Ale, Beer, Stout appreciation

This is so good

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This is why I need to order a mild malt as well as a Marris on the next grain order.

On a roll with the good Germans now, tonight’s is another winner

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Very tempted by this, been sitting on my hands today!

Pricey but it’s great. Can’t see much of it hanging around for long

PUNK SQUIRREL IPA

Booked the taproom for the 12th 😂😂
I meant the terrace , garden, outside space....

Sainsbury's are selling Brixton Beers for £1.80 can.

Significantly cheaper than buying direct from Brxton Brewery where it is £2.65 can.

Totally doesn't make sense but guess that is what happens when.you sell to a mega brewery and I'll be doing.more shopping at Sainos!

I do wonder whether independent brewers are making money when they sell through the multiples.

Eight x 330ml cans for £9 suggests someone is taking a big hit. Yes - supermarkets sell booze as a loss leader (and I understand the economics of scale) but they’re also notorious for shafting small suppliers for the ‘privilege’ of carrying their lines.

I don’t think there are that many Indy breweries that do sell through supermarkets

Brixton brewery aren't indy now, they were bought into by (I think) Heineken

Locally I can buy Vocation, Red Willow, Buxton Brewery and London Beer Factory from supermarkets.

Grocery supply chains are so efficient and rate of sale is so comparatively high that despite the lower margin, I’d imagine most brewers with a national supermarket listing find it very profitable. Not to mention that shifting that much volume and being reliably paid for it goes a long way towards covering fixed costs.

Whether selling your product at a price that undercuts the indies/on trade is a strong long term proposition for your brand is a different question but I suppose everyone is already used to paying the same price for a pint in a pub as a 4 pack in the supermarket anyway

Source: sell booze to supermarkets

Also, dealing with supermarkets is a much more pleasant experience than it was years ago, helped by the grocery code of practice. ‘Craft’ breweries will be treated with kid gloves compared to what’s expected of Heineken/AB etc

I write a bit about retail and farming in my day job as a freelance hack and know lots of farmers who say the grocery ombudsman has been next to useless. They still have to settle for terrible payment and terms.

Good to hear not all categories are treated so badly.

I perhaps should have caveated that with the fresh/meat/dairy categories are probably in a wildly different place.

Don’t get me wrong, a fallout with a major grocer is still an absolute nightmare, but they used to be that way as a matter of course

I suspect getting listed in the mults is the first step to a partial exit/PE investment.

@LukeG what do you sell out of interest?

Primarily a very recognisable Australian wine brand that features a kangaroo quite prominently. I won’t write out the brand name as my post volume is probably highest between about 9 & 5. Have been in BWS a long time, Diageo/GK previously

Diageo are excellent at laying on jollies for their ‘trade partners’ I recall. See also - all the fag companies.

Not from a supermarket but from local bottle shop.

While the likes of Tesco etc have a great selection nowadays if you want small batch...

Anyway. I can only cellar beer for so long before it has to get opened. 4 years is enough for this one.

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Happy with this shelf in the booze fridge :-)

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Really liked everything from Newtown park so far

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Please tell me that naming convention is consistent across their range? I'll take a Twelve Point Zero if so.

Went down earlier - pretty much a constant queue outside (bc social distancing). Nice selection of wines too. It’s convenient for when I fancy a beer and cba to walk to leytonstone. Picked up 4 bottles of helles for the weekend