When in Brew Dock on Sunday, a group of about 12 English folk came in, real mix of ages, seemed like extended family. There were probably 6 pints of lager ordered. Options were the Galway Bay Helles, Bru Lager, Veltins or Madri…..of course it was 6 pints of Madri, without hesitation. I just found it boggling that a brand that was only invented 2 years ago as a fake Spanish beer could be that drawing of customer loyalty. A lot of people just do not care what they are drinking, beyond it being recognisable.
Marketing BS works I'm afraid.
Unless your beer is called Island's Edge.
Paid €7.80 for a pint of Whiplash Blue Ghosts and €7.50 for pint of Asahi in O’Neills Suffolk Street at the weekend.
For added lols, the BG was served in an Islands Edge glass!
Thanks for this information.
I had presumed that craft kegs were dearer than macro kegs, simply due to scale.
For a long time they were across the board but there has been a crazy amount of increases to the macros since 2020.
The price of drinks, especially in the on-trade, has very little to do with how much they cost to make and distribute, and everything to do with how much people will pay for them. Irish pubs could compete with each other on price, like every other retail sector does, but they've decided they'll make more money if they don't.
Not true in my experience.
Everything was priced off a GP calculator in any of the better run places I worked.
Were they in the UK, though? Ireland is different.
More so but not totally in the UK.
I was saying a few pages back that there are plenty in the industry here who just go with what's happening around them or charge whatever they are told is the right price.
Generally though those pubs don't have craft beer and the pubs that do are the better run ones which from what I can see are not overcharging for local craft. Macro often passed craft in the price rises in those pubs.
Thanks.
How many publicans seek out Beamish in response to Guinness price rises? Is that common?
Or is the attitude - ah sure the punters will continue to buy Guinness?
Anywhere I worked in Ireland where that would be relevant had both. The only thing I remember on the subject was lots of Guinness drinkers claiming they would make the switch on every price rise but never did.
I do remember there was a panic to get in Tuborg or an equivalent during the recession.
Let’s face it, Diageo could charge €100/pint for Guinness, burn down your house, violate your women folk and murder the texture family as d people would complain fur a week then go back to drinking it. People just seem to hold onto they’d brand. In fairness I’m partial to Guinness and Smithwicks but not when there’s slang be I could try in a pub. IMHO craft brewers aren’t helping themselves by mainly concentrating on IPAs and those hop heard beers that won’t appeal to a mass market. Some do great alternatives. Black Donkey’s Western Warrior or Kinnegar’s Donegal Lager sipe the floor with Heineken IMHO.
What brand of beer did you have 10 of before you wrote that post 😁
I find it hilarious how some people still get wound up by others drinking nice beer. And are basically afraid to try anything that's not heavily advertised.
Craft brewers make what sells, and pubs sell what sells. Unadventurous beer drinkers are the true enemy of the beer geek. Once we eliminate them it'll be wall-to-wall saison and kottbusser.
wiping the floor with Heineken is either setting a low bar, or an unusual cleaning method 😋
These are now in stock in addition to x3 DOT Aldi exclusive beers (a rebrew, a new-to-me brew and a V2 of a previous beer).
I overlooked the Fiere Mild beer. I'm very curious as to that one.
They only had the McCrackens and the Rhubarb and Honey Cider in my local one yesterday evening from what I could see. Only Dot was the Side Step.
Unrelated. A curious commentor on the Galway subreddit is trying to assert Galway Hooker is a "macro" brewery, on the basis that it is now owned by a larger group and has beers in most of the venues.
We've a legal definition for microbrewery for tax purposes in Ireland, and I'd be quite sure they're under the limit still
Outside of the legal definition I would say there are about 3 distinct categories of craft beer. Galway Bay being in the higher end where the breweries are aiming at supermarkets, national distribution and eventual investment and buyouts.
Other end of the scale you have places like Crew who don't reach far beyond the tap room and then you have a group somewhere in between the two.
I personally reserve Macro for the MNC's. Galway Hooker were brought out by a larger, but still Galway based, company.
I haven't had a Galway Hooker in years now. Really must give them another go. Thinking of ordering some Black Donkey beers as well 'cause I can't find them in any shops in Limerick recently.
The only two semi questionable ones are the ones part owned by larger European independent breweries - Rye River and O'Hara's. Wouldn't say either has the tap access or market share of even the fourth major (Molson Coors) yet.
It is a real shame McCambridges in Galway were bought out by Musgrave. The beer selection used to be solid (with Galway Hooker, Black Donkey et al - stuff we don't get in Cork as much / at all), but now it's like any other Centra. Shelves of craft / international beer replaced with cans of Four Loko, buzz balls (really), and actual macro beers.
Coors who own Fran Well which a lot of people would still call a craft beer.
Find me one.
Those people will also call Cute Hoor or even Hop House craft.
Ya the changeover has made a sh1te of a once great shop in every sense.
