On 22nd July the Price Tribunal announced an increase of about 10% in the prices of all beer bought in pubs, of 2 cents per bottle and 10 cents a flagon bought in bottle stores. This was in answer to a Breweries request that would allow 'recovery' of what they claimed was $17.5 million in increased costs. The Department of Trade and Industry had offered only $13 million. The Tribunal's decision settled on a nice 'fair' average of $15 million out of our pockets. Yet, was the increase really justified? There are three things that must be looked at - the situation of Breweries in New Zealand; this particular; increase; and the wider implications of it.