Why Beer Flights At A Brewery Aren't Always The Bargain They Seem - Tasting Table

"Beer flights are a fun and easy way to sip on a range of beer styles from a new-to-you brewery, whether you're looking to try their full IPA lineup or want a more varied spread of light lagers and dark, chocolatey stouts. However, many beer drinkers are growing wise to the fact that nowadays beer flights aren't a good value when you sit down and really think about it."

"There's a growing number of breweries raising the price of flights, and not just to keep up with inflation. Brewers have noticed that flights eat into their profits since the tasters usually come as a bundle deal, which averages out pricing and reduces margins on pricier beers. This essentially forces them to increase the cost of the flight, meaning you're paying more per ounce than you would for a full pour."

"Another reason why beer flights may not be the best deal for you is that they all usually come in the same mini glass shape. For the best beer drinking experience, each style of beer works best in a certain glass. Think tulips for IPAs, and tall glasses for pilsners. You may not notice much difference if you're a beer newbie, but connoisseurs know how much better the drinking experience can be when the right beer glass is used."

Beer flights let drinkers sample multiple styles in small pours but can be poorer value than full pints. Breweries are increasing flight prices because bundled tasters average pricing and reduce margins on pricier beers, which raises per-ounce costs. Flight prices commonly span about $10–12 up to $17–20 for four five-ounce pours. Identical mini glassware for all tasters can blunt style-specific aromas and flavors that benefit from proper glass shapes. Mixing diverse styles in one flight can dilute the tasting sequence. Flights are useful for initial exploration, but ordering pints of favorites is typically more economical.

Read at Tasting Table