The Bar Towel

5 utopias at Summerhill?

Masterplan wrote:5 utopias at Summerhill?

Not sure the quantity but last week the beer guy at Summerhill did mention to me he had some available...

Dieu Du Ciel! Aphrodite is showing stock in some LCBOs.

new:

Mill Street Illuminari (typo?)
LCBO#: 489617 | 750 mL bottle
$13.85

spinrsx wrote:new:

Mill Street Illuminari (typo?)
LCBO#: 489617 | 750 mL bottle
$13.85

Another 750? They really seem to have a hard-on for large format bottles lately.

I'm a compulsive ticker, but even I have my limits. Their Lune de Sang and Imperial Ginger Cat were both underwhelming, and they were at least 4-5 bucks cheaper (and still overpriced IMO). Sorry Mill Street, but you're definitely not Goose Island, at least not yet, and nothing you have ever brewed is worth 14 bucks a bottle.

darmokandjalad wrote:

spinrsx wrote:new:

Mill Street Illuminari (typo?)
LCBO#: 489617 | 750 mL bottle
$13.85

Another 750? They really seem to have a hard-on for large format bottles lately.

I'm a compulsive ticker, but even I have my limits.

Same here. Not a fan of large formats
I'll buy one 500-750ml of a beer I've never tried before* but unlikely to buy a second unless its a world class brew that cellars well.

OTOH, I have no problem buying multiples of 330-350ml bottles!

* though I'll pass on this one at 14 bucks a pop

Saw and purchased Cowbell Doc Perdue's Bobcat West Coast Red Ale at an LCBO in Stoney Creek tonight. It has been mentioned somewhere as 'coming' to the LCBO, but I just checked now and don't see it listed on the website.

portwood wrote:

darmokandjalad wrote:

spinrsx wrote:new:

Mill Street Illuminari (typo?)
LCBO#: 489617 | 750 mL bottle
$13.85

Another 750? They really seem to have a hard-on for large format bottles lately.

I'm a compulsive ticker, but even I have my limits.

Same here. Not a fan of large formats
I'll buy one 500-750ml of a beer I've never tried before* but unlikely to buy a second unless its a world class brew that cellars well.

OTOH, I have no problem buying multiples of 330-350ml bottles!

* though I'll pass on this one at 14 bucks a pop

Agreed. There seem to be a lot of beers in large bottles that just don't justify the price or format. I think one of the most bizarre was Mill Street's Tankenstein IPA in a waxed swing-top. That was a serious wtf were they thinking moment... The 4 x 355 ml cans of Dales Pale Ale has got me wanting local beers in this format even more now.

now available
Sawdust City, Long dark voyage to uranus
9.5% (Nov 24, 2016)

So I just had Illuminari at a friend's social event. And to sum it up, this is the epitome of what Mill St has become. It's supposed to be some champagne/Frambozen/Belgian sort of thing, but, I don't know if it's the cane sugar, the raspberries, or what, but it's a thick, syrupy, sweet mess. I think it's supposed to be a champagne beer that fails horribly, and it's backup of fruited Belgian beer fails even more horribly. Luckily I am CRAZY about raspberries, so I'll upscale this one to a "meh", but it's not that different from a raspberry choco/coffee syrup add-on. And what doesn't help, is this quote from the product page off of their website:

During our first pilot brew a waterproof flashlight got dropped into the mash tun during the transfer of the mash to the lauter tun and the light stayed on and kept tumbling throughout the mash and occasionally breaking the surface to light up the mash tun like a search light only to disappear again. We fished the flashlight out of the tank but, the “enlightened” name for this beer was born!

Haha, wow. I''d be scared to ask how they came up with Ginger Cat.

beerstodiscover wrote:Haha, wow. I''d be scared to ask how they came up with Ginger Cat.

Well the new assistant/trainee brewer, Katie McTavish disappeared in the brewing facility one week...

Might've already been mentioned on here, but I spotted the Stone 20th Anniversary Vertical Epic Ale at Summerhill yesterday (and obviously bought a couple), and I notice it's showing stock at a few other stores as well. Nice to see this arrive in time for the holidays.

I might need a few of the Stone 20th VE 02 02 02 also, it was a good one. Price not bad given the exchange.
The 07 07 07 was similarly BSA-ish, and very good.

The 09 09 09 was contentious in its Belgian Stout-style appeal but I would buy it again, too.
But the 12th Anniv Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout was great.

Napalm Frog wrote:So I just had Illuminari at a friend's social event. And to sum it up, this is the epitome of what Mill St has become. It's supposed to be some champagne/Frambozen/Belgian sort of thing, but, I don't know if it's the cane sugar, the raspberries, or what, but it's a thick, syrupy, sweet mess. I think it's supposed to be a champagne beer that fails horribly, and it's backup of fruited Belgian beer fails even more horribly. Luckily I am CRAZY about raspberries, so I'll upscale this one to a "meh", but it's not that different from a raspberry choco/coffee syrup add-on. And what doesn't help, is this quote from the product page off of their website:

During our first pilot brew a waterproof flashlight got dropped into the mash tun during the transfer of the mash to the lauter tun and the light stayed on and kept tumbling throughout the mash and occasionally breaking the surface to light up the mash tun like a search light only to disappear again. We fished the flashlight out of the tank but, the “enlightened” name for this beer was born!

Thanks for the confirmation. I haven't given Mill St. a second thought after they totally messed up a barley wine years and years ago. Beau's is probably not far behind.