The festive season is almost upon us, as invites to Christmas parties and plans to catch up with family and friends over the Christmas break have already begun.
Christmas is the perfect time to head to your local for a few quiet ones, whether it be to complete 12 pubs or even head out on the town.
But unfortunately, like most things, the cost of living crisis and rising rates of inflation means your money may not get you as far this year.
Heineken wrote to publicans across the country earlier this month to announce that the price of their draught products will be increasing by nine per cent next month.
The brewing giant said rising energy, packaging and raw materials costs left it with no choice other than to hike its prices.
In a statement to pubs, Heineken said: "Businesses in Ireland today continue to face exceptional inflationary challenges and our industry is no different. Like you, HEINEKEN Ireland is equally faced with unprecedented cost increases across the entire supply chain.
"We have been working hard to minimise the impacts of these increases but unfortunately have not been able to mitigate all of them.
"A price increase on all our draught products will enable us to more closely reflect the cost of producing and supplying our products. This price increase will come into effect on all Heineken Ireland portfolio draught products on December 1st 2022.
"Keg prices for Heineken and Coors lager will increase, equivalent to 17 cents per pint.
"This increase is essential to us to offset, in part, the severe cost input pressure and ensure that HEINEKEN Ireland remains as active as ever in supporting you."
The news will likely see the consumer pay an additional 50c for their pint.
Increases will also be added pro-rata to the company's other products, such as Birra Moretti, Orchard Thieves, Murphy's, Beamish and Island's Edge and will kick in from December 1.
Meanwhile, Guinness owner Diageo has confirmed that it will not hike its price for the rest of the year.
The company, which owns Guinness, Tanqueray, Baileys, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan, vowed to stay clear of hikes for the rest of 2022.
In reaction to Heineken's news, some pubs have already said they would be taking the brewer's products off their shelves altogether instead of passing the costs on.
The owner Darkey Kelly's on Fishamble St in Dublin said: "I can't ask my customers to pay over the odds for a pint" and added, "if you are a Heineken drinker we have plenty of other options here to drink".
Kavanagh's Pub on New St also told their regulars to "please get used to drinking a different larger" as they're "taking out two products".
They said: "With the new increases announced from Heineken this morning we would need to increase the pint by about 35c to our already hard pressed customers.
"When do we collectively take a stand against this madness?
"All pubs should remove at least one of Heinekens product lines from our businesses, that should make them sit up and take notice."
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