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The true passion of this blog. The raison d'être, you might say, has always been cheap grog. At home and in a few select pubs that understand the philosophy of cheap beer. Not faffing with concepts of economics, philosophy, or morality. The joy of what really amounts to the great pleasures of life. Cheap pish. Good for the body, cleansing for soul and arguably the bedrock of all civilisation. That expensive beer the weird and socially awkward crafties like is a devil’s brew. The true enlightenment is in cheap, ever flowing, pish.



Could you direct us to spoons please? this pub is trying to rob us blind.




So, when we discerning cheap beer afficionados learn that our worst fears are true. That the rumours Samuel Smiths Pubs are no longer going to be a mecca of cheap grog are all true. As reported by the titans of beer bloggery, shambolic codger Mudgie Mudgington, and heroic bitter saviour, Sir TAND of the Tandlemen, we can at this stage only mourn. Weep even. Weep into our pints. Pints from Wetherspoons, where we have decamped to.



It is noted that the five stages of grief are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.


I cannot place myself on this yet. I just feel sad. There is no denying the truth. It is a sense of loss. Maybe that will manifest into anger. I doubt it can progress beyond bargaining. I cannot see at this moment how I may get to acceptance. Is this sense of loss a form of depression? Is that where I am?



When I rush into the street in the middle of the night, stark bollock naked, as the rain pours down and I shake my angry fist at the sky. When I scream in pain and anger and frustration “You did it Humpf. You did it. God damn you. God damn you Humpf to hell!






God damn Humpf



What does it all mean?



Well, I think it means I was kind of right in way that gives no pleasure when I did some diagrams here theorising that a post Covid world would be one of fewer pubs and higher prices. Tandlemans blog quotes the brewery announcement which I shall not repeat explaining the adjustment brings the prices into line with the market. I think Humpf has seen the writing on the wall in terms of his cost base and fewer seats and figured prices are up, crack on. I think most pubs will figure that one out. Sam Smiths may soon be back to being the cheapest on the block by virtue of other rises. Most other pubs would not have the cahoonas to implement such an immediate shock to a customer base used to a bargain.


The 2 pubs I returned to last weekend had instigated price rises of 10p and 20p a pint respectively. I think they may be staggering the shock. The 10p price rises will be coming at us several times over the next year, across the pub spectrum. Humpf has taken one step to getting where he intends to be. Other operators are walking there over several steps. The new up from £3 or £4 organic lager may now be priced in line with other louts but shorty those other louts are heading to £5 and £6. The Sam’s lout may soon appear relatively cheap again. I don’t therefore take the brewery statement at face value. As a justification for a price rise, it works. As a statement of future intent, it may very well be meaningless. Brace yourself, sup cans.


Of course, if I am right, then this time next year Sam Smiths is still a quid a pint dearer than it was, but back to being relatively cheaper than other pub operators. I suspect they will suffer in the short term as punters decamp to Wetherspoons, but that will leave Sam Smiths with the few customers their arithmetic expects. The pubs will no longer enjoy that character that only forms where true aficionados of cheap pish congregate. It is why the CAMRA micropubs lack character where Sam’s has traditionally been overflowing with it. You need the real people. As Spoons prices climb, those punters may wander back.



Overall, as prices rise across the board we will see if there is an advantage in being a first mover or whether it is better to trail the rest of the market. A lot of pubs are about to shut up shop for good. Price levels across the board are on their way up. Drinkers who formally turned there nose up at those that cared about the price of beer may soon find themselves caring about the price of beer. To those I say, welcome friends. Welcome to enlightenment, Glad you joined us. Many more will become bargain seekers.




Get a shift on, last orders is coming



Those 5 stages of grief I mentioned earlier. Has anyone got a phone number for a grief counsellor?




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