My recent research indicates that for my own personal taste- It's Squatters Hop Rising IIPA @ $9.29 a sixpack.....that is correct, a 6 pack!
Ok, for you haters, yeah, I think Sierra Nevada (PA, Celebration and Torpedo) is better than ZD. AND I can get a case for $25 and that NOT on sale. YES, ZD is good, I can't lie, and YES, I can't get it here, but it's just not on top of my list. Also, I can get two other awesome I/DIPA's within a mountin bike ride away. They're from a brewery with the initials of RR. Any guesses? Go Niners!!!
Their Porter is awesome. Its a beer and a brewery I take for granted since I live 20 mins away. I always pass on the Porter cause I know I can get it whenever I want and straight from the brewery for that matter.
Pretty surprised no one has said New Glarus. A case of their beer at some of the cheaper retail outlets is $28. Let me say that again, $28 for 24 bottles of Dancing Man Wheat. Also, Zombie Dust/Alpha King.
Because most of us looked and realized the OP doesn't live in or near WI. Same reason I didn't recommend Jack's Abby from MA.
Smuttynose hasn't got enough love around here. Their mixed packs and IPA are fantastic at $11-13 per 12 pack. The dates are always obvious, as well.
Founder's Breakfast Stout - 4 pack for $9.99 Stone Double Bastard - 22oz for $6.99 two world class beers at a great price!!
Dude, you would think Jai Alai would be cheaper in FL, but it's not. I'm in FL and they still sell it for $10.99/6 at most places (even at Total Wine), although I did see it on sale yesterday for $9.99/6 at Whole Foods. Their other primary offerings, Maduro Brown and FL Cracker White Ale are $7.99/6 everywhere. If Jai Alai were $7.99/6 as well, I'd probably buy it every week.
Weyerbacher Heresey and Blasphamy . Blasphamy wasy $7 a bomber this year. Yeah! Trader Joes Celebration ale by Unibroue for like $5 a bottle which is just as good as their regular lineup selling for $9 Until this year, Jewbelation that was ~$5 but this year they Goose Islanded us and went to $8 Still good for a 15% bomber (GI as a verb -- meaning to raise the price of your favorite beer by 50%-- ex. BCCoffee)
Surprised nobody has yet mentioned SA. Fresh Boston Lager or Octoberfest at an easy to find (in my area) of roughly $ 12-12.99/twelve pack is a no-brainer. A buck a bottle is hard to beat for any GOOD beer. That said....best bang for the buck IMHO: Any New Glarus for around $ 7.50 a sixer. Any Great Lakes for around $ 8-8.99 a sixer. Any Founders for $ 8.99 a sixer. FW brewed Mission St PA at $ 6.99 a sixer. Old Raspy & Brooklyn BCS at $ 7.99 a 4-pack. Celebration at $ 12.99 a twelver. Lagunitas Maximus for $ 9.99 a sixer. Hmmmm. I'm outta here. Off to the bottle shop!
Similar to mayflower is the otter creek stovepipe porter with a bit more smokiness, I like the hop bombs like hoponius u at eleven bucks a 4pak of solid 16.9oz bottlez
For the cheap twelves though its gotta be sn, or saranac, or Newcastle. I wish mayflower had a cheaper variety 12 er.
Ive seen it on sale in Mass for 7.49$, impossible deal to beat. SN Celebration, Brooklyn BCS, Jack Abbys Hoponious Union, Lagunitas seasonals all good deals for the quality of brew. Smuttynose Variety 12 Packs (IPA, Porter, Pale, Brown Ale) are solid. A bomber of Berkshire's Holidale for 3.99 is a good purchase. I buy plenty of 18 packs of highlife for 10.99$ too
No no, you're the hater! I like SNPA quite a bit for its economy and availability, in fact it was my go-to PA for at least 6 months (before I discovered the depth of craft beer)! A case for $25 is hard to beat, but with a trip to a place I love and $10 more, I cannot say no to ZD. You are spoiled with TONS of great IPA's/APA's in California, I can't believe SNPA is always in your fridge like ZD is in mine. At least give us the courtesy of providing another world class brew that only Californians can get by the case!
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis - for $8.99 per 6 near me. Not bad for what I consider to be the best Bavarian-style hefe made in the US.
But since you mention Jack's Abby anyway... 4 packs of 16.9s can be had for $9.99 around me. Underpriced, if you ask me. Best deal in MA, hands down.
Stone IRS is the best value IMO. One of the best RIS on the market and is $7. I'll add Storm King 6er to the mix as well.
I always stack up the price of craft brew to Sam Adams, as it seems you can't get it any cheaper than that. I always thought that Great Divide and Great Lakes were reasonable in price. Neither brewery makes a bad beer either.
