The Bar Towel

seangm wrote:A quick scan of their portfolio shows a lineup consisting of an English IPA and two lagers. Yup, cutting edge.

I'm not calling them cutting edge (I found that humorous too), but I think you are selling them short. They have five listings in TBS.

True North Copper Alt Bier
True North Cream Ale
True North Inukshuk IPA
True North Polar Lager
True North Strong Ale

S. St. Jeb wrote:

seangm wrote:A quick scan of their portfolio shows a lineup consisting of an English IPA and two lagers. Yup, cutting edge.

I'm not calling them cutting edge (I found that humorous too), but I think you are selling them short. They have five listings in TBS.

True North Copper Alt Bier
True North Cream Ale
True North Inukshuk IPA
True North Polar Lager
True North Strong Ale

Ah, interestingly I only saw the 3 beers listed on their website. Perhaps they're selling themselves short? It does say new website coming soon though, to be fair.

seangm wrote: Ah, interestingly I only saw the 3 beers listed on their website. Perhaps they're selling themselves short? It does say new website coming soon though, to be fair.

.

Those True North labels have been at TBS for years now. In cases only, which is the main reason I've never bothered trying them (other than the Inukshuk, which showed up at LCBOs last year).

If Magnotta intends to refine their portfolio - and realistically, now would probably be a great time to do that - it makes sense to ax a few of those beers.

Was true, historically, but I'm pretty sure I saw their stuff in standalone cans last time I was returning empties at TBS. Didn't buy any.

I seem to recall Getting a mix pack of 6 tall cans, with a couple doubled up, a couple Christmases ago. Don’t know if it was LCBO or Beer Store, though.

5 or so years ago, before rebranding as Inukshuk, their IPA was an under the radar decent hoppy alternative to Mad Tom, 10 Bitter Years etc. It’s a malty, dated IPA now, of course.

I’ve always actually liked their Altbier. A good exanple of a currently unsexy style. They also used to do Wunder Weiss, which was almost as good as the original Dennison’s, IMO. Unfortunately, it’s now been retired.

I honestly don’t know what TN or GR need to do to update their brands. I kind of feel success in the new age of more knowlegable craft(y) consumers is an equal mix of quality, novelty and marketting. A new brewery could launch with a NE style IPA, a impy stout and a fruit infused kettle sour and they still wouldn’t necessarily move the needle. I bet there are more Brut IPA’s out this summer in Ontario, or in developement, than there are Altbier’s in Ontario. TN doesn’t really put out any super shitty beers, just unsexy styles or interpretations with little to no marketing flair. GR needs to get back to producing quality before they do anything else dramatic.

S. St. Jeb wrote:

seangm wrote:A quick scan of their portfolio shows a lineup consisting of an English IPA and two lagers. Yup, cutting edge.

I'm not calling them cutting edge (I found that humorous too), but I think you are selling them short. They have five listings in TBS.

True North Copper Alt Bier
True North Cream Ale
True North Inukshuk IPA
True North Polar Lager
True North Strong Ale

When I posted this, I forgot about a couple of more. They had a one point in time an Original Craft Lager. I know I had it, probably from the LCBO, but it doesn't seem to be listed anymore. And there is another current TBS listing - Double Drooling Dog IPA.

As an aside, one of my pet peeves about TBS's data base is the inconsistency in how products are entered (happens in the LCBO too). Case in point, if you search TBS for Magnotta, you will not get any results.

I do love a well executed example of simpler styles, but I imagine it's a harder sell in today's beer market. It's gotta be even harder in the age of social media where everyone's looking for special or gimmicky beers with Instagrammable appeal. Perhaps based on my experience with their wine I never gave Magnotta's beers a fair shot, though Grand Rapids I've enjoyed in the past. Hopefully they'll find their place in the market.

seangm wrote:Grand Rapids

Grand River

S. St. Jeb wrote:

seangm wrote:Grand Rapids

Grand River

Haha, whoops! I'm planning a trip to Grand Rapids soon, it must've been fresh on my mind.

any Grand River is no longer, the brand will live on but the brewery is closed

https://www.magnotta.com/Page/Grand-River-Brewing

matt7215 wrote:any Grand River is no longer, the brand will live on but the brewery is closed

https://www.magnotta.com/Page/Grand-River-Brewing

That's a shame. While I haven't had a Grand River beer in years, there was a time when they were cutting edge and amongst the best craft options available. Will always fondly remember Galt Knife Lager and Plowman's Ale.

"One of the first craft breweries in Ontario established in 1996"

Not sure how far up the list you have to be to be considered "one of the first", but I think this is an exaggeration.

S. St. Jeb wrote:"One of the first craft breweries in Ontario established in 1996"

Not sure how far up the list you have to be to be considered "one of the first", but I think this is an exaggeration.

Obviously the true pioneers were Wellington, upperCanada, Conners and Hart (I may be forgetting one or two others). But I would say they were important for a while in the early second wave?

midlife crisis wrote:

S. St. Jeb wrote:"One of the first craft breweries in Ontario established in 1996"

Not sure how far up the list you have to be to be considered "one of the first", but I think this is an exaggeration.

Obviously the true pioneers were Wellington, upperCanada, Conners and Hart (I may be forgetting one or two others). But I would say they were important for a while in the early second wave?

I fondly remember Conners Best Bitter, especially from the Don Valley days of the brewery.

I think we can add the early iterations of Amsterdam, plus Niagara and Algonquin, and maybe, just maybe, let Brick and Northern squeak onto the list.

Oh, and of course, The Granite.

EDIT: and Denisons

Tapsucker wrote:

midlife crisis wrote:

S. St. Jeb wrote:"One of the first craft breweries in Ontario established in 1996"

Not sure how far up the list you have to be to be considered "one of the first", but I think this is an exaggeration.

Obviously the true pioneers were Wellington, upperCanada, Conners and Hart (I may be forgetting one or two others). But I would say they were important for a while in the early second wave?

I fondly remember Conners Best Bitter, especially from the Don Valley days of the brewery.

I think we can add the early iterations of Amsterdam, plus Niagara and Algonquin, and maybe, just maybe, let Brick and Northern squeak onto the list.

Oh, and of course, The Granite.

EDIT: and Denisons

Yes, good adds. I liked a strong bitter or old ale Niagara did, as I recall,though the name escapes me. Brick's Bock was quite nice for a little while.

I thought of Granite, which I immediately loved, but in those days you couldn't get them "to go", so think of it more as a destination. Same with Denisons of course.