Ahhhhh the 6 pack, a lofty goal to many fitness enthusiasts and a man's best friend to many others. The Beer Nut is a local blogger, based out of the Worcester, MA area. He talks all things craft beer, and I frankly almost always agree with both his tastes and his points of view regarding the industry. Recently, he posted about his gripes regarding 6 pack pricing. I tend to agree with this view. It is neither a large enough quantity to warrant a significant discount or a small enough quantity to warrant the increased price. Unfortunately, it is the most popular distribution model for craft beer.
I tend to prefer purchasing single bottles or 22oz "bombers" when I only want to try something. That way, I don't get stuck with 5 bottles of beer that are mediocre. If I want to pick up something for sessions, I am probably going to go with a craft beer that is available in 12 packs, which offer significant savings for a small quantity increase. Great for a long weekend, and not so many beers that you are inundated with beer, like with a case of four 6 packs.
However, my personal favorite is the four pack. It is a large enough quantity that you are able to sample a beer multiple times, but not a commitment to six. I typically only have one or two beers a night, so this is an appropriate amount for me to sample over several days or even weeks. I understand that I will be facing a premium, but for the beers that typically come in four packs, which are made with often better or more ingredients and resulting higher gravity, the value is there. There are tons of $10 six packs that I am not interested in, in the slightest, while a $10 4 pack means just $2.50 for each great beer. It is the superior distribution model.
I always love the Sixpoint 4 packs, recently picked up several Green Flash 4 packs, and another favorite New England Brewing Ghandi Bot comes in 4 packs, when you can find it. Let's support this movement with our wallets!
