See ya sixer?

I have been a beer lover since I was old enough to imbibe. There is a trend toward better beer being widely available which I am glad for. One thing that scares me a bit though is the trend that is accompanying better beer is the four pack. Is there anything we can do as beer advocates to push back against the four pack and keep the brewers honest by selling in packs of six, twelve and twentyfour?

What's dishonest about it? The only thing at issue here is whether or not you agree with the price of the beer vs. its relative value. Do you think $12 is a good price for some beers that come in four-packs, or is it too much? There's nothing inherently wrong with selling in four-packs.

Bets on when Levitation will weigh in on this? Anyone?

To hell with going against four packs, let's tackle bombers and 750's first. Four packs are still almost always a much better deal.

What ever happened to the 5 pack?

6pks and 4pks are cool with me, because most stores around me break them down into single 12oz bottles. So I can always try a beer before deciding if I want more. I say to hell with 22oz bombers and 750ml bottles, but I know they're not going anywhere..

gotta agree with this. my cellar is chalk full of bombers that I stare at and wish I could open 'half' of one all the time. 4-packs>bombers all day long.

Can't wait for Breakfast Stout 6-packs later this year.

Ruination went from 20.99 a six in NY to 13.99 per 4. Some people I spoke with were happy with this "better deal".

Both are the same, but this is what Brewers hope for. Morons

Screw bottles period.

I'll take cans in any format: 12/16/20/24oz, singles, 4 packs, 6 packs, 40 packs.

I'm good with 4 packs. But count me as a bomber hater (well, mildly perturbed at least.) I always feel like I have to wait until I have people over to share bombers. A four pack I can break open whenever.

Not exactly the same. Less out of pocket expense and for some, like myself, a more desirable portion size.

I agree with the sentiment, but rarely stare too long. I either pull a low ABV bomber or I open the bomber on the weekend.

I like bombers, 22oz format in particular. When I am done with them I recycle them into my homebrew pipeline, and 22oz bottles pretty much cut my bottling in half. Is it cost effective? No. Do I have two or three random 12oz bottles I never opened laying around from the last six pack I bought? Yeah. My ultimate goal is to see more 4x12oz offerings instead of bombers for one offs and bigger beers (ie boulevard smokestack series), and move my homebrew to kegs instead.

same here, there's a bunch of big beers in bombers that I want to try but don"t want to devote a couple hours to. I'd rather share with some buds and have a 12 oz pour or so.

I thought thats what you called a 6er when someone who came in the store before you stole 1 of the beers? You then proceed to take said 5-pack to the register and convince the clerk to sell you the remaining beers at a discount of the marked 6-pack price. He grovels, but after managerial approval you are well on your way to a 5-pack buzz!

And at the same price as the 4 packs!!!!!

From their blog - In 2013, Founders will offer two seasonals: Breakfast Stout (October through February) and All Day IPA (March through September). Both of these beers will be available in six-packs and on draft. We have hop contracts in place that will allow us to brew enough All Day IPA to ship it out to all of our markets for a retail launch on March 1, and we couldn’t be more eager to share this beer with even more people than in 2012, when we had a limited release. And, yes, if you didn’t catch that, we are going to move Breakfast Stout from a four-pack to a six-pack when it is released again in October 2013, and it will maintain the same suggested retail price of $9.99.

I'm okay with four packs. Especially on beers that are upwards of 9% beer. Why do you need six?

No shit? Huh. How did I miss that? That is pretty sweet news.

HA! there is no way Ruination is worth either of those prices.

Flip side of this is that is they are moving Red's Rye the other direction--from a 6 pack to a 4 pack, same price.

I still don't see why this country refuses to use metric. 10-packs all around!

So you would rather pay $18 for a 6 pack of a dipa, ris, etc than $12 for a 4-pack? Seems like the same thing too me.

But then they'd be 10 oz. beers, wouldn't they?

Almost had me with that one. I think it would be liters. A ten-pack of liter bottles? I'm in.

That does sound pretty American- supersize me as well.

Haaaa. Oh, man. Then I'd basically never buy a beer stronger than 5% ABV ever again. Oy, vey.

Personally I prefer Bombers/750s and 4-packs to 6 packs in MOST cases because I prefer to buy a variety of beers rather than a lot of one beer, but perhaps I'm in the minority here?

That's where the mix sixers come into play.

I received a five pack of Hopslam last Friday from a coworker who didn't like it, bummer

I definitely agree with 4 packs.

I would agree with bombers if they were priced a lot more affordably. If they could be resealed too, that would great. (and i know there are some option in regard to resealing)

I still miss Trommer's White Label Beer Family-Paks of 10 bottles. (It's All Malt & Hops, you know.)

Not to hijack the thread, but has anyone tried resealing a 22 or 750 with one of those wine pump and rubber corks? I searched forums but did not see anything addressing this.

Can't win them all, I guess. I'm not too worried as I've only had one sixer of Red's Rye ever. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed it, but would rather drink many other IPA's before re-visiting it. I might grab a fresh sixer before they disappear just to say good-bye!

Mix a six is a viable option. My point is that two equally good beers that cost about the same and are equal in production cost should come in the same size carton. I have turned away from trying certain beers because I feel like the brewer kept two of my beers for themselves! I say destroy the four pack before it destroys us!!!

OP this is for you.

Family Paks! Yes! Some for the wee ones too!

Captain Lawrence entered the 12 oz. market with eight different beers so far, all in reasonably priced 6 paks, so the battle against 4 paks, if there is one, isn't lost yet.

Mixed four pak isn't as poetic as a mix six.

or more commonly in my experience, the grocery checker tells you, "We can only sell 6-packs."

This has been discussed often and is an excellent solution. Sometimes the beer is better the next day without excessive carbonation.

What about Bomber Cans?