Southern Tier IPA / Dog Fish Head - where art thou?

[Belgian]

I think it's still fine to occasionally take a good-natured shot at the LCBO - without resorting to insults. The LC is still fair game for critical comment and even product reviewers do this all the time.

And I think most of us know not to "paint all store staff with the same brush" of being incompetent - despite some of the bad run-ins we discuss here. On the contrary some store staff are fantastic help. Those are the ones we should respect and, as Steelback indicates, they may even be reading these forums hoping we appreciate what they do.

[Illuminatus]

I am always friendly, and willing to get along. That is until silly attitudes attack me and my co-workers because not each one of us is catering to the craft beer community.

I, personally, am disgruntled that LCBO workers don't line up outside my door every morning and sing "Oh What a Beautiful Day", while delivering bottles of Southern Tier to my bedside.

[El Pinguino]

I had an LCBO brochure for "American Craft Beers" that I picked up back in early May sometime, and it did say in there that the Southern Tier IPA was coming in June, so someone must have jumped the gun a bit when they mentioned May 16th.

I just picked up one of these as well, when I grabbed some of the nice wheat beers that have hit the shelves.

It states:
Dogfish 60 available in JULY
ST IPA available in JUNE
(also says Rogue Dead Guy available in JUNE)

So....the people who 'really' are in the know at the LCBO haven't screwed us over at all. Just the overly eager / misinformed ones who like to get our hopes up.


FYI - all otehr beers in that little booklet are already here (Anchor Steam, Brooklyn Lager, Headstrong X2, Sam Adams X2.

[JesseM]

Except it isn't. From page 1 of the thread, on May 16.

With all due respect, what the hell are you talking about? May 16th? You mean the post where Roland & Russel said it would be hitting the shelves within two weeks? Or the post where Illuminatus said it's available at Chaucers?

We were told it would be out by the end of May. It was then changed to the first week of June, now it has been changed to mid-June. This has been the progression, at least from my point of view, baring any sort of weird dreams or bad drug trips where in I came up with these things by myself. It's an additional delay, which in turn makes me yet more frustrated with the situation. I fail to see my fault in that, unless you wanted me to be more patient with a seemingly pathetically incompetent government monopoly? Everyone who seemed to take offense to my post, lay off, and cheers (hopefully sooner than later in regards to the ST IPA) .[/i]

My point was that it wasn't the pathetically incompetent government monopoly that told you it would be out at the end of May. Even R&R (the beer's agent) said it would be out at the beginning of June, not the end of May. That's one delay, whether you can accept it or not. If somebody else started a rumour that it was coming out the end of May (as the discussion on page 8 of this thread suggests, but given you've only referred to May 16, I'm assuming you didn't bother reading the details I provided or you just didn't care) and you believed it, that's not the fault of the system, nor is it an additional delay.

The availability at Chaucer's is also irrelevant, because as also pointed out in this thread, that was a separate order, not the one that the LCBO was getting.

Complain all you want about the LCBO, but if you're not complaining about things that are actually their fault - and by that I'm talking about a second delay, because the only delay that is actually happening is certainly the fault of the LCBO - then you're only going to hurt your case.

And I think you missed my point that your refrence to the beginning of the thread was absurd and didn't tell me anything (except what RR said).

That being said, going with what Belgian said, I don't really care. All this arguing and flaming just makes me feel like I'm an immature 14 year-old again to be honest. Let's just drink beer .

[bujubanton]

It's hardly flaming to be irritated with the government monopoly that makes up absurd reasons to delay a product its customers would very much like to buy...
I heard from the LCBO that these products were supposed to be here by early to mid May.
We're coming up to mid June.
No ST. No Rogue.
Anchor Steam is sold out in the few places it was available.
Sam Adams summer ale tastes like a bad lager and lime.

Just because their brochures say June (probably printed that way...so no one would expect prompt service) doesn't mean they didn't promise May.
And as for the employees...I have asked at a couple stores...you would think I was asking them to explain the theory of relativity, given the blank looks I got back.

And really...bar code issues? Must be that rogue American bar code system...sort of like Burma...a lone wolf rebelling against the bar code system in place in the rest of the world........
But at least..if its sitting in the warehouse, we know the LCBO will be taking great care of it...keeping it cool in a dark space and away from the humidity...ha ha...and the Leafs are going to win the cup next year with Ron Wilson.

[The_Jester]

My sources tell me that the LCBO was actually behind the Kennedy assassination. And global warming.

[GregClow]

It's hardly flaming to be irritated with the government monopoly that makes up absurd reasons to delay a product its customers would very much like to buy... (etc...)

[Roland + Russell]

Good morning everyone,

Hope that our silence on this topic was not interpreted as a gesture of ignorance or disinterest. Technically, the release will happen as it was originally indicated although we were hoping have ST IPA on the shelves somewhat earlier.

The bar code mistake did happen and it was rectified, but it took some time. Because of the nature of the business relationship between the brewery, the LCBO and our agency, we can not provide all of the details, but we can tell you that it was a honest mistake that happened most likely because the brewery was rushing the shipment to be here in time. Another issue packaging related issue did come up and was dealt with. Secondly, a very important detail to keep in mind is that the Beer Category management team is doing an amazing job in trying to bring this beer to the stores. Furthermore, they have been helpful in trying to minimize the delay, but have no jurisdiction over the Quality Assurance department and their role. What all of us tend to forget from time to time is that the LCBO is quite a large and departmentalized organization so that in a project such as this one, many departments play a role within which they have full jurisdiction to apply their standards and protocols.

The good news is that we have heard the beer should start shipping out to stores this week. We will keep you posted of any changes and announcements.

Thank you for your patience.

[Bobbyok]

What all of us tend to forget from time to time