new at The Beer Store

[GregClow]

I was browsing the Beer Store website, and noticed a couple of new imports in the listings:

BORIS BOLD STRONG BEER
Brewer - Karlsbrau-france
Alcohol Content - 8.6
Type of Beer - Lager
"Boris Bold is deep amber in colour, with a tad more hop temperament than most strong lagers. Made with only premium malt, it has a full aroma, with some aged character and a noticeable hop nose."
1 Cans 500 ml 2.65

(This appears to be a beefed-up cousin to the Boris lager that appeared at the LCBO last year. Only 2 ratings for this one at Rate Beer, both from Quebec curiously, neither very complimentary...)

HACKER MUNICH EDELHELL
Brewer - Hacker Pschorr
Alcohol Content - 5.5
Type of Beer - Ale
"Traditional Bavarian lager characterized by a light golden colour and rich full lager taste. Well balanced with pronounced hop and malt flavours. Brewed by one of the original six Oktoberfest breweries which is still active today."
1 Bottle 500 ml 2.75

(I've had this one on tap a couple of times and I've really enjoyed it. I'm interested to see how it holds up in bottled form.)

I also see that they have JUPLIER, a lager from an InBev-owned Belgian brewery, listed as being available in kegs only. I guess we'll see it popping up in a couple of bars soon enough.

And on the local brewery front - congrats to Mill Street on their new Beer Store listings! The Original Lager, Coffee Porter & Tankhouse Ale, plus thier new Stock Ale (replacing the Sparkling Ale in their regular line-up) are all available at selected TBS outlets in 6, 12 & 24 packs.

[tupalev]

Look for the new Mill St. Bottles as well, still not an "industry standard" bottle, but not the stubby either. I saw a preview last week, I imagine they are for the beer stores (rep said they would be returnable).

Jeff

[mds]

Look for the new Mill St. Bottles as well, still not an "industry standard" bottle, but not the stubby either. I saw a preview last week, I imagine they are for the beer stores (rep said they would be returnable).

Jeff

Cool, it looks like they also have a new beer called Stock Ale

[pootz]

[quote="GregClow"]I was browsing the Beer Store website, and noticed a couple of new imports in the listings:

HACKER MUNICH EDELHELL
Brewer - Hacker Pschorr
Alcohol Content - 5.5
Type of Beer - Ale
"Traditional Bavarian lager characterized by a light golden colour and rich full lager taste. Well balanced with pronounced hop and malt flavours. Brewed by one of the original six Oktoberfest breweries which is still active today."
1 Bottle 500 ml 2.75

(I've had this one on tap a couple of times and I've really enjoyed it. I'm interested to see how it holds up in bottled form.)

Greg don't tease....I'm going into Malt rapture thinking about scoring a few cases of this...where is it and where in the hell is this beer store page that lists their new distribution items.

[old faithful]

I look forward to this too. While it is nice to have smoked beer, bocks, and sedimented and non-sedimented wheat beers, the German bottled lager category has languished and this will do much to reverse that. The canned crowd of German beers has never done much for me and I assume that is because pasteurising in cans and exportation doesn't show these beers at their best. There is Warsteiner in the bottle which I didn't think (when it first came out here) was much better than the canned one but I'll try it again, maybe current samples are moving faster through the distribution chain. There is that other bottled lager at Beer Store in the green bottle, can't recall the name, I found it so-so. The best Bavarain lagers haven't I think hit our shelves and hopefully this new release will change that. Meanwhile, Steamwhistle and the other micro lagers mentioned recently on the board offer an admirable alternative.

Gary

[JerCraigs]

BORIS BOLD STRONG BEER
(This appears to be a beefed-up cousin to the Boris lager that appeared at the LCBO last year. Only 2 ratings for this one at Rate Beer, both from Quebec curiously, neither very complimentary...)

But its BOLD!!!! I wonder what the propaganda on the bottle of this one says !

[GregClow]

Greg don't tease....I'm going into Malt rapture thinking about scoring a few cases of this...where is it and where in the hell is this beer store page that lists their new distribution items.

There is no "new arrivals" page on the Beer Store site. I just browse the "Brands at the Beer Store" section every once in a while to see if there's anything new. If you click here and just click "Submit", you'll be able to browse all of their products 20 at a time. Use the links across the top to filter by category (Import, Regional, etc.).

As for where it is available - as mentioned here in the past, the half-assed search on the Beer Store website doesn't allow you to find a list of stores that have a particular product in stock. You have to search for a store here, and get a list of items available at the store (and even then, it doesn't mean that they necessarily have it in stock at the moment, just that it is part of their general list at that location). It's a pain in the ass.

[Belgian]

.

[pootz]

I look forward to this too. While it is nice to have smoked beer, bocks, and sedimented and non-sedimented wheat beers, the German bottled lager category has languished and this will do much to reverse that. The canned crowd of German beers has never done much for me and I assume that is because pasteurising in cans and exportation doesn't show these beers at their best. There is Warsteiner in the bottle which I didn't think (when it first came out here) was much better than the canned one but I'll try it again, maybe current samples are moving faster through the distribution chain. There is that other bottled lager at Beer Store in the green bottle, can't recall the name, I found it so-so. The best Bavarain lagers haven't I think hit our shelves and hopefully this new release will change that. Meanwhile, Steamwhistle and the other micro lagers mentioned recently on the board offer an admirable alternative.

