dmccarty said:
Robert,
If I'm going to spend $10 on a beer this is what I buy....
http://www.chimay.be/en/chimay_blue_220.php
Its 9%

alcohol in 25 ounces. So its really about four US beers. Very good. But its expensive.....
So I get this ...
http://www.averybrewing.com/BigBeers/docs/reverend
Which is 10%


alcohol and 22 oz for about $6. Still about four US beers. Very good.
But they are four beers so I don't drink them often.
Later,
Dan
Well, interesting post, I guess.
Robert was talking about buying beer at a large(ish) public event. He was remembering the days of buying a BUCKET of (factory beer) for just a few bucks. Just guessing from clouded recollection, a bucket ~= 1/2 gallon.
As you have read, a number of us are homebrewers, and, as such, have no prob finding (read:making) beer capable of stopping traffic. Even with a particularly pricy recipe, a good Trappist, Belgum, barley wine "style" may cost us $2 per 12oz bottle. Buying way-overpriced beer/ale/barleywine is certainly a fun, educational adventure though but, not really the subject of this thread.
In my neck of the woods, for a few years now, the microbrews are building some very high gravity (8-12%) beers/ales ... this is primarily in reaction to the, well known, fact that (legal) youngsters are shifting, rapidly to mixed drinks that are leveraged towards high alcohol content. Ie, to sell their brew, they have to kick the patron's butt quickly. Kids ...
Personally, I like "session" beers that you can drink all eve and enjoy the flavor and mouth-feel. Obviously, such beers are lower in alc content, but usually significantly higher in the "experience". (Though the monks have the "whole package" TOGETHER! ... but at $10/per, I'm not interested!)
Back to the theme of this thread: I do not like buying factory beer for $5-8 per, but what really torques me is to be caged up in a cattle pen just to have the privilage of paying too much!!!! I declined on attending the World Ag Expo this year just for that reason and will stay home for all events that will presume to put me in a cage just to drink beer (more seat time) ... eventhough that's where I might belong
Cheers!