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Mike-KBCo wrote:We've been debating the use of 500ml v. 650ml bottles for quite some time. We still haven't quite decided what we want to do at our new facility. Thoughts on these two formats?
500ml or less please. Cans preferred. (But don't pull a Duggan though... )
I really don't like the larger format bottle sizes.
midlife crisis wrote:I like your cans, to be honest. If you're also adding a bottle, wouldn't you want to go 650 ml to differentiate them a bit from the 473 ml can?
Agreed. Unless the bottles are replacing rather than in addition to the cans.
midlife crisis wrote:I like your cans, to be honest. If you're also adding a bottle, would you want to go 650 ml to differentiate them a bit from the 473 ml can?
We're talking about bottles that will be sold exclusively at the brewery retail store. The new facility will focus on brewing a wide variety of beer rather than a core line up. Wellington will continue to brew the "core" beers, if you will, while the Kensington location will focus on the fun stuff.
We did consider cans for a while. I was down at the CBCs this spring and was initially chuffed at the idea of going all aluminum. However, we eventually agreed that a tall can just doesn't work for a rare, more experimental or high-ABV brew...at least not in our opinion.
midlife crisis wrote:I like your cans, to be honest. If you're also adding a bottle, wouldn't you want to go 650 ml to differentiate them a bit from the 473 ml can?
Agreed. Unless the bottles are replacing rather than in addition to the cans.
I should clarify that we're definitely sticking with cans at the LCBO, with the exception of some seasonals we hope to release (to be brewed at the new facility) in larger format bottles. That won't be for at least another 1.5 years though.
Mike-KBCo wrote:We've been debating the use of 500ml v. 650ml bottles for quite some time. We still haven't quite decided what we want to do at our new facility. Thoughts on these two formats?
I prefer 500ml, since it all fits in one glass. I don't mind larger bottles (650/750ml), although I do hate it when I buy unfiltered/bottle conditioned beers in 650/750ml bottles with a bunch of yeast sediment in the bottom. Since it either means I need to find a big enough glass to hold the beer, or when I do the repour a bunch of yeast is going to be going in my glass.
For beers that I cellar, I prefer 650/750. It makes it easier to store higher volumes and I pretty much always share the bottles of 8+% stuff I cellar anyway. Plus I feel like the beers age a little better in larger volumes, but that is definitely just my own imagination and/or confirmation bias. I definitely would not like cans for this purpose.
For beers that I plan to drink in the week or two after I buy them, 500 or smaller is preferred. I tend not to seek out cans if they're on shelves with bottles, just because they have that stigma of being cheaper, lower quality beer. I have to use my brain to overcome that. But if they're the only things on the shelves, it wouldn't be an issue.
I just had an interesting experience picking up some beer. I just went to the LCBO and despite me staying away from buying higher priced unproven beers, decided to get Beaus Opa's Gose.
It was in a basket with Festivale right by the till. The Gose wouldn't scan, so the lady went to the basket and grabbed a Festivale, I kept telling her that was a different beer, but she proceeded to scan it and said its $4.35, as she puts the Festivale back I once again mentioned it wasn't the right beer, her response. "This one scans." There was no arguing that point, so I left it, and will enjoy a Beaus product with a price I don't mind spending.
Kish84 wrote:I just had an interesting experience picking up some beer. I just went to the LCBO and despite me staying away from buying higher priced unproven beers, decided to get Beaus Opa's Gose.
Kish84 wrote:I just had an interesting experience picking up some beer. I just went to the LCBO and despite me staying away from buying higher priced unproven beers, decided to get Beaus Opa's Gose.
Unproven? They've been brewing it for 3 years.
My bad, didn't know that, I thought Boom Gose the Dynamite was there only gose, and I wasn't a fan of that, and although I did enjoy this one, I wouldn't pay $8 for it.
There is a new LCBO at Eglington and Lloyd Manor ( between Kipling and Islington ). A pretty decent beer selection. They didn't seem to have any special release stuff but had all the standard issue brews most of us might be looking for. The nice thing is that the entire beer section is a giant walk in cooler. I grabbed a Mad & Noisy Hops and Bolts India Pale Lager and a Wellington Russian Imperial Stout. A nice addition to the fairly hurting selection available at most of the strip mall LCBO stores in this part of town. If I want something special or late at night I'll still be heading of to Crossroads but as a quick stop on the way home from work to grab a couple cold ones this will be a nice new neighbor.
I'm sure this has been asked and answered before, but I noticed the inventory on the LCBO website was last updated as of Thursday. Do they not update for whatever stock they received on Friday?
For instance, Ommegang is showing last updated Aug 15, however maybe a store in Guelph/KDub got some in on Friday. I can't find out until Monday?
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