The Bar Towel

spinrsx wrote:

PeenSteen wrote:4 packs of DDC Aphrodite should be hitting stores next week

do you mean Aphrodisiaque?

It's probably Aphrodisiaque. IIRC they had to change the name for the Ontario market so people wouldn't think it's actually an aphrodisiac. Social responsibility and all that.

Lol...I just traded for some Aphro.

I need a break from new beers to get through the ones I have.

It has slowed but there are more beers being pumped in from Ontario breweries to make up for the difference.

cfrancis wrote:I need a break from new beers to get through the ones I have.

It has slowed but there are more beers being pumped in from Ontario breweries to make up for the difference.

Yep, I've been that way for the past half year. Buying less of a wider variety of beers. Only a few favourites I'll buy a bunch of.
My supply needs to dwindle away....not planning to buy any cans/bottles for a few months unless they're one-offs!

Masterplan wrote:

spinrsx wrote:is it just me, or are there not as many new beers coming to the lcbo as there used to be. (not that its ever been a whole lot.. but still)

the winter release only had like 6 beers as part of it, and the spring release that is normally announced by now is non existent. Not to mention that they scrapped the brewery feature thing.

That was one of the trade offs for beer in grocery stores...more availability less selection.

I'm not sure that I understand the rationale behind this trade-off. If macro brands and more mainstream craft offerings are now more widely available in grocery stores, shouldn't this free up more shelf space at the LCBO for seasonal/specialty releases? One of the ways that the L could keep beer consumers coming through their doors would be by offering a more unique selection of offerings not otherwise available. I'm not denying that we are seeing less selection, just wondering why this is happening.

Because, deep down, the LCBO doesn't give a crap about beer.

The seasonal release program is stupid and highlights the stupidity behind how beer is selected for these programs. The LCBO puts out a request for agents to submit products for these releases. The request is usually really far in advance. If agents only submit shit beer, then, the seasonal release will be shit. Each agent is only allowed to submit two products for each release. The program relies on agents.....most of which have not done a very good job. The LCBO needs to change the way they acquire new product.

midlife crisis wrote:Because, deep down, the LCBO doesn't give a crap about beer.

... or anything else except wine (and bottom shelf mass movers)

BakaGaijin wrote: The LCBO needs to change the way they acquire new product.

... and they way(s) they sell it

Curious as to what the agents that use this board have to say about this. Is the lcbo even asking for submissions any more?

BakaGaijin wrote:The seasonal release program is stupid and highlights the stupidity behind how beer is selected for these programs. The LCBO puts out a request for agents to submit products for these releases. The request is usually really far in advance. If agents only submit shit beer, then, the seasonal release will be shit. Each agent is only allowed to submit two products for each release. The program relies on agents.....most of which have not done a very good job. The LCBO needs to change the way they acquire new product.

Provost Drunk wrote:

Masterplan wrote:

spinrsx wrote:is it just me, or are there not as many new beers coming to the lcbo as there used to be. (not that its ever been a whole lot.. but still)

the winter release only had like 6 beers as part of it, and the spring release that is normally announced by now is non existent. Not to mention that they scrapped the brewery feature thing.

That was one of the trade offs for beer in grocery stores...more availability less selection.

I'm not sure that I understand the rationale behind this trade-off. If macro brands and more mainstream craft offerings are now more widely available in grocery stores, shouldn't this free up more shelf space at the LCBO for seasonal/specialty releases? One of the ways that the L could keep beer consumers coming through their doors would be by offering a more unique selection of offerings not otherwise available. I'm not denying that we are seeing less selection, just wondering why this is happening.

The trade off wasn't about shelf space at the lcbo, it was to appease the beer store who didn't want to compete with grocery stores on the same product.

portwood wrote:

midlife crisis wrote:Because, deep down, the LCBO doesn't give a crap about beer.

... or anything else except wine (and bottom shelf mass movers)

Exactly. LCBO is first and foremost interested in sales of wine, with spirits a distant second and beer (with a few notable exceptions, which are decreasing) pretty much an afterthought. I wouldn't blame the agents though. I think the agents, by and large, do a good job given the multiple constraints placed before them.

Masterplan wrote:

Provost Drunk wrote:

Masterplan wrote:
That was one of the trade offs for beer in grocery stores...more availability less selection.

I'm not sure that I understand the rationale behind this trade-off. If macro brands and more mainstream craft offerings are now more widely available in grocery stores, shouldn't this free up more shelf space at the LCBO for seasonal/specialty releases? One of the ways that the L could keep beer consumers coming through their doors would be by offering a more unique selection of offerings not otherwise available. I'm not denying that we are seeing less selection, just wondering why this is happening.

The trade off wasn't about shelf space at the lcbo, it was to appease the beer store who didn't want to compete with grocery stores on the same product.

Interesting. But not sure I understand why less selection is important to TBS. If the LCBO focused more on seasonal/speciality beers and designated less less shelf space to macros, wouldn't this funnel more consumers to TBS for their macro fix?

Provost Drunk wrote:

Masterplan wrote:

Provost Drunk wrote: I'm not sure that I understand the rationale behind this trade-off. If macro brands and more mainstream craft offerings are now more widely available in grocery stores, shouldn't this free up more shelf space at the LCBO for seasonal/specialty releases? One of the ways that the L could keep beer consumers coming through their doors would be by offering a more unique selection of offerings not otherwise available. I'm not denying that we are seeing less selection, just wondering why this is happening.

The trade off wasn't about shelf space at the lcbo, it was to appease the beer store who didn't want to compete with grocery stores on the same product.

Interesting. But not sure I understand why less selection is important to TBS. If the LCBO focused more on seasonal/speciality beers and designated less less shelf space to macros, wouldn't this funnel more consumers to TBS for their macro fix?

The owners of TBS are best served if the only stuff on the shelves in either store is Macro.They don't actually need to care if you buy your beer in the LCBO or TBS, since their profits are similar either way. What they really care about is limiting access to alternatives.

Craig wrote:
The owners of TBS are best served if the only stuff on the shelves in either store is Macro.They don't actually need to care if you buy your beer in the LCBO or TBS, since their profits are similar either way. What they really care about is limiting access to alternatives.

I feel incredibly stupid for temporarily forgetting who owns TBS - it all makes sense now. Was this access vs. selection trade-off expressly disclosed as part of the agreement to allow beer sales in grocery stores or are we speculating that it must have been a condition given the downward tick in the L's recent selections? Either way it reeks of anti-competition. Par for the course in the world of Ontario beer sales I suppose.

I was fairly agnostic on the whole beer in grocery stores thing - it's not difficult for me go to an LCBO to buy beer and I didn't anticipate any of the big grocery chains carrying a selection that I found particularly interesting. Given the price of access is selection, I am firmly of the opinion that we're worse-off under the new regime (and yes, I appreciate that I am being a little Toronto/urban-centric in viewing things through the lens of having easy access to a lot of good LCBOs).