Unibroue Christmas 2005 Gift Pack...?

Jonesy · Post by **Jonesy** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:05 pm

I had seen this discussed in a thread a while ago, but wanted to know if anybody had heard anything recently? Is the local rep still logging on every once in a while?

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 1:29 pm

Any word on this yet? There is a mixed pack listed on the Beer Store website, but the description lists the contents of last year's pack. Has anyone seen this year's version anywhere?

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:19 pm

GregClow wrote:There is a mixed pack listed on the Beer Store website

The Bathurst store said Sleeman never lets Unibroue ship any mixed packs to Ontario, so the fancy picture on the Beer Board is just there for show, apparently.

The picture sure is nice!

Thanks anyway.

Andicus · Post by **Andicus** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:25 pm

Belgian wrote:The Bathurst store said Sleeman never lets Unibroue ship any mixed packs to Ontario

A**holes! I knew this Sleeman thing was a bad thing.

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 3:27 pm

Andicus wrote:
Belgian wrote:The Bathurst store said Sleeman never lets Unibroue ship any mixed packs to Ontario
A**holes! I knew this Sleeman thing was a bad thing.

I'd hardly take the word of a Beer Store employee in a situation like this. Any time I've purchased a Unibroue mix pack at my local BS, it's taken them 10 minutes or so to just find the damn thing in the back room. Unless it's in the Top 10, the employees rarely know anything about the products, if/when they will be available, etc.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 4:18 pm

GregClow wrote:
Andicus wrote:
Belgian wrote:The Bathurst store said Sleeman never lets Unibroue ship any mixed packs to Ontario
A**holes! I knew this Sleeman thing was a bad thing.
I'd hardly take the word of a Beer Store employee in a situation like this. Any time I've purchased a Unibroue mix pack at my local BS, it's taken them 10 minutes or so to just find the damn thing in the back room. Unless it's in the Top 10, the employees rarely know anything about the products, if/when they will be available, etc.

Well let's not assume. This employee was very atypically interested in the products, they'd never appeared in the years he worked there, and he volunteered a plausible reason as to why. The beer board is hardly gospel, but then fair enough Greg have you or has anyone ever seen the packs show up *since* Sleeman bought the company? Some locations?

And let's not slam those Sleeman people, at least we get a lot of good Quebec beer thanks to them, at a time yet when their market share is dropping. If your cellar is not already full of Maudite, Trois Pistoles, La Terrible etc. think of how easy it is to get these top-notch 'Belgians.'

HogTownHarry · Post by **HogTownHarry** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 4:30 pm

Apart from some very hard-to-find bombers - sorry, 750ml bottles - of La Terrible, there are no more Unibroue products available here than there were before John "clear bottle" Sleeman's descendants absorbed them - Trois Pistoles, La Fin du Monde, Raftman, Blanche de Chambly, Maudite - same ones.

And early indications are Sleeman is changing Unibroue's direction, based on some of the new beers we're hearing about. Which is a shame. And reason to be concerned.

When ClearBrew starts bringing in Quelque Chose and Fringante in wider release - AND brings back the 12-pack that was last here just before the takeover - then I'll stop worrying, for my part.

Andicus · Post by **Andicus** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:44 am

The good Quebec beer is not making it out this far... All I'm seeing is the lack of the 750mL bottles that I much prefer, and nothing new. Certainly no mixed packs, either.

Steve Beaumont · Post by **Steve Beaumont** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 8:57 am

Okay everybody, take a deep breath and start composing your apologies to Sleeman...

I just heard definitively that the new Unibroue mixed packs arrived last week and are starting to be delivered to Beer Stores even as we speak. I should have a short list of locations carrying the pack soon.

I'm hardly an apologist for Sleeman, but methinks there are elements all too eager to jump on any error or omission they make, whether factual or not.

Jonesy · Post by **Jonesy** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 9:48 am

..on another similar note, does anyone have contacts at Unibroue to find out when their website might be updated/maintained? It seems everything just stopped once Sleeman took over. There is no mention of Ed. 2005 or Chambly Noir for example....english or francais. Maybe keeping us in the dark is the intent.

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 11:30 am

Something I think we miss out on in Toronto is that Sleemans has continued to distribute Unibroue products throughout the US. Rather than viewing it as some big conspiracy, it is probably more likely that it may not be worth the listing fees etc. for them to bring all products to Ontario.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 12:51 pm

Steve Beaumont wrote:Okay everybody, take a deep breath and start composing your apologies to Sleeman...

I just heard definitively that the new Unibroue mixed packs arrived last week and are starting to be delivered to Beer Stores even as we speak. I should have a short list of locations carrying the pack soon.

I'm hardly an apologist for Sleeman, but methinks there are elements all too eager to jump on any error or omission they make, whether factual or not.

From what I've read Sleeman is not in a great position these days with selling their mainstream products - I wonder if it's just tough in the middle, not super-premium, not exactly cheap, hence the lack of growth. Businesses that depend on investment suck because John had to lay off a bunch of people this year.

Maybe we should be rooting for the livelihood of John's company. If we get even six out of 20 Unibroue beers here, that's six more than zero if Sleeman folds, correct?

Is that an exaggeration? Well, for my miniscule part 'll be out buying some extra mix-packs for some people I like.

HogTownHarry · Post by **HogTownHarry** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 8:34 pm

I hereby apologize for having naughty thoughts about ClearBottle. If they aren't messing with da "U", and are promoting it throughout Canada and the US (Premier has lots of it in Buffalo), and IF they don't mess with the recipes, I'm all apologies.

But they could still send Quelque Chose to the LCBO dammit!

biegaman · Post by **biegaman** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 3:33 pm

Ok, as a Beer Store employee and someone who has been following this situation closely, allow me to confirm:

*The new Unibroue sample pack IS coming, it SHOULD be shipped already. It was slated for release Nov 1 (so much for that) Our store ordered it weeks ago and Sleemans has twice cut our orders and NOT shipped them. What does that mean? I dont know? But they did the same with La Terrible (which we, and really no other stores) ever got.

As for the 2004 packs, they were a VERY limited supply and half ass commitment. The Beer Store INSISTED to me numerous times that they were still in circulation. If you check their website it lists just about every store as still carrying the old one (we all know thats not the case) Why are they wierd about the Unibroue products? Well, for one Sleemans has been being hit HARD with the success of value brands (Lakeport, etc) and are more concerned with competing in the Blue/Canadian scene. Besides, the Beer Store carrying a good selection of beer...right...and the Raptors will win the East.

Word is (not positive but so I hear) the new ones will come in 8 packs and focus almost exclusively on the Ephemere series.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 3:52 pm

biegaman wrote:As for the 2004 packs, they were a VERY limited supply and half ass commitment.

Especially since they consist of a sticker and nothing else.

Really, Sleeman would be wise to market these mixed cases through the LCBO stores at Christmas - it would be attractively visible out on the floor, and LCBO would write a little blurb on these great beers, etc... If, on the contrary all people ever see is a stupid sticker on the beer board (and it's never there for the asking) well HOW do these beers get promoted and develop demand?

UNIBROUE is too remarkable a Canadian brewery to neglect & let fall to pieces. PS The Terrible is available at Spadina store, maybe the Fringante is but I never saw it.

Really the Beer Store planners are a disingenuous bunch, if it's not for sale don't advertise it, Beer Store.