Nectar Of The Gods

[Caomhaoin]

Not only is it Nanny State bullshit, it's going to affect primarily lower-income people, off license owners etc, and booze merchants along the border must be rubbing their hands together with glee. Everyone involved in this decision will be unaffected in any meaningful way. Cunts.

I saw there that a case of the rockshore was 15 quid the day before it came into effect, suddenly up to 28. All this after a long, unprecedented period of lockdown. If I had  an offy or a shop or whatever I'd be fuming.

[StoutAndAle]

As far as I can tell... this is not tax, the extra revenue goes in the retailer's pocket. I don't think that the breweries/suppliers are upping their selling prices to shops. I'm open to correction on that but - from what I hear from a pub-owning buddy - this seems to be the case.

There are still some Christmas slabs of Guinness (full pint version) for sale in my local Dunnes. They were €20 for 24 cans last week. €38 now.

I can see offies/supermarkets increasing the price of craft beers beyond their already hefty price-point. Maximise the margin so that craft can't be associated with gut-rot even though they have moved into the same bracket now (on the lower end of the scale anyway). Much like they did with wine in this country a decade or so ago. Top-end "cheap" wine (something costing €15 - 20) and low-end "expensive" wine (something costing €25 - 30) separated not by discernible quality but by snobbish perception, point of purchase and €10 - €15 in the difference.

[pete]

Not only is it Nanny State bullshit, it's going to affect primarily lower-income people, off license owners etc, and booze merchants along the border must be rubbing their hands together with glee. Everyone involved in this decision will be unaffected in any meaningful way. Cunts.

I saw there that a case of the rockshore was 15 quid the day before it came into effect, suddenly up to 28. All this after a long, unprecedented period of lockdown. If I had  an offy or a shop or whatever I'd be fuming.

I think off licenses seem to be in favour if it?

Noffla called for it. https://www.hospitalityireland.com/drinks/noffla-calls-next-government-prioritise-minimum-unit-pricing-87629

The issue they have seems to be supermarkets selling beer as loss leaders, which I guess they can't really compete with.

[Caomhaoin]

I mean the loss of trade for people crossing the border. The likelihood is that lads will stock up on other goodies while they are there.

I didn't realise until SAL pointed out that the extra revenue is going into the vintner's arse pocket. It's logical, if perhaps short sighted, that they are endorsing it. If it was a stealth tax, I doubt they'd be whistling the same tune.

There are a lot of YouTube channels with lads making their own scoops, they even make it in the 'joy, so get the fingers out boyz

[ochoill]

Had a nosey in the offie aisle in Dunnes to see prices yesterday.

There's still offers on some beers - Staropramen, Spaten, Moretti, Peroni, 500ml and 660ml bottles - but they're up even from their lowest previous price by about 25c a bottle.  The deals are reduced from ~€3 to €2.25 mostly.

Cans have already been altered to suit by the looks of it.  4 Prazsky for €6, but notably for 4x 440ml cans instead of 500ml, so you're at a euro more for a half can less total.  Karpackie is 6 for €10, done similar - 440ml cans and 4.8% instead of the previous 5%, likely to keep the unit cost down to sell them at this price.  Dutch Gold seems to have taken the maddest hit of them all so far, small cans again but 3.8% so they are still being flogged for 4/€5.

[Trev]

I noticed a load of the 440ml cans on the shelves yesterday too, are they doing away with 500ml along with the extra pricing?

[ochoill]

I noticed a load of the 440ml cans on the shelves yesterday too, are they doing away with 500ml along with the extra pricing?

It seems to be the way suppliers will alter their setups to still offer "deals" on it all.  I doubt everyone will do it but a lot will if it means they can still flog the multipacks with it looking like a deal.

Have been thinking a bit about it there, lets look at a few I saw in the shops.

The irish unit is 10g Alcohol too, which is different to UK units, and works out to be about 12.66ml Alc per Irish Unit.

It's 10c per gram of Alcohol under new pricing, which is annoying to work with since 1ml Alc = 0.79g, so instead we will say it's €0.079/1ml Alcohol.  A unit then is an even €1.00 going by the irish measure.

At this rate, the old 4 pack of Prazsky is €6.64 now minimum (4x500ml).  But the new layout minimum is €5.84, so they round it up to €6.

Praszky has went up from €0.75/Unit to €1.02/Unit - 2c over the minimum, and a 36% rise in price.

Karpackie is at EXACTLY minimum unit pricing - the new 6 for €10 (440ml x 4.8%) works out as €0.999/Unit, and a 31% rise per unit over the old 4 for €6 (500ml x 5%, €0.76/Unit).  So you're not getting bit as bad as the Prazsky for markup here but have to buy a larger pack. (Oh no!  What will we do with these extra cans??)

Staropramen was €2.25 for 500ml yesterday.  It's about that anyway but you could get them for €2 for a long while on special.  It's 5% a bottle so is the extra 25c part of the minimum unit price?  Nope.  There's 1.97 units in a bottle - sure let's round it up to 2 - so minimum is €2.00.  Spaten is the same.  Any regular extra on top of that is a mark up outside the minimum.

If you were drinking fancier, let's say Treaty City "Out of Office" - because I have a receipt for 8 in my pocket - it was €3.75 a can, 440ml x 5.4%.  That puts it well over the minimum (which would be €1.88 a can anyway) so anywhere that raises the price of these and says it's due to minimum unit pricing are lying to you.

Basically - if you were drinking cheap beer anyway, you're hooped, so just figure out which one you like the taste of and check the unit cost is matched, not marked up.  If you were drinking anything fancier, like the local brews and the €3 cans of reasonable strength IPAs, you're still over the minimum anyway and will see no change.

(edited to add I think it is all a bag of shit too and won't stop anyone drinking).

[Born of Fire]

Great to see lads finding workarounds already!

[open face surgery]

Fuckin legends. Unfortunately, I can't see them setting a precedent as most will be more than happy to reap the profits.

[Kurt Cocaine]

I have a one litre oak barrel for my cheaper whiskies. I stick a bottle in and leave it for a month.
By Jaysus, what a beautiful difference it makes to it.
Just poured myself a nice double with a tiny splash of water... Sláinte......

[astfgyl]

Sounds great. I'd be too much of a miserable cunt not to drink it straight away but it's a nice idea

[StoutAndAle]

This very good IPA from Brú is in Dunnes Stores for €2 a can currently.

No idea how they're holding it at that price-point (beyond buying a tong of it from Brú). It's €3 plus in most places. https://craftcentral.ie/products/bru-citrus-ipa-440ml-can-5-5-abv?variant=31911876132899



Go on, yeh jakey fuckers - treat yourselves!

[Carnage]

Be rude not to. I'm still seeing relatively cheap stock on shelves in Tesco, Aldi, Lidl etc. Double IPAs have shot up though, but that was the point, I suppose.

[Carnage]

Has anyone been in The Silver Penny on Lower Abbey St. in Dublin? Just wondering what the craic is, a mate was getting pints there for €1.95 the other day, that's '90s prices.

[Emphyrio]

Jaysus!

Just after opening a 12 Acres Pale Ale. Very fuckin tasty. Never heard of that crowd before.