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We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Interested in more Cask Conditioned Real Ale?
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- Posts: 47
- Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:58 pm
- Location: Toronto
- Contact:
Interested in more Cask Conditioned Real Ale?
Don't know how many of you out there have visited the Victory Cafe in the Annex, but having served some of Ontario's (and Canada's) fine microbrews for several years now, we are thinking of adding a local cask conditioned real ale to our range. Now then, it would be a shame to see it go to waste, so we would like to guage potential interest. Please let me know what you think.
Cheers,
Beer Wench
Victory Cafe
Beer Wench
Victory Cafe
- Jon Walker
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1899
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2001 8:00 pm
- Location: Wherever you go there you are
It's a tough call. I live not too far from the Victory. Would I come in more frequently if there was a cask ale on tap? Perhaps...depends what it was. There are good cask ales and not so good ones available locally. What I'd suggest is going to Volo's cask ale event next month. You'll have a good chance to sample everything available locally and decide what suits you AND you can determine interest simply by looking at the turnout for the event. If it sells out both days then that's a pretty good indicator there is a demand.
I'm not sure how well the cask ales sell at Volo or Smokeless Joes on a regular basis though so from a business perspective it's hard to know the long term viability. However I'm guessing the Victory regulars know a thing or two about beer and would likely support a cask ale.
I'm not sure how well the cask ales sell at Volo or Smokeless Joes on a regular basis though so from a business perspective it's hard to know the long term viability. However I'm guessing the Victory regulars know a thing or two about beer and would likely support a cask ale.
- Uncle Bobby
- Posts: 383
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I would have expected almost universal support for cask ale here, and from the votes it looks like this is the case.
I am a frequent patron of the Victory, and cask ale would definitely raise its profile in my mind. I already think the Victory is the best place for beer in the Annex and this would only solidify this.
I am a frequent patron of the Victory, and cask ale would definitely raise its profile in my mind. I already think the Victory is the best place for beer in the Annex and this would only solidify this.
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- Location: Toronto
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Many thanks to all of you that responded to the poll, and for your individual comments. Given your (almost) unanimous support, we have begun discussions with Wellington Brewery who have been very helpful and accommodating. We now just need to choose between the two cask conditioned ales that they brew: Arkell Best Bitter or County Ale. I'd be interested to know the general consensus on these two ales and how you would rate them. All comments welcome.
Cheers,
Beer Wench
Victory Cafe
Beer Wench
Victory Cafe
Beer Wench wrote:Many thanks to all of you that responded to the poll, and for your individual comments. Given your (almost) unanimous support, we have begun discussions with Wellington Brewery who have been very helpful and accommodating. We now just need to choose between the two cask conditioned ales that they brew: Arkell Best Bitter or County Ale. I'd be interested to know the general consensus on these two ales and how you would rate them. All comments welcome.
Beer Wench, those are both fine beers to have on cask and I like them pretty much equally. I look forward to my next visit to the Victory as it's always been a great place to have quality beer.
"Everything's better with monkeys!"
- Jon Walker
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1899
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2001 8:00 pm
- Location: Wherever you go there you are
I for one find your cask ale idea exciting, I find the Wellington option takes the shine off it. For the love of beer...PLEASE do as Cass says. You get some Scotch Irish or Black Oak in there and then you are offering something truly unique in the neighborhood and something completely different from the other beers you serve. As I mentioned in an earlier post, go to the cask ale fest at Volo in three weeks and see what's available locally before tying that tap up to only one supplier.
I found the bottled Arkell rather lacking in character (not that I'm an expert on BBs, just my own impression!) But I'd try either those you mention if I saw it on draught.Beer Wench wrote:Arkell Best Bitter or County Ale.
In fact, I never write off a beer before trying it a few times bottled and/or draught. I think Wellington makes some fine stuff and is a brewery to reckon with (being myself partial to the Dark, ID, and RIS.)
In Beerum Veritas
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- Posts: 128
- Joined: Sat May 22, 2004 6:26 pm
- Location: Yorkville
I do understand the expense of installing beer engines and so on, but I'd like to register another vote for a rotating cask beer. The Wellington beers are good, but are already fairly accessible in Toronto. Black Oak and Scotch Irish both brew some outstanding beers which are much harder to find in cask form, and they'd be a real attraction for beerophiles.
If it's at all possible, you should seriously consider mixing things up a bit.
If it's at all possible, you should seriously consider mixing things up a bit.