The Bar Towel

Just for comparisons sake, it seems like duchesse is about 6.50 most online sites. Not including state taxes, I guess?

Works out to about 135 bucks usd a case vs 70 CAD for...convert that 70 to US and you have 52 and change!

All things considered, were getting this beer from anywher between half an almost 2/3rds cheaper!

I REALLY don't get the BOs pricing these days.

JeffPorter wrote:I REALLY don't get the BOs pricing these days.

This is par for the course. LCBO sells premium imported (especially European) beer cheaper than just about anywhere. This is probably because of their ability to make large orders, combined with an absent desire to optimize profit from this relatively small part of their business.

US craft prices at the LCBO have spiked lately, likely because of the exchange rate. Still KBS, Jolly Pumpkin and some other US craft releases have been equal or cheaper than buying south of border, once your do a currency conversion.

Eg, Total Wine in the US, (the Walmart of liquor stores) sells Orval and KBS for US$5.99 per bottle (CDN$7.95). We' get Orval for $3.45 and KBS was $7.25.

It's pretty weird to me. I can buy a Duchesse De Bourgogne for $2.95, which has been naturally soured and aged for years, shipped across the ocean, then sold here.

Or I can buy a kettle soured bottle of Jelly King which brews as fast as a normal beer, for $7.50. Granted The bottle is bigger, but that's still $4.95 for 330ml.

I do like both beers a lot, but it's hard to justify the Jelly King in cases like these.

Ditto for Jacobins. I think a lot of it has to do with economies of scale. The established Euro breweries have been doing the same recipes for decades, and tend to offer a very limited variety of beers. Bellwoods is really still an upstart and brews multiple styles and experimental variations.

To me the Jelly King is a lot more 'fresh' and sessionable, so there's little comparison in style. We are so lucky to have Jelly and Ju Tsu locally on tap. Jacobins and Duchesse are great but they are not as much my thing... but are so reasonably-priced they could be used for a Belgian Carbonnade beef stew which calls for a deep and rich and/or sour ale.

The Elvis Juice was also pretty good I must say.

Belgian wrote:To me the Jelly King is a lot more 'fresh' and sessionable, so there's little comparison in style. We are so lucky to have Jelly and Ju Tsu locally on tap. Jacobins and Duchesse are great but they are not as much my thing... but are so reasonably-priced they could be used for a Belgian Carbonnade beef stew which calls for a deep and rich and/or sour ale.

The Elvis Juice was also pretty good I must say.

i like using Roch 10 for my stoefvles.
*shrugs*

atomeyes wrote:

Belgian wrote:To me the Jelly King is a lot more 'fresh' and sessionable, so there's little comparison in style. We are so lucky to have Jelly and Ju Tsu locally on tap. Jacobins and Duchesse are great but they are not as much my thing... but are so reasonably-priced they could be used for a Belgian Carbonnade beef stew which calls for a deep and rich and/or sour ale...

i like using Roch 10 for my stoefvles.
*shrugs*

No apologies or shrugs required, that is a major step up from the Trois Pistoles I generally use and which is freaking amazing, and used to be so cheap.
Flemish sour browns and reds are sort of the Burgundies of Belgium so these just happen to be stew-friendly beers. If you use a rich sweet BSA you ned to add some cider vinegar to balance anyway... it's all good for the stoefvles...

For those who may have missed it before and may still be interested in BA stouts in the dead heat of summer, the LCBO appears to have received a (large) new shipment of KBS, which is showing stock just about everywhere.

gjkerr wrote:For those who may have missed it before and may still be interested in BA stouts in the dead heat of summer, the LCBO appears to have received a (large) new shipment of KBS, which is showing stock just about everywhere.

Thanks for the tip, might grab a couple since I was out of country when it first came in.

shucks, there goes the trade value, lol

Thanks for the heads up just grabbed two and trying it for the first time now. Delicious!

GtownRandy wrote:shucks, there goes the trade value, lol

I was just thinking that if Orval were not recurring item at the LC it would have some pull in trading circles. Now we rinse our teeth with Rochefort 10 and never talk about how great it is and how many we have squirreled away to last us until the next big score.

^ Same would happen with Westvleteren I believe, we care a ton more when we can't get something.

Belgian wrote:^ Same would happen with Westvleteren I believe, we care a ton more when we can't get something.

Absolutely. So I'm wondering the same thing about this second, apparently large, release of KBS. Will it be greeted with indifference, and if so will the tall foreheads at LC be baffled as to why it flew off the shelves the first time but not the second?

Is this a different vintage of kbs? We had '16 before correct? This new stuff is '17?

spinrsx wrote:Is this a different vintage of kbs? We had '16 before correct? This new stuff is '17?

No same vintage, BB 20.12.2017

Fair bit was in Hamilton area and it actually lasted longer than last time. I think people don't pay that much attention in the summer.

I hemmed and hawed and finally caved and bought some more yesterday.