Railway City Ironspike Blond

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:00 pm

Midlife - Maybe hotbed was the wrong choice of words, but it is pretty exciting to see new breweries and good bars either popping up, or stepping up, in the area. If you want to get into semantics about which cities are better or why a brewery is not as good as the stunning Grand River, go ahead...I'm not sure how useful it is, but this is the internet, I'm sure you can find someone to argue with.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Fri May 30, 2008 10:32 am

I'm not trying to start an argument, but I am often struck when in London by how poor the selection of micros is, given the size of the city. I know it is frustrating and disappointing to beer loving friends/relatives who live there. The King Edward is a great option but is virtually impossible to access by public transit or walk to, so always requires a DD (or something riskier).

I don't know quite why this is, but hopefully things are on the upswing. It just seems to me a city that size could support more good beer establishments.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri May 30, 2008 10:56 am

SteelbackGuy wrote:
(Excerpt)

... Grand River does add a very bright (light??) to that area of the South.

Railway city might not be making stuff at the same level as Grand River, but their beers are above average, and are certainly tastier (at least to me) than a lot of stuff that you can normally find a new brewery....

I agree with the spirit in that statement - not all newer/local breweries may arrive up to the same high level at the same exact time, however I'm willing to support them coming up to the level of those better examples such as the example mentioned, Grand River. I look forward to great things from other brewers like Stratford and Railway City.

GR (with its consistently great beers) did not happen out of nowhere, they put in the effort to really shine & it demonstrates this can be done. I won't sniff at other brewers clearly trying to work up their own game & applaud their efforts (while re-sampling the brews often.)

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Fri May 30, 2008 11:24 am

I'm not trying to start an argument, but I am often struck when in London by how poor the selection of micros is, given the size of the city. I know it is frustrating and disappointing to beer loving friends/relatives who live there. The King Edward is a great option but is virtually impossible to access by public transit or walk to, so always requires a DD (or something riskier).

I don't know quite why this is, but hopefully things are on the upswing. It just seems to me a city that size could support more good beer establishments.

Ok, I see your point. As someone who knows very little about the area apart from what I read here, I was speaking more in terms of two new breweries opening up (not in London but in the very general southwestern Ontario), which is I think, 2 more than the 0 that opened up in the GTA last year (unless I am forgetting one).

But sure, it must be frustrating not being able to get decent micro's apart from 1 or 2 places. If I lived there, I think I would be happy if all I could get were Grand River growlers on a regular basis though

Olde School · Post by **Olde School** » Fri May 30, 2008 11:32 am

I heading to London this weekend and am planning to stop by F&M and Grand River. My brother-in-law recently purchased a small pub in London's north end. Considering we have attended many fests together and enjoyed trips to Premier and Coles, I had great hopes for his tap list.
Unfortunately he is facing the same issues that many bar owners face. A regular clientele reluctant to change and a perception that he is 'tied' to the taps he inherited.
I wish the OCB had a more aggressive marketing/educational program to let publicans know their rights or to at least assuage their fears of the majors.
If a perfect world he would have a tower shared by Stratford, Grand River and Railway City.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:40 pm

Olde School wrote: If a perfect world he would have a tower shared by Stratford, Grand River and Railway City.

I wonder if a Pub simply has to loudly promote they sell 'only Ontario Craft Brews on tap." Wonder if then it would, in fact attract a very separate clintéle? Even a better, newer client base who would go out of there way for it?

Not that I am the one assuming financial risk. I respect that. I am only wondering whether these 'regulars' expect 'the usual' simply because the bar from the outside does not proclaim being any different from the usual - so it only follows you would draw normal expectations. OCB help or no.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:59 pm

Olde School wrote:I heading to London this weekend and am planning to stop by F&M and Grand River. My brother-in-law recently purchased a small pub in London's north end. Considering we have attended many fests together and enjoyed trips to Premier and Coles, I had great hopes for his tap list.
Unfortunately he is facing the same issues that many bar owners face. A regular clientele reluctant to change and a perception that he is 'tied' to the taps he inherited.
I wish the OCB had a more aggressive marketing/educational program to let publicans know their rights or to at least assuage their fears of the majors.
If a perfect world he would have a tower shared by Stratford, Grand River and Railway City.

Do you know which bar he is operating?

Olde School · Post by **Olde School** » Fri May 30, 2008 2:08 pm

It's called 'The Black Pearl' located at 705 Fanshawe Park Rd. West, just west of Wonderland. It's small, really good wings. Mostly British imports, just added Okanagan Extra Pale. I picking up some Grand River, Stonehammer and MacLeans and taking it to him. Wish me luck.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:12 pm

Olde School wrote:It's called 'The Black Pearl' located at 705 Fanshawe Park Rd. West, just west of Wonderland. It's small, really good wings. Mostly British imports, just added Okanagan Extra Pale. I picking up some Grand River, Stonehammer and MacLeans and taking it to him. Wish me luck.

Whoa, that's way out there. Hyde Park Area.

If they got a good beer line up, even one or two micros, I'd send people their way for sure, and Id hit it up as well.

It's a great location actually. That part of town is really growing quickly.

