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Breaking through the bottom of the barrel

Discuss beer or anything else that comes to mind in here.

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lister
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Post by lister »

GregClow wrote:OK, let's get back to the original point of this thread - making fun of big beer company press releases! Here's one - anyone want to take a crack at it? :D

Made with pure Canadian honey, Labatt Genuine Honey launches in Ontario
Wow! How many times do they have to say pure Canadian honey?

According to the servers at two different restaurants, I've had this several months ago on tap. As most here would surmise, it was less than impressive. The second one I sent back because it tasted flat. While smooth, it had a slightly off-putting taste to it and the honey taste is MIA. I still think Algonquin produced the best Honey beer I've ever had so far with Rickard's coming closest to that.
lister

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Post by GregClow »

lister wrote:According to the servers at two different restaurants, I've had this several months ago on tap.
Actually, you probably had John Labatt Honey Brown, a draught-only beer that has been around for a year or two. This new Labatt Genuine Honey seems to be a different beer.

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lister
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Post by lister »

GregClow wrote:Actually, you probably had John Labatt Honey Brown, a draught-only beer that has been around for a year or two. This new Labatt Genuine Honey seems to be a different beer.
Yeah, that's probably the case. The servers never mentioned the brown part when doing their rundowns of what was on tap.

I'll probably give the Genuine Honey a shot either on tap or a six pack like I do with all honey beers though I'm not expecting anything good nor much different than the honey brown.
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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

GregClow wrote:"We're launching Labatt Genuine Honey for people who want a honey beer but won't compromise on taste or quality, which are usually issues with honey beer," said Bob Chant, Dinkhead of Corporate Affairs, Labatt Breweries of Canada

"At the end of the day, beer drinkers care about taste, unlike wine drinkers at the beginning of the day," said Renee Claude Beauchemin, Labatt brewmaster general. "We've taken our time to ensure that Labatt Genuine Honey, unlike all the beer we brew, delivers superior flavor and a very high FQ (Flatulence Quotient)."
Wow, it sounds like they've REALLY got a killer product this time. After all, they are saying it's really really really good! Can we argue???

Ahh, this is too fun...
In Beerum Veritas

old faithful
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Post by old faithful »

I haven't yet found a honey beer I like. I used to taste mead and never really came to terms with that either. Honey seems to acquire a characteristic taste in fermentation I find hard to warm to. Even when fermented out it leaves a mead-like taste. (Maybe that is why a lot of the old metheglins and meads were spiced). Maybe this new Labatt Genuine Honey Beer will be different. Then too, honey beer isn't exactly a new idea, how many other honey beers are out there already...? But I'm willing to give it a try, and Schoune Maple too if that appears here. Maple syrup is still an adjunct but maybe it behaves differently than I have found honey to do. By the way for those who are interested in mixing beers, try any honey beer (e.g. Sleeman's or any other) mixed 50/50 with a stout, this is very good, MacAuslan Outmeal Stout, or any good stout works well.

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Post by Belgian »

I try real hard to like Barbar Winter Bok. It gives me a headache I think.

Sleeman Honey Brown tastes fairly good, but I rarely drink much because it gives my head that "cheap-beer fuzzy feeling"... a good bar beer I guess.

So maybe it's a honey in beer thing, yes.
In Beerum Veritas

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Post by lister »

old faithful wrote:I haven't yet found a honey beer I like. I used to taste mead and never really came to terms with that either.
The only mead I've tried is the raspberry one from Trafalgar. I like it but not the cost so it's a rare treat. ($14 for six tiny 200ml bottles.) I tried aging a bottle for a year but didn't notice any difference. (I think the box mentions about aging to improve it further.)

My friends and I did a brew, a braggot, last year or two with imported French honey. I think it was our third brew so the filtering wasn't the best (it's much better now) so we got floaty bits in the bottles. They kind of looked like pieces of honeycomb. Anyway, when we finally sampled some we all actually agreed on the taste, which is pretty rare, it tasted faintly of bubblegum. Very odd but pleasant to drink. Subsequent tastings were the same. I was thinking to myself that we might have stumbled on something the female population might like. Our two usual female test subjects thought it tasted like hay. :o I still scratch my head over that. So much for the female market. :P
Then too, honey beer isn't exactly a new idea, how many other honey beers are out there already...?
Lots and most of them suck. I feel like Clara Peller everytime I try a new one... "Where's the honey?!"
By the way for those who are interested in mixing beers, try any honey beer (e.g. Sleeman's or any other) mixed 50/50 with a stout, this is very good, MacAuslan Outmeal Stout, or any good stout works well.
I may try that to see if the yucky parts of stouts are eliminated.
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Post by lister »

Belgian wrote:I try real hard to like Barbar Winter Bok. It gives me a headache I think.
I brought back from Montreal a 500ml bottle of Barbar Honey Pale Ale. I gave that a try on Sunday. There wasn't much honey taste there and it tasted to me like most blanches. There was a certain spiciness to it which I don't find too nice to taste and definitely not a refreshing thing in a beer like that.
Sleeman Honey Brown tastes fairly good, but I rarely drink much because it gives my head that "cheap-beer fuzzy feeling"... a good bar beer I guess.
Bleah. Easily the worst HB I've had. They shouldn't even be allowed to call it that.
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Post by Belgian »

Yeah, Winter Bok has kind of a harsh malt & honey funk profile, not bad, but not really good either! I like challenging beers though & I have some 18 month old bottles so I'll see how it's maturing if it is. Not exactly a flavor I race to the cellar to enjoy.
In Beerum Veritas

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Rob Creighton
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Post by Rob Creighton »

I was involved with the original Algonquin Honey Brown which was a lager beer that I feel captured one of the best honey 'essence' flavours to come out yet and a number of brewers I have spoken with agree.

The beer was the creation of Jack Massey who was the Brewmaster/plant manager at Formosa up until Brick bought us out in '97. The true legwork on the beer was done by a microbiologist by the name of Rick Smyslo who pulled the various components together in the recipe.

The honey flavour came from post-fermentation addition of both wildflower honey and a honey essence (concentrate) which is a very dangerous proposition in a non-pasteurized brewery. The addition was done at the filter and generally made for sleepless nights for the brewer but a great honey flavour that was distinctive yet contributed no twangy off flavours.

When Molson fronted the money to Brick to purchase Algonquin and then purchased the Algonquin brands from Brick in the deal, it was all about the honey lager. Molson put it on thousands of taps to look like they hadn't purchased all the taps in whatever chain bar and then they eventually dumped it when they the quality plunged and people started complaining. Their Rickards version is just plain bad.

I am proud of my contributions to that product and still think it kick's ass on most I have tried out there. The Labatt version should make their brewers blush. The tap version I tried recently tastes like a chemical stew which the bar owner described as undrinkable to me.

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Post by Rob Creighton »

As a follow-up on the media launch of the Labatt product from the Star;

'Bob Chant, director of corporate affairs at Labatt, did not agree that Genuine Honey was aimed at poaching customers away from Lakeport or other discount brewers.

"We are not targeting any particular brand or consumer with this (beer)," said Chant.

"(But) we think this will be popular with those people who want a discount product with quality."'

And if you believe that...

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Post by GregClow »

Rob Creighton wrote:'Bob Chant, director of corporate affairs at Labatt, did not agree that Genuine Honey was aimed at poaching customers away from Lakeport or other discount brewers.

"We are not targeting any particular brand or consumer with this (beer)," said Chant.
Tender Jesus on a flaky crust!

Do you think these marketing shills actually believe the crap that constantly spews from their cakeholes?

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Post by Duct Tape »

GregClow wrote:Do you think these marketing shills actually believe the crap that constantly spews from their cakeholes?
No, i don't think Marketing Schills actually beleive anything they say, but they make good money for saying it, so if you work for a soulless factory producing beer, you might as well spew soulless stories to try and sell it.

Later

DT
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Post by Belgian »

Duct Tape wrote:
GregClow wrote:Do you think these marketing shills actually believe the crap that constantly spews from their cakeholes?
No, i don't think Marketing Schills actually beleive anything they say, but they make good money for saying it, so if you work for a soulless factory producing beer, you might as well spew soulless stories to try and sell it.

Later

DT
No I personally believe the Marketing People are totally sincere, and represent the epitome of honest conduct in the interest of selflessly serving the needs of greater humanity. Do not all mega marketing organizations with intrinsically valueless product think this way?

Coca-Cola, Tim Hortons, Taco Bell... So there are big companies who sell useless product because they sell it well, why rail against it. The stockholders probably have wine cellars, private chefs, refined tastes, and maybe a sense of irony about the whole thing.

Icche c'e c'e. What is, is.
In Beerum Veritas

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Post by GregClow »

And so the battle begins...

Lakeport Honey Lager - Charging up the charts!
Selling great beer at fair prices as 100% Canadian-owned Lakeport moves up the chart

HAMILTON, ON, June 2 /CNW/ - Lakeport Brewing today announced that Lakeport Honey Lager is now the 9th best-selling beer in the province and far and away the best selling honey beer. This is the first time that a micro brewer has moved up on The Beer Store's Top 10 list. It is also significant to note that Lakeport Honey Lager is the only 100% Canadian-owned beer on the Top 10 list.

"It's amazing - in just a few years, beer drinkers have made Lakeport Honey Lager one of the best selling beers in Ontario and for that we say "thank-you", said Lakeport Chair and CEO Teresa Cascioli. "Beer drinkers try Lakeport Honey Lager for the fair price but they keep coming back for the great taste and premium quality. Once a beer drinker discovers that they can get all the taste and all the quality for about 10 bucks less, they're never going back to over-priced regular beer."

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