Gary

The cans of import German Bohemian lagers are a weak life support system for us malt junkies and lager lovers. As far as helles and dortmunders are concerned, the only available decent helles is the DAB in bottles... domestically all we have here, is Northern Edelbrau ....we NEED something of proper helles profile to drink like the Hacker-P munich helles....why we dont get Andech's hell or Ayinger 100 anniversary helles or similar prime German lagers is frustrating. For a nation that allegedly thrives on "lager" we seem to know painfully little about what constitutes a proper medium bodied lager....let's not even get into various styles like Viennas, Kellers, Marzen fest beirs or thick dunkles.....the field is certainly wide open to fill.

I want to personally thank Michael H. for taking the risk in brewing Canada's only and best Dunkle and his fine heffeweizen...and Walkerville for taking a stab at the lost art of brewing a Vienna, Magnotta for their Altbier and Northern for taking a stab at a proper dortmunder/helles... at least some one is interested in reproducing fine German style beers on this side of the drink...even if 99% of the Ontario brewing industry isn't.

[pootz]

Greg don't tease....I'm going into Malt rapture thinking about scoring a few cases of this...where is it and where in the hell is this beer store page that lists their new distribution items.

There is no "new arrivals" page on the Beer Store site. I just browse the "Brands at the Beer Store" section every once in a while to see if there's anything new. If you click here and just click "Submit", you'll be able to browse all of their products 20 at a time. Use the links across the top to filter by category (Import, Regional, etc.).

As for where it is available - as mentioned here in the past, the half-assed search on the Beer Store website doesn't allow you to find a list of stores that have a particular product in stock. You have to search for a store here, and get a list of items available at the store (and even then, it doesn't mean that they necessarily have it in stock at the moment, just that it is part of their general list at that location). It's a pain in the ass.

Thanks Greg...this is what I'm accustomed to...I was just engaging in some wishful thinking hoping there may be some coherent updated list that we captive consumers could access and get imperical data on brand and stock info.

Speaking of wishful thinking, every beer store in town has the Haker-P Munich Edelhell listed as a stocked item but none have it...I was given estimates of anywhere from 1-4 weeks to ETA. I think when I see it I will buy a couple of cases as I can't rely on the flakey way distribution of craft and import brands are distributed/ordered.

[Belgian]

Speaking of wishful thinking, every beer store in town has the Haker-P Munich Edelhell listed as a stocked item but none have it...when I see it I will buy a couple of cases as I can't rely on the flakey way distribution of craft and import brands are distributed/ordered.

Spoken like a true Ontario beer drinker (I bet our cellars look very similar.)

let's not even get into various styles like Viennas, Kellers, Marzen fest beirs or thick dunkles.

Greg how about St. Andre or Belle Gueulle Originale, are these true Vienna Lagers?

[GregClow]

let's not even get into various styles like Viennas, Kellers, Marzen fest beirs or thick dunkles.

Greg how about St. Andre or Belle Gueulle Originale, are these true Vienna Lagers?

You're quoting pootz there, Belgian. I'm afraid that my knowledge of the Vienna style isn't refined enough to say if the products you cite are true examples of the style, but I will say that I preferred Ste. Andre a few years ago before production moved to the Cool plant. It's still OK, but it doesn't seem as unique and flavourful as it used to be (and I thought this before I found out about the move, so it's not a case of bias against Cool tainting my judgement...).

[GregClow]

Look for the new Mill St. Bottles as well, still not an "industry standard" bottle, but not the stubby either. I saw a preview last week, I imagine they are for the beer stores (rep said they would be returnable).

I was at my local LCBO tonight, and saw new bottles of the Coffee Porter & Tankhouse. I was worried when I heard they were scrapping the stubbies, but the new packaging is beautiful! The bottle shape is similar to Steam Whistle, but it's brown glass rather than green (thank god for that!), and the design of both the painting on the bottle and the open-topped six-packs is very striking. It really stands out on the shelf, and I think it'll get them more customers in the LCBO and self-serve Beer Stores.

[Belgian]

I will say that I preferred Ste. Andre a few years ago before production moved to the Cool plant. It's still OK, but it doesn't seem as unique and flavourful as it used to be (and I thought this before I found out about the move, so it's not a case of bias against Cool tainting my judgement...).

I haven't bought it for years, wasn't it made in Guelph before? I WAS light but very good.

I just read it's made in Brampton by Cool, which I've heard are 'wack,' to apply the modern urban vernacular.

[Rob Creighton]

Look for the new Mill St. Bottles as well, still not an "industry standard" bottle, but not the stubby either. I saw a preview last week, I imagine they are for the beer stores (rep said they would be returnable).

I was at my local LCBO tonight, and saw new bottles of the Coffee Porter & Tankhouse. I was worried when I heard they were scrapping the stubbies, but the new packaging is beautiful! The bottle shape is similar to Steam Whistle, but it's brown glass rather than green (thank god for that!), and the design of both the painting on the bottle and the open-topped six-packs is very striking. It really stands out on the shelf, and I think it'll get them more customers in the LCBO and self-serve Beer Stores.

I agree with you Greg. I bought a six of Tankhouse in TO on Monday just for the package and I'm finishing the last one. I offer my congrats to the folks at Mill St. A great job (the beer was good too!).