Tell them to contact Al at railway city while you re at it. Their beer is reasonable, and tasty!

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:44 am

Me too. My buddies in London are actually pretty close to that location. I will send them over if you report back that any OCB beers (even one!) go on tap.

cannondale · Post by **cannondale** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:21 am

Tried the Railway City Blonde for the first time last night. I immediately noticed a distinct smoke flavour to it, very similar to that of Schlenkerla, but nowhere near as pronounced. Strangely, none of the reviews that I've read mention anything about a smoke flavour to this ale. Have they changed something?

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 1:02 pm

cannondale wrote:Tried the Railway City Blonde for the first time last night. I immediately noticed a distinct smoke flavour to it, very similar to that of Schlenkerla, but nowhere near as pronounced. Strangely, none of the reviews that I've read mention anything about a smoke flavour to this ale. Have they changed something?

I drink their stuff on a weekly basis, and have never had that smoke flavour. But anything is possible I guess hehehe.

cannondale · Post by **cannondale** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 1:59 am

SteelbackGuy wrote:
cannondale wrote:Tried the Railway City Blonde for the first time last night. I immediately noticed a distinct smoke flavour to it, very similar to that of Schlenkerla, but nowhere near as pronounced. Strangely, none of the reviews that I've read mention anything about a smoke flavour to this ale. Have they changed something?
I drink their stuff on a weekly basis, and have never had that smoke flavour. But anything is possible I guess hehehe.

Tried it again at the brewery today. Still detected that flavour coming at the back end, but less pronounced. Perhaps my mind is 'misinterpreting' some other flavour as a smokey flavour, because according to the folks there, there is no smoking going on.

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:21 am

I tried their "light" at the KW beer fest and I got a very weird flavour in the finish that could be interpreted as smokey. Whatever it was it was not pleasant and likely not intentional.

After having a good experience with this brewery initially with a fresh growler of their Blonde which was a serviceable gateway/session like light ale, I have not been impressed at all since. Infected homebrew like bottles on several occasions, and at the KW fest this weekend, rather boring Blonde/Amber/Light beer served by disinterested staff in the only booth without any banner at all outside of it and very limited signage in it. I do not mean to be so negative, but it just kills me to see a brewery waste a good opportunity to bring in new customers with half-assed beer and marketing efforts like I saw this past weekend. There was a reason why it was the only booth with 0 lineups at this busy fest.

Hopefully this weekend was a blip and they can turn this thing around - Len, they are in you area, are they doing well up there and more importantly, is the beer decent? Any plans to be a little more interesting?

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:49 am

tupalev wrote:
Hopefully this weekend was a blip and they can turn this thing around - Len, they are in you area, are they doing well up there and more importantly, is the beer decent? Any plans to be a little more interesting?

Yeah, I'd say they are doing very well. I know they can barely make enough beer to keep up with demand. Sales at the LCBO are very strong. At my store, it is hard to keep it in stock.
They are on tap at East Side Marios, Katana Cafe,Legends,King Edward, The Judge, Boston Pizza.........so on and so forth. So they are doing well with draught accounts.

I buy the Blonde in bottles at the LCBO and it is a fruity and tasty session ale that I enjoy very much. The copper I don't bother with, and the amber is excellent on tap at the few places that have it. Once in a while I get to the brewery to pick up a jug of the amber and it does not last long.

I believe they had some infection problems at the beginning, and were also having issues with freshness. That was during their pilot time, and they have since imoproved the beer dramatically. The plastic bottles were short lived and have ben scrapped. They were a BAD idea.

With regards to the light, well I haven't had this latest offering, but I did get to try several times, the original "summer Draught" which was pretty heavily hopped with saaz. It was like a refreshing belgian ale/pilsner that was excellent. I know they have since toned down the saaz to where it is almost undetectable. Too bad, I preferred the original batch.

The point of the sumer light was/is to give the majority of their customers something they were asking for. A lot of their customers in St Thomas were saying that their ales were too heavy, that they could only drink one or two, so on and so forth. So they decided to make a lighter beer for these customers. I'm not the one with any money invested here, so I can speak freely and say that I think it was a step in the wrong direction, as to me it undermines what they are doing with their more flavourful ales, and caters to their "coors light drinking" type customers. Which I thought was a move going away from what they were supposed to be doing.

In terms of getting more interesting, I know starting in August they are doing a beer of the month. August's beer will be Dead Elephant Ale. I don't know the style. But these will be very small batches and only available at the brewery for very limited times. I'll be there on each opening day these are offered by the way, so if anyone wants any, let me know and I'll pick it up when I am there.

The idea for these beers is to offer their loyal, more adventerous customers, something different and unique. I am excited to see what they do.

As for the bad service at the booth, well that plain sucks. I don't know who was working the truck, but I have volunteered for them as these types of festivals and I can tell you that we were an enthusiastic bunch. If it were Paul, AL, or Barbara manning the truck, I can gaurantee that the service would have been fantastic. Or should have been anyway.

Maybe I'll give them a call and direct them to this thread. It can only help if they know what people are thinking/saying. Maybe Barbara can chime in here. Shes very friendly and is the one making the beer.