Portland Beer Price Index: Spring 2012

A pretty quiet installment of the PBPI this quarter:  no change of more than 3 cents in any of the categories.  Suits me, I'm ready for some quiet time.  Here are the numbers:

• 6-packs: $9.25, up 2 cents
• 22-ounce bombers: $4.96, down 3 cents
• 6-packs (sale price): $8.73, unchanged
• 22-ounce bombers (sale price): $4.77, down 1 cent
• 16 oz. draft: $4.33 up 2 cents
• 16 oz. draft (happy hour): $3.54, up 2 cents

The draft prices are actually lower than I reported last time, but I realized I had been recording too high of a pint price at the Horse Brass for a few quarters. Taking that into account, the draft prices are up 2 cents from what I should have reported last time. I discussed the details in last week's meandering Horse Brass post.

The bomber availability battle that I fight every quarter seems to be pretty stable for now:  Pelican IPA was available at 3 of the 5 stores I canvass, and Beer Valley Leafer Madness was at 4 of them.  But in a surprise development, the Division Street New Seasons has stopped carrying any Rogue bombers.  An employee told me they dropped them because the prices were getting too high.  Uh, yeah, for the last 20 years or so; you guys are just now figuring that out?  For now Rogue and New Seasons have enough coverage that I'll keep them both in the survey, but it's something to keep an eye on.