My friend Fuz sent me a link to an article on the resurgence of beers being aged in wood barrels.
While I appreciate the craft that goes into making these beers, I have to say the price tag makes me balk in a serious way. That might be the point; these are specialty beers for special occasions, but I certainly hope that this doesn’t become a widespread trend. I would like a good beer for a reasonable price available to as many people as possible. If brewers decide to put the really good beers out of the reach of the regular budget, then I feel like something has gone a little awry in the brewing culture. They already have to overcome misconceptions about the way their beer tastes (too heavy, too intense, etc.), the fact that it costs more, and the still frequent condecension from people who derive status from their drink instead of the pleasure of good food shared.
Making $35 bottles for 25oz of beer is something I’d like to see kept as a rarity, if you don’t mind.
A pint for Dionysus 
Something tells me that, with times being what they are, that there will continue to be a large quantity of good, but more reasonably priced, beer. Overall, I suspect that barrel aging is confined to a fairly low percentage of beers.
As we both know, Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien is both rare and absolutely breathtaking. Easily the best beer we had at the PIB.
Besides which, there was an 11.2 oz beer for $3.50 on the tasting list (Bavik Petrus Aged Pale). And they gave it three stars.
That’s true, but we’ve been to the Green Dragon and it’s terribly overpriced there, but people still go to drink.
I’d be the last person to call for panic, but it’s one of those ‘keep an eye on this’ things.
And your’e right; the Abbaye we had at PIB was easily the best beer there, and worth what we paid.
I also think it’s seasonal: more barrel-aged beers will be served in the winter months, in which higher-alcohol beers are better appreciated. We may be more conscious of barrel aging simply because it’s the season.