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Coming Soon to the LCBO

This forum is for discussing everything beer retail: LCBO, Beer Store, Grocery Stores and Indie Stores.

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skaghevn
Posts: 246
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2001 8:00 pm

Post by skaghevn »

Blasphomet wrote:Secondly, I don't care about how natural and organic your ingredients are if your beer comes out no better than average at best...
I've had Beau's offering after Beau's offering and been rather unimpressed. Then I had the Mr. Hyde on tap. Not earth-shattering, but I'd quite happily buy it again, and plan on picking up the bottled form in the Oktoberfest pack next week. You might wanna give it a try.

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groulxsome
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Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:24 pm

Post by groulxsome »

Not sure the BJCP-knowing, best-beer-value-hunting, bar-towel-er is really the target market for Beau's, and I'm pretty sure they're ok with that.

I know several people to are interested in beer and enjoy trying new beer, but not to the point where they are hanging off the drinkvine new release section to make sure they aren't missing anything, and to these people Beau's is often listed as one of their favourite breweries. Or, more so, not really interested (that's not the right word) enough to research reviews to decide what in a new offering at the LCBO is worth trying.

These folks tend to trust Beau's for providing them with a new flavour combination in beer and, generally, being good, interesting beers. If they see a new Beau's, they often pick it up over something folks on here might thing was better simply because they trust the brewery/brand to provide something fun. Sure, it's expensive fun, but it's fun and most of their combinations and interpretations, while often out of style and far from stellar, at least fundamentally make sense (unlike, say a true novelty brewer like Rogue).

So I say Yay to Beau's. Sometimes they are training wheels beers (is it wrong to call Opa's Gose "baby's first gose?"), and sometimes they are just fun, but to a lot of casual beer enthusiasts in Ontario they are doing a good job of expanding beer palates and playing with some new interpretations of less-common beer styles. It's classic R&D, you have expensive misses as much as you have expensive hits.

[Edit, that got long! Was waiting for coffee to brew so I just kept typing until I was out of steam and the coffee was done.. :P]

schomberger
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Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 2:43 pm
Location: Schomberg

Post by schomberger »

I know taste is subjective but calling 8 Ball a world class beer is ridiculous, even by bartowel standards.
"World class" might be pushing it a bit depending on your definition, but not "ridiculous" in terms of sweet stouts; 8 Ball currently is hanging in at #25 of the best sweet stouts in the world on ratebeer based on almost a 1000 reviews; this is also 98th percentile overall and on style. I'm not sure how to define "world class" but being rated in the top 2% of all beer must at least be approaching world class...

As for Beau's, yep, I agrree that they are too expensive for the actual flavour experience they provide, which is why I rarely buy (one or two singles pr year?) On the other hand, their products aren't disasters either and I appreciate their willingness to experiment with various styles and ingredients.

Andrenaline
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:22 pm

Post by Andrenaline »

I'm a fan of Beau's... A tad pricey, but as others have posted I enjoy the range of styles they release. The flavour profiles are far from "average" IMO... Then again 90% of my ratings on BA are +'tive deviations from the mean, so I'm not overly critical. I guess I just love all beer...

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spinrsx
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Location: Ottawa

Post by spinrsx »

whatever Beau's is doing - It seems to be working. Their stuff moves fast of the shelves in my area. Whenever I tell my non-beer-nerd friends that I am into craft beer they always ask me "have you tried Beau's!?"

TheSevenDuffs
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Post by TheSevenDuffs »

spinrsx wrote:whatever Beau's is doing - It seems to be working. Their stuff moves fast of the shelves in my area. Whenever I tell my non-beer-nerd friends that I am into craft beer they always ask me "have you tried Beau's!?"
IMO, what Beau's has done right is distribution. They have done a great job getting their regular lineup and their seasonals bottled and shipped across Ontario over the past year. There's isn't another Ontario brewery that I can think of that has released as many different styles through the LCBO in 2012/13. Great Lakes seems to be moving in the right direction but no one else really seems to be making that push...

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

Blastcomment is right. DAMN good visual presentation, Beau's has.

But a 'Gose' that tastes like a middling to decent Belgian Wit with salt thrown into it... fer God's sake man. I'm still waiting to be impressed by 80% of what they do.

If anyone has the resources to up their game, they should. This is hopeful.
In Beerum Veritas

TheSevenDuffs
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Post by TheSevenDuffs »

Belgian wrote: I'm still waiting to be impressed by 80% of what they do.
You and me, both...

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jp_jkl
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:13 pm
Location: Toronto, ON

Post by jp_jkl »

groulxsome wrote:I know several people to are interested in beer and enjoy trying new beer, but not to the point where they are hanging off the drinkvine new release section to make sure they aren't missing anything, and to these people Beau's is often listed as one of their favourite breweries. Or, more so, not really interested (that's not the right word) enough to research reviews to decide what in a new offering at the LCBO is worth trying.

These folks tend to trust Beau's for providing them with a new flavour combination in beer and, generally, being good, interesting beers. If they see a new Beau's, they often pick it up over something folks on here might thing was better simply because they trust the brewery/brand to provide something fun.
This describes me perfectly. Steamwhistle and Mill Street were my gateway craft beers a few years ago. For several years, I was happy enough drinking Stock Ale, Organic and Steamwhistle's pilsner along with the usual imports.

When Beau's started to pop up in restaurants around Toronto and then the LCBO, I really enjoyed Lug Tread. Naturally when their seasonal offerings hit the shelves, I figured it was a safe bet for stepping outside of my comfort zone. After a while, I started to follow LCBO releases and take advantage of having a sister living in Michigan. The rest is history, I guess.

I rarely buy Beau's, Steamwhistle or Mill Street anymore but I can appreciate them for what they are.

nickw
Posts: 231
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:56 pm

Post by nickw »

jp_jkl wrote:
groulxsome wrote:I know several people to are interested in beer and enjoy trying new beer, but not to the point where they are hanging off the drinkvine new release section to make sure they aren't missing anything, and to these people Beau's is often listed as one of their favourite breweries. Or, more so, not really interested (that's not the right word) enough to research reviews to decide what in a new offering at the LCBO is worth trying.

These folks tend to trust Beau's for providing them with a new flavour combination in beer and, generally, being good, interesting beers. If they see a new Beau's, they often pick it up over something folks on here might thing was better simply because they trust the brewery/brand to provide something fun.
This describes me perfectly. Steamwhistle and Mill Street were my gateway craft beers a few years ago. For several years, I was happy enough drinking Stock Ale, Organic and Steamwhistle's pilsner along with the usual imports.

When Beau's started to pop up in restaurants around Toronto and then the LCBO, I really enjoyed Lug Tread. Naturally when their seasonal offerings hit the shelves, I figured it was a safe bet for stepping outside of my comfort zone. After a while, I started to follow LCBO releases and take advantage of having a sister living in Michigan. The rest is history, I guess.

I rarely buy Beau's, Steamwhistle or Mill Street anymore but I can appreciate them for what they are.
This is me almost exactly as well, along with Parliament St. Beer Store 9-packs of Cameron's Cream and Auburn Ales (because, as a student, 9-packs of good beer for $15ish was a fantastic deal). I love Cameron's RPA, but I rarely buy anything else from these four brewers anymore. I'm still comforted to know that they're still around and ostensibly doing quite well. My tastes have move on, but they do deserve respect for bringing craft beer to a much larger crowd.

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Blasphomet
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Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:07 am

Post by Blasphomet »

It's not just the price itself... its the reason I was given for the pricing when i contacted them. I should have known what the answer would have been, as it was explained as cost of ingredients and bottling/labelling.

That is the issue... your 'natural' and 'organic' ingredients aren't doing anything to push your beers into the upper tier, and I hate paying for packaging.... which is why I also don't purchase the Muskoka seasonals anymore. It's too bad, because Mad Tom and Twice as Mad are fantastic. Those I purchase frequently.

I want to like Beau's, but there is not nearly enough success for me to continue to purchase their stuff.

Kekumba
Posts: 385
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 3:39 pm
Location: Ottawa

Post by Kekumba »

I like Beau's, and buy the majority of their beers. They've been pretty disappointing in 2013, however. I'd say they've done such a good job building their brand and what not that we all expect them to be much better than they are (given the styles they do, the price of their products...and seeing as they do get a lot of media attention, win awards, etc). I personally wouldn't put them alongside Mill St, Beau's does much better in my eyes, but I understand what you guys are saying. When Rudolphus IV makes the rounds again in a month, I highly recommend trying it on tap somewhere. Their one bright spot in new beer releases this year.

Anyway...did the BCBS at the LCBO dream die?

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Zuma
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:04 am
Location: Ottawa

Post by Zuma »

Blasphomet wrote:It's not just the price itself... its the reason I was given for the pricing when i contacted them. I should have known what the answer would have been, as it was explained as cost of ingredients and bottling/labelling.

That is the issue... your 'natural' and 'organic' ingredients aren't doing anything to push your beers into the upper tier, and I hate paying for packaging.... which is why I also don't purchase the Muskoka seasonals anymore. It's too bad, because Mad Tom and Twice as Mad are fantastic. Those I purchase frequently.

I want to like Beau's, but there is not nearly enough success for me to continue to purchase their stuff.

However, the organic part is contributing to the cost. And I would assume to the price.

I never heard them say that the organic ingredients make the beers better. Organic does not add to anything, it just means less crap from non organic ingredients.

atomeyes
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2153
Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:39 pm

Post by atomeyes »

Belgian wrote:Blastcomment is right. DAMN good visual presentation, Beau's has.

But a 'Gose' that tastes like a middling to decent Belgian Wit with salt thrown into it... fer God's sake man. I'm still waiting to be impressed by 80% of what they do.

If anyone has the resources to up their game, they should. This is hopeful.
Beau's has a beer called Bogwater, yet ever beer i've had from them tastes like it was actually brewed with bog water.

i pretty much steer clear of anything they make now. Amsterdam, GLB, Bellwoods and Nickelbrook (their one-offs) are the top 4 Ontario breweries in my books, and Beau's is pretty much up there with Amsterdam's 416 and other main stream offerings.

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Kish84
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Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:41 pm
Location: Kitchener

Post by Kish84 »

Kekumba wrote:Anyway...did the BCBS at the LCBO dream die?
It's mentioned earlier in this thread, but it's only going to be available at a GI tasting and not for sale.

http://www.vintages.com/events/beer_eve ... =BeerEvent
"There's always money in the banana stand."

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