# Beer Store - cheating or stupidity?!



## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

Today went to Beer Store to buy some beer... Found Dutch beer Grolsch premium lager. Pricing:
1 × Can 500 ml $2.00
4 × Can 500 ml	$8.95	
6 × Can 330 ml	$12.45	
8 × Can 500 ml	$17.50	
12 × Can 500 ml $26.50

First of all, I couldn't get why less cans I buy, cheaper the price 

So, I bought 10 cans and expected to pay $20. However, cashier calculated differently  , 8 cans for $17.50 + 2 cans for $2 =$21.50
Told her that her calculations are wrong, because 10 cans x $2 should be exactly $20  ... She recalculated couple of times and agreed


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## mordko (Jan 23, 2016)

Make your own. You can make 5 gallons of premium beer for $20.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

mordko said:


> Make your own. You can make 5 gallons of premium beer for $20.


How? Can you give a link? Is it really good?


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## mrPPincer (Nov 21, 2011)

I make home brew for pennies, but it wouldn't be up to your standards.
You could absolutely make a quality home brew for next to nothing.

Most kit beers might not add up to a Grolsch, but a better brew can be made, maybe even from a kit, who knows.

What I brew and consume would fall more into the wine category.
Haven't had any home-made beers that rival a Grolsch, but I'm sure it's possible to do.


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## mordko (Jan 23, 2016)

I can give you a simple recipe, but the best thing to do for someone starting from scratch is to buy this book: https://www.amazon.ca/Complete-Joy-Homebrewing-Third/dp/0060531053

This gives you the whole range of options so that you can pick what you like, starting from something simple and then moving on. 

There is a bit of capital expenditure up front; you need to buy a bucket, a carboy, some tubes, cleaning stuff, a thermometer, bottles. A special large aluminum pan is nice as well. Don't remember how much, but all in all it's probably around $100. You'll recover it in 3-4 batches. Each 5-gallon batch takes 7 days of brewing and then 10 days of waiting after you bottle. 

I am finding that the quality is way, way, way better than most of the stuff you can buy in the beer store. Grolsch is different but most N. American larger is very much like piss. What you make is literally up to you. Like Belgium beer? Go ahead. Stout? Sure. Larger? Not a problem. I tend to make half ale/half stout. Also braggot, which is honey-beer; takes a wee bit longer. Also mead, but that's not beer at all.


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

Be warned, if you make your own beer you may grow used to having a bottle or two each evening which may lead to having to buy larger waist pants and belt. 

It sounds like the cashier was used to just punching buttons and not actually thinking. I wonder how many today are unable to add up items in their head to get an estimate of what the total should be. Why they would price them that way? At least you picked up on their inconsitency and benefited from it! I'd go back for another 5.


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## new dog (Jun 21, 2016)

I make my own in Richmond BC at

http://www.bayoubrewingclub.com/page145.htm

All you have to do is add the yeast and bottle it and you get a great brew without doing all the work. I am sure they have places like this everywhere in Canada.


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## mordko (Jan 23, 2016)

new dog said:


> I make my own in Richmond BC at
> 
> http://www.bayoubrewingclub.com/page145.htm
> 
> All you have to do is add the yeast and bottle it and you get a great brew without doing all the work. I am sure they have places like this everywhere in Canada.


Yes, but there is surprisingly little work in making your own beer. It's dead easy - and you don't even have to drive to a shop. I make wines from my berries and herbs and mead - that's a bit more effort.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

> but most N. American larger is very much like piss.


 Agree! For many years I buy only European beer/ale, more precise Western European + Czech  ... not sticking to 1-2 beers and like to try different ones... usually I can find good beer on discount or just much cheaper than N. American piss (it's strange, but a fact )...
Making your own looks not so easy.... probably will start doing it after I retire..



> Be warned, if you make your own beer you may grow used to having a bottle or two each evening


 already having 1-2-3 beers every evening, esp. in summer months


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## new dog (Jun 21, 2016)

Years ago my brother used to make it and it wasn't bad after a number of tries. Maybe today it is much better but that is why I went with the middle option and the quality was very good.


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## new dog (Jun 21, 2016)

Gibor you should try the option I mentioned if you don't want to make your own beer at home, it is really very easy to do.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

new dog said:


> Gibor you should try the option I mentioned if you don't want to make your own beer at home, it is really very easy to do.


do you mean post 7? Opened link, but didn't get what is it


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

> It sounds like the cashier was used to just punching buttons and not actually thinking. I wonder how many today are unable to add up items in their head to get an estimate of what the total should be. Why they would price them that way? At least you picked up on their inconsitency and benefited from it!


 Have no any idea, why Beer store would price this way ... it's just stupid :stupid: or maybe smart  , like customer see that 1 can is $2 and some other prices for bigger quantities ... so automatically customer would think that more he takes, cheaper he pays....
Usually I don't check and calculate prices, but today I took 10 cans and knew that I should pay $20 ...


> cashier was used to just punching buttons and not actually thinking


 very likely , It took me 3 times to explain her that 10 x $2 = $20....lol
It's like Grade 1! She couldn't understand, was punching some keys and giving wrong prices... On last attempt, I asked her how much cost 1 can , $2? She confirm, Than I asked and how much 10 cans by $2?!


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## new dog (Jun 21, 2016)

gibor365 said:


> do you mean post 7? Opened link, but didn't get what is it


Bayou Brewing Club is a store in Richmond BC where you choose a beer from their list of different countries and then they cook and brew it. You go in after it is cooked, add the yeast and let it sit for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks you go back to the store, bottle the beer and bring it home. It is more expensive then brewing it all at home but cheaper then the liquor store.


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## new dog (Jun 21, 2016)

Every time I go to a cashier I will put out my change in a very easy to count fashion like four quarters separated at a time and yes they will shove it all together and then count it. They are not used to actually counting anything, just pushing the buttons like you say. Probably the easy way to do as you say for them, is tell them to scan all bottles one by one. However this may auto correct to the quantity price anyhow and you will then have no choice but to explain it to them.


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## SMK (Dec 10, 2015)

gibor365 said:


> Today went to Beer Store to buy some beer... Found Dutch beer Grolsch premium lager. Pricing:
> 1 × Can 500 ml $2.00
> 4 × Can 500 ml	$8.95
> 6 × Can 330 ml	$12.45
> ...


Because only the individual can was on sale from $2.30 to $2!

Without that sale, had you bought the 4, 8 or 12 500 ml pack, you would have saved .25, .90 and 1.10 respectively.

If you purchased 10 individual cans, why would the cashier had calculated 8 of them at $17.50 as though you had purchased the pack? Or *did you take that pack + 2 individual cans?* :biggrin:

http://www.thebeerstore.ca/beers/grolsch-premium-lager

The single sale pricing is done all the time so nothing new.

ps, should not compare the 6 pack since it's 330 ml


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

> If you purchased 10 individual cans, why would the cashier had calculated 8 of them at $17.50 as though you had purchased the pack? Or did you take that pack + 2 individual cans?


 There weren't any packs on the shelves  , just bunch of cans, so obviously I took separately 10 cans... Cashier instead of scaning 1 can and multiply by 10, keyed in 8 + 2 separate 


> Because only the individual can was on sale from $2.30 to $2!


 so what the point to do it?!


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## SMK (Dec 10, 2015)

gibor365 said:


> There weren't any packs on the shelves  , just bunch of cans, so obviously I took separately 10 cans... Cashier instead of scaning 1 can and multiply by 10, keyed in 8 + 2 separate
> so what the point to do it?!


You would have to ask the store, but like anything else when things are put on sale, is to get rid of stuff (close to expiry date, to make shelf room, etc.). 

Funny how the cashier charged you for a pack, but maybe she thought she was saving you that way, not having been aware of the big sale. :biggrin:

Customers have to pay attention, otherwise they pay through the nose.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

> Customers have to pay attention, otherwise they pay through the nose.


 True! I noticed it several times already , but it's pretty difficult to do in supermarkets as our usual visit results in range $300-500


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

This seems like a pricing error. I wouldn't blame the cashier for someone at head office not understanding merchandizing.


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