Overall, costs of bottled beer break down evenly among labor, ingredients and packaging.

FORBES: Money on Tap

If clever advertising or great packaging or a sense the brewer has somehow touched your beer makes it taste better to you then all those things are OK. But you certainly benefit by understanding that before you open your wallet.

FORBES: Beer On Trial: You Be The Jury

The new soft drink-like packaging helped fast-track bottled water's growth past milk and beer.

WSJ: America's new love: Water