Upset that your favorite bar has raised their prices? They may not have had a choice
There’s been a lot of grumbling about prices at the bars near the Mid-South Alcoholic Supply World Headquarters lately. Most bars have raised the price of their beers by 25, 50 cents, sometimes as much as a dollar. “They’re gouging us!” people have complained. “It’s not like they’re not making enough already, now they’re coming back and hitting us harder for extra profit.”
That may not necessarily be true. There is a worldwide shortage of hops, a key ingredient used to brew beer, and according to this Canada.com article, the price of hops has gone up 400-600% over what it was last year. Brewers have to pass that cost on to distributors, who in turn have to pass it on to the bars, who have no choice but to pass it on to you, the customer.
Another problem is that distributors are now paying the $4.50 or more a gallon diesel prices to haul beer from place to place, after most had budgeted a buck or two less a gallon at the beginning of the year. They have to raise prices to make ends meet, and again, the bars have little choice but to pass it on.
So, next time you’re complaining about prices being raised at your favorite bar, realize that it may be the only choice they have, other than closing their doors. Of course, if you still want to protest, you can always buy one of our kegerators and set up your own bar at home.
