Premier Gourmet Christmas releases

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 11:17 am

If Premier's beer listing hasn't already made you want to take a trip down to Buffalo, I guarantee this will.

Check out in this PDF the four beer pages from Premier's upcoming Holiday Catalog. And there will be even more Christmas beers available! All of these beers have arrived or will arrive in mid-November.

http://www.bartowel.com/reports/premierxmas.pdf

SirIsm · Post by **SirIsm** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 12:16 pm

SirIsm · Post by **SirIsm** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 12:16 pm

Wow...why does looking at that list make me cry and earn for free trade in alcohol?

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 6:28 pm

Although the selection is pretty good, just take a look at those prices...a number of these brews either have been available in Ontario in the past or will be this year...e.g. Corsendonk Christmas...USD3.99 at Premiere which is about CAD6.40, that is if you're going to risk having your car confiscated by smuggling it across the border...if you play it safe and pay the taxes, duties, etc... I can only guess what the price would work out to. You can buy this beer from Esprit for CAD3.10! Now, let's look at Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome at USD4.29 per bottle or CAD6.90... in a few weeks you'll be able to pick it up at the LCBO for CAD3.95! Look at the Belzebuth Gift Pack at USD15.99 or CAD25.60, when last at the LCBO it was CAD15.95. There are a number of other examples like this so let's not whine about free trade. The fact is that most of you out there would never pay Premiere prices for these products if they were available here and often when these products are here at fabulous prices, the response is lukewarm...at least that's my opinion, and I could be wrong....

Manul · Post by **Manul** » Fri Oct 18, 2002 8:36 pm

I think you are perfectly right. I've drawn the same conclusion after my many vacations in US. If LCBO is able to maintain the present prices and continue to have these theme releases I would be willing to settle for a narrower selection. I don't think I could afford to buy beer by the case in US as I presently do here.

joey_capps · Post by **joey_capps** » Sat Oct 19, 2002 9:07 am

With all sincerity and respect, you're forgetting a couple of points. Yes I can buy the Corsendonk Christmas from you, Peter, but I would have to buy an entire case. So, the actual cost for a beer not currently available at the LCBO goes up twenty-fourfold. I prefer diversity and generally buy my beers one or two at a time, especially a beer I have not tried before. To try one would require a trip to Joe's or the Biermarket--though always enjoyable--and then the beer would cost more than the $3.40(US) or $6.40 (CAN)you cite.

As for the lukewarm response, let me suggest that the response is not lukewarm amongst those of use who frequent this site. But, of course, we are a small group. And, you are right, Premier prices & variety probably would not work well across Ontario. But why not a "Beer Boutique" in Toronto or possibly Ottawa. If Buffalo and Rochester can sustain beer specialty shops, why can't our major metrapolitan areas? Moreover, with the LCBO's power even in a Boutique setting they could sell product for less than the US stores.

Don't get me wrong, Peter, I appreciate your perspective and what you do. And, I'd buy more from you if you were able to sell even mixed cases (i.e., 4 Orval, 4 Rochefort, etc. or even 6 Orval, 6 Achel, etc.). The fact is, the beer I bought from you in the Spring is still mostly cellaring.

For now I will have to do what I do. Shop at the LCBO regularly and supplement that with the occasional trip to Rochester and Buffalo. I'm fortunate that I have relatives in New York and don't have to worry about the duty and taxes; that is, we combine these trips with weekend visits and so forth. But even if this were not the case, I probably would, maybe twice and year, travel to Premier and stock up, damn the cost. And, I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Cheers, Joe.

Andicus · Post by **Andicus** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 1:42 am

Joe,

I agree with your thoughts about buying mixed cases from Esprit. Is there some way that we could organize some sort of split with 3 or 4 people so that full cases can be ordered, but each person would get 4-6 bottles out of each case?

I would certainly be interested in such a plan.

Andrew

Publican · Post by **Publican** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 10:18 am

Andrew I would be willing to be part of a group that would split of a case from Esprit.
I would love to get 6-8 bottles of Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout. It is a crime that the LCBO is not releasing this fine Stout this winter!!

joey_capps · Post by **joey_capps** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 1:52 pm

I'm in and would like to try the Achel.

Lyle · Post by **Lyle** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 3:24 pm

Hey guys,

We have several huge orders coming in tomorrow (Monday) with new brews that aren't in our holiday release catalog or our product list. There is also a ton of new imported glassware from a bunch of breweries. I'll post a list tomorrow, once I see what actually arrives.

Among other things, Achel is now brewing TWO beers. The pale that has been around for a short while, and a new brown. They should both be on this order, along with at least a small restock of Westvleteren 12.

As always, if anyone wants us to hold anything for them, just let me know. It is never a problem, and if you later change your mind, that's okay too.

Cheers
Lyle

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 3:55 pm

On 2002-10-20 10:18, Publican wrote:
I would love to get 6-8 bottles of Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout. It is a crime that the LCBO is not releasing this fine Stout this winter!!

I'd be interested in getting in on splitting a case of this as well.

If it's not too much trouble, perhaps Peter could start a new thread with a complete list of beers available now or soon from Esprit via consignment (including prices if possible). Then people could post follow-ups with a list of what they would be interested in getting in a split-deal, and based on the responses, some deals could be worked out.

Greg

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 3:58 pm

One more thing...

If anyone is planning a trip to Premier in the next little while, PLEASE let me know, as Sheryl and I would really, really like some Brooklyn Chocolate Stout.

Greg

Lyle · Post by **Lyle** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 5:36 pm

Greg,

Yesterday, I pulled a 4-year old bottle of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout out of my personal cellar and we tasted it next to the new stock. It aged tremendously. The aroma of the vintage beer was just phenomenal - rich and complex, with notes of molasses, figs, plums, roasty chocolate, and treacle. If you are coming to Premier, send me an email in advance (premierbeer@adelphia.net) and I'm happy to share a vintage bottle from my cellar. I gotta make room for the new brews somehow! (anyone know how to build an addition on to a basement??)

Cheers
Lyle

Lyle · Post by **Lyle** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 6:04 pm

Okay,

Here's a list of new arrivals today (and a few things that just came back in stock that have been o/s for a while). I don't have time this minute (or space) to write much about them, but if you have any questions, fire away. This is only the tip of the iceberg - I'll try to keep posting as the new stuff keeps ariving.

Victory V-Ten (see holiday .pdf above)
Victory Storm King - back in stock finally!
Achel 8 (Blond) - newest Trappist brewery.
Achel 8 Brown (brand new 2nd brew from Achel!)
Westvleteren 12(!!!) (8 is also in stock)
Rochefort 6(!) - this lower gravity Rochefort is exceptionally rare in the U.S. (we have the 8 & 10 also)
Hapkin - 8.5% Belgian golden ale.
Caracole - 8% Wallonian artisanal ale.
Troublette - 5% witbier from Br. Caracole.
- We also have Saxo (8% hoppy blond) and Nostradamus (9.% strong brown) from Br. Caracole.
St. Bernardus ABT 12 - 10%abv abbey style strong brown ale.
St. Bernardus Tripel - 7.5% abbey-style pale amber tripel.
Oud Beersel Geuze - Traditional Belgian lambic from a tiny brewery. 100% spontaneous fermentation, matured in wood. Annual output of the brewery for ALL products is only ~500 hectaliters!
Oud Beersel Kriek - 200g/l of whole cherries are added to the Geuze.
Ipso Facto - 10.5% Dutch barleywine (EXTREMELY LIMITED).
Pater Lieven Brown - 6.5% abbey-style brown ale.
Pater Lieven Tripel - 8% abbey style triple.
Harpoon Winter Warmer (see holiday .pdf above)
Middle Ages Wizard's Winter Ale (see holiday .pdf)
Harvey's Christmas Ale 2002 (see holday .pdf)
RCH Ale Mary 2002 (see holiday .pdf)
Cidre Dupont Reserve 2002 - VERY limited (see holiday .pdf)
Reissdorf Koelsch - a phenomenal koelsch that has been o/s for far too long.
Swale's Indian Summer Pale Ale - English micro brewed by John Davidson, who imports U.S. hops! This one is brewed with Williamettes, Cascades, and Chinooks.
George Gale's Prize Old Ale 2001 - new vintage!
J.W. Lees Harvest Ale 1988 (!!!) - very limited stock.
J.W. Lees Harvest Ale 2001 - new vintage!
Vapeur en Folie 2000 - restock of this popular vintage.
Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout - From Wye Valley Brewery. Voted 'Britain's Champion Winter Beer' for 2002.

Giftpacks (see .pdf of our holiday catalog):
Val Dieu
Belzebuth
St. Bernardus
Hapkin
Schneider

new glassware:
(Unless otherwise marked, all below are $4.99 U.S.)
Vapeur Cochonne
Lee's Harvest Ale
Reissdorf Koelsch
Saxo
Caracole
Einbecker Urbock
Einbecker Blackbier (Dunkel)
Berliner Weisse
Einbecker Pilsner ceramic mug ($8.99)
Westvleteren ($8.99)
Achel ($8.99)
St. Bernardus
Belzebuth
Pater Lieven
Rochefort ($8.99)
Val-Dieu

* note on the glassware - a single person can only reserve ONE of a particular glass, as our stock of each is quite limited. But if you are in the store and there are more on the shelves, you can buy as many as you like.

Cheers!
Lyle

Lyle · Post by **Lyle** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 6:09 pm

...two more quick things:

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 02-03 has also already arrived.

There is one price change to the .pdf file of our holiday catalog pages. The Wagner Valley Sled Dog Doppelbock is $8.99/six-pack, and $1.59/bottle.