While most large retailers slash their prices during the holiday season to encourage consumers to buy products, craft breweries do the opposite, instead releasing their rarer (often pricier) seasonal beer.
Once again, craft brewers succeed by not simply going along with everyone else.
I recently received and email from our friends at Shmaltz Brewing in San Francisco that noted an against-the-grain holiday trend employed by craft brewers. While most large retailers slash their prices during the holiday season to encourage consumers to buy products, craft breweries do the opposite, instead releasing their rarer (often pricier) seasonal beers. Rather than barrage beer drinkers with low prices, the craft beer industry embraces the unique relationship they have with their consumer base by offering them something exceptional and worth the extra investment.
As a result, craft breweries profits increase by offering limited edition, specialty beers, while simultaneously celebrating their products, the entire craft beer industry, and the holidays. And these specialty beers and packages often also carry a high enough price point to be worthy of being given as a gift.
Now I'm not here to advise retailers to raise prices, nor am I celebrating paying more for anything. I'm just noting a trend that I think is actually a fine thing. It's not so much about the costs as it is about the specialness of many of these beers.
Of course, Shmaltz Brewing Company didn't send this missive out without a not-really- ulterior motive. The press release also announced the celebration of Chanukah 2012 with the brewery's special release of Jewbelation Sweet 16 (22 ounces, $10) and the HE'BREW Holiday Gift Pack (eight 12-ounce bottles, $30). Jewbelation Sweet 16 is a brown ale brewed with 16 malts, 16 hops, and that also soars to 16 percent, alcohol by volume. The HE'BREW Holiday Gift Pack features eight bottles of Shmaltz beers that you can't get at any other time of year, and includes a custom glass, Chanukah candles, instructions on "How To Build Your Own Beer Menorah." A Facebook Beer Menorah photo contest began Dec. 3, so you might want to get your holiday pack soon.
Of course, as Shmaltz noted, it isn't the only brewery with specialty beers out: Anchor Brewing's Christmas Ale, Firestone Walker's 16th Anniversary Ale, and Stone Brewing's Vertical Epic Ale are all on shelves at finer purveyors of craft beer.
Beer Note
Exciting news from the Northampton Brewery: It is now selling bottles again. Starting last week, the brewery will now sell limited number of cases of select brews each Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. I hope this doesn't cause any riots to break out, as I'm sure the demand for these will be great. I might need to wear shin guards. See you there.