Beer Prices - opinions/explanations?

There's a HUGE difference in the tax rates between Colorado and KY. While it's not immediately clear to most people (including a lot of lawmakers), KY has one of the highest tax rates on beer in the nation. By the time a consumer buys a beer he has paid the following taxes:
1. Federal excise tax ($18/bbl or $7/bbl depending on brewery size)
2. KY excise tax ($2.48/bbl)
3. KY Gross receipts tax (11% of the distributor selling price)
4. KY Sales tax ( 6% of retail selling price)

While this helps explain why prices here are high relative to other places, it doesn't explain why one place would charge more than another. As David mentioned, they are all paying the same price for the beer. My guess is that their operating costs are different and in turn have a different pricing philosophy. Kind of along the line of what Shawn laid out.

If I lived in Louisville I would feel like $5.50 was too high. When I visit I don't much care. I reckon at any regular sort of pub (i.e. not super fancy) around these parts (Germany, Benelux, France) you'll pay about EUR 2.50 - 3.50 ($3.65-4.35) for good locally brewed beer at .33 liter. Something better than a Warsteiner for example. In a big city add a Euro easily. London Paris add two Euros, and if it's anywhere where there are hot women on a consistent basis make it EUR7 ($10).

So were there hot women in the unnamed bar?

Funny Dan. Here, where there are hot women the Miller Lite and Bud Light are flowing at elevated pricing.