The Bar Towel

cratez wrote:...This is the first time in five years that I haven't made a "haul" trip to the States before the summer, but I will definitely be doing one in the fall based on this release. It looks like this the first significantly scaled-back release since the Board put out that worrisome trade document following the announcement of beer sales in grocery stores.

Same thoughts here!

This is SO Ontario government... Get them the F out of retail, they suck at it.

Belgian wrote:This is SO Ontario government... Get them the F out of retail, they suck at it.

Yea, what he said

Soooooo I am the only one excited about Vitus at that price point?

Vitus has been at the lcbo for the last 18 months at that same price point. Picked some up in Nepean last month.

iguenard wrote:Soooooo I am the only one excited about Vitus at that price point?

I haven't seen Vitus at the 'BO in Toronto for months and months, so I'm excited to have it back

I got fresh Vitus around March with the Ayinger Weizenbock.

What I am excited about is that last I checked, Summerhill has around 200+ bottles of Saison Dupont. A fresh shipment?

As someone who drinks all styles of beer year round, I hate the way the myopic way the LCBO organizes seasonal releases based on styles. Nevermind some fairly bland offerings, but 7/10 beers are stouts and porters. Now I love stouts and porters, but aside from spiced Christmas Ales and Halloween Pumpkin beers, I can't make a good argument, beyond dogma, why a particular season needs to be associated with particular beer styles. I think the lack of variety probably shoots the LCBO in the foot in terms of causual beer drinkers who may be more inclined to try a wider variety of beers, rather than needing to tick 7 stouts and porters.

I find myself having less and less reason to visit any LCBO when there are more than 2 dozen local breweries that I can drive to that have at least as interesting seasonal selections (as a group) compared to whatever is in the LCBO, not to mention travelling to Buffalo.

boney wrote:As someone who drinks all styles of beer year round, I hate the way the myopic way the LCBO organizes seasonal releases based on styles. Nevermind some fairly bland offerings, but 7/10 beers are stouts and porters. Now I love stouts and porters, but aside from spiced Christmas Ales and Halloween Pumpkin beers, I can't make a good argument, beyond dogma, why a particular season needs to be associated with particular beer styles. I think the lack of variety probably shoots the LCBO in the foot in terms of causual beer drinkers who may be more inclined to try a wider variety of beers, rather than needing to tick 7 stouts and porters.

I find myself having less and less reason to visit any LCBO when there are more than 2 dozen local breweries that I can drive to that have at least as interesting seasonal selections (as a group) compared to whatever is in the LCBO, not to mention travelling to Buffalo.

I agree with you. They should set aside at least 1/4 of the spots for other styles not traditionally associated with that season. In addition, they should pay careful attention to the beers that are "hot" in the micro brew community, so that these breweries are rewarded for their latest efforts. Lastly, they should vastly expand this program to include more seasonal beers; there is no conceivable reason why one of the largest monopolies of booze retail in the world isn't able to bring in at least 50 new seasonal beers, instead of the usual and meager 10-20. They need to revamp this program a bit and include way more input from the craft community.

You know how usually I'll pop into a thread like this and tell you all to look on the brightside and point out a couple of interesting things?

Can't even muster it. Pretty dull.

Agreed

saints_gambit wrote:You know how usually I'll pop into a thread like this and tell you all to look on the brightside and point out a couple of interesting things?

Can't even muster it. Pretty dull.

spinrsx wrote:Agreed

saints_gambit wrote:You know how usually I'll pop into a thread like this and tell you all to look on the brightside and point out a couple of interesting things?

Can't even muster it. Pretty dull.

Mmm hmmm. Maybe the Epic beer will tempt me if I happen to see it...but that's about it.

El Pinguino wrote:

spinrsx wrote:Agreed

saints_gambit wrote:You know how usually I'll pop into a thread like this and tell you all to look on the brightside and point out a couple of interesting things?

Can't even muster it. Pretty dull.

Mmm hmmm. Maybe the Epic beer will tempt me if I happen to see it...but that's about it.

Ayinger's Marzen is the highlight of this release for me. Having the opportunity to grab this beer in bulk for the fall is pretty nice. But it doesn't change the fact that this is the worst release I've ever seen. I guess this is the new LCBO.

AugustusRex wrote:Ayinger's Marzen is the highlight of this release for me. Having the opportunity to grab this beer in bulk for the fall is pretty nice. But it doesn't change the fact that this is the worst release I've ever seen. I guess this is the new LCBO.

It's the old LCBO, too. You just haven't seen the terrible beer releases we used to get.

The Stewart cauld reekie should be good. I had quite a few Stewart beers in Edinburgh last year and all were good. I'll buy this

Looks much the same as always minus the best of the pumpkin lot in the Pumking. Much looking forward to the Epic COFFEE & FIG IMPERIAL OATMEAL STOUT, though!