I’m going to tell you something that might surprise no one:
I’m cheap
If there is a deal to be had, I will find it. I have sat down at a restaurant, found a gift card promo online, and bought it to save a few bucks (or to get a free appetizer). I have a way to always find a deal (and my parents call it “pulling a Chris”).
That being said, I was sitting at my local Elks lodge last night and the bartender mentioned that I should try the new bourbon they got today. She said it was Four Roses Small Batch Select. A good friend next to me actually bought my drink I enjoyed a delightful pour. I asked the bartender for the bottle to take a picture and I chuckled just a bit.
What would you imagine the price to be of a pour of Four Roses Small Batch Select at a restaurant?
If I was in the Indy area, I would guess I would $10-$12 for an 1oz pour.
If I was in Chicago, it might be $15-$20 for a pour.
In lovely old New Castle, Indiana – It was $4 for a pour. Don’t believe me? Look at the very classy post-it note that was attached to the bottle.
That’s why I’m here to argue that there is a secret to finding cheap drinks (specifically bourbon) if you know where to look. And it’s not going to be at that weird liquor store in the middle of nowhere.
Where To Find Cheap Bourbon Pours
The answer is: Fraternal Organizations
Social clubs such as the Elks, Eagles, Masons, Moose, Knights of Columbus, etc are some of the best (and cheapest) places to get a drink.
Most people assume that fraternal organizations are typically reserved for older folks. I imagine your grandpa or great grandpa might have been a member of at least one of these organizations if you grew up in the midwest. And most people have no idea what these fraternal organizations even do. They just know they sponsor their kid’s baseball teams and possibly run a bingo hall or golf course.
What people don’t know is that these clubs often have some of the best deals on food, drinks, and events around.
How Can Their Prices Be That Low?
I think it really comes down to a few different things:
- Membership fees – These are social clubs and all of these places have yearly dues. These dues go to the operation of the facilities and to help the community. As a member of an organization, you get special perks like access to the facilities and event, specific nights where dinner is for members only, access to other lodges across the nation, etc. These fees help to offset the cost of operating a bar or a kitchen.
- Lower markups – When you have a little bit of wiggle room in your operating expenses from the membership dollars, you don’t have to charge a 3 times markup on everything to break even and make a profit. Heck, these are non-profit organizations who are going to give any profit away to causes in their community. So you can take a $55 bottle of bourbon and charge $4 a pour for it. When you do the math, the lodge is still making money (roughly $30-$40) on selling 1oz pours. Money is being made, but not as much as a restaurant needs to make.
- Repeat business – If you walk into any fraternal organization, my guess is you will see a group of people that know everyone there. The bartender knows exactly the drink they are going to order and they might even have a typical “spot” at the bar. You might also find a daily and a weekly drawing somewhere if you look hard enough. The fact that these people are in the bar each day bring a steady stream of revenue into the fraternal organization. Most restaurants have regulars who stop 1 time a week. These bars have people who stop by 5-6 days a week. You make more on the volume of drinks sold instead of the mark-up.
What Do They Usually Have?
This all depends on the lodge, club, and the members. These types of organizations tend to carry what the regulars enjoy to drink (since they are their main customer base). At our Elks Lodge in New Castle, I’m one of a few people that help make suggestions on what to carry when it comes to craft beer or bourbon.
For example: I went to Moon Drops Distillery and did a tasting. I enjoyed the tasting, so I asked for a card to take back to my local Elks Lodge. The nice lady wrote down the information and I took the card back to the lady who does the liquor purchasing and asked if they could grab a bottle of bourbon, a bottle of lemon drop moonshine, and a bottle of apple pie moonshine. Less than a week later, these three items were sitting at the bar. The Four Roses Small Batch was a request by another regular. If you ask for it and will drink it, they’ll carry it.
On my trips to other Lodges and states, I have noticed this same thing holds true. If I head to the Muncie Elks Lodge, I’ll be able to find Blade and Bow on the shelf for a $5.50 pour. If you head down to the Franklin Elks, you’ll find some great bourbons for no more than $6 a pour. If you head to the Greenfield Elks, you’ll be delightfully surprised by their selection and their prices as well. I’ve had Jefferson’s Ocean at a K of C in Ohio for $6 a pour. An Eagles Lodge close by has Woodford Double Oaked for $5.50. It holds true in Wisconsin and other states as well. If there is a bourbon drinker, odds are there is a good priced pour waiting for you.
How Can I Get In?
This is a great question – Some of these organizations have special cards, fobs, or other methods to allow their members in. Guest are a little more difficult. Sometimes there are “open to the public” nights, sometimes you can walk in and ask for an application to get a look around, and sometimes you can find a member and have them take you as a guest.
Regardless – If you are wanting to make this your new favorite bar, you are going to need to get a membership. Memberships run between $30-$100+ depending on the organization, the location, and the amenities. This is typically charged on an annual basis.
Once you are a member of one lodge or spot, you can take that membership with you across the nation. I have a Moose membership in a town I’m not even in so I can stop at the Green Bay Moose for breakfast before a game (cheapest and most delicious in town). I use my Elks membership to visit Lodge in Florida so I can avoid paying tourist prices. I use these membership for more than just my weekly dinners. I use it as a special “low price” club I can visit anywhere and everywhere I go!
Conclusion
As I sat there last night at my local Elks Lodge, I was wondering if I would have had more fun taking a trip to Indy to grab a drink and dinner. Most likely, the answer would have been no and it would have cost about 3 times more than my night last night. I had fun playing pool, talking with familiar faces, and drinking cheap drinks for the entire evening. And I’ll be back up there in just a few days to do it all over again. The cheap pours of bourbon are just one of the many perks.
