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Unless your last name is Rockefeller, you may have noticed that we’re in the middle of a recession. Money is tight and budgets are being squeezed. Choices must be made.

But tragically downgrading your craft beer options to cheaper beer is not mandatory. With a few key ideas and slight changes of habits, your craft beer budget can stretch quite a bit.

Buy in bulk

Like everything else, the larger the quantities you purchase, the smaller the unit price becomes. Instead of buying your favorite beer by the six-pack, start buying by the 24-bottle case. Warehouse stores such as CostCo and Sam’s Club also sell alcohol in bulk; if they don’t carry your favorite brand, ask them to do so.

Choose tap options

Bars, pubs and restaurants are retail businesses, which means they must mark up their products over their costs to make a profit. One of the largest markups for them is bottled beer, which many sell for 40% over its retail price. Bottled beer is available at home in your refrigerator, so select a tap option when drinking away from home. On a per-ounce basis, it’s a better deal.

Loyalty programs

Although rare, some pubs and restaurants offer consumer loyalty programs as an incentive for repeat business. Usually for a small membership fee, you can enjoy discounted pricing, weekly specials or larger serving sizes. The repeated savings on each pint can cover the price of membership often within a few weeks or months.

Watch for beer specials

Just about every retailer or liquor store runs specials from time to time, if not every day. Sometimes it is to encourage patrons during slow periods, and sometimes it is to clear out products that are aging or to make room for new beers. For some brands at some times—especially with off-season seasonal beers—the savings can be substantial.

Consider a weeknight

Weekends are the natural nights for bar, pub and restaurant attendance. With reliable crowds, there is no incentive for an establishment to offer any special pricing for anything. But Sunday through Thursday nights, the tables are turned. These are slow business nights for most bars and pubs, so many offer beer specials or overall discounted pricing to encourage customers to fill the seats. Often these discounts are accompanied by other crowd-pleasing deals such as trivia leagues or branded brewery glassware.

Brew your own

For the truly serious penny-pinchers, consider learning to homebrew your own beer (yes, it is legal). It is surprisingly simple to learn, and pre-packaged kits make things even easier. Basic equipment can be obtained for less than $50, and ingredients can be found through hundreds of online vendors. Homebrewing clubs are active all over the Metroplex to teach and guide the beginning brewer.

Cheers!

paul@scientist.com