absence of Capitalism/competition that leads to high prices and price gouging.

Lovely Bloke · 03-04-2014 12:01pm

upforit101 wrote: »

It's the absence of Capitalism/competition that leads to high prices and price gouging.

why do you think BeerNut is receiving renumeration from GBB?

Galway Bay Breweries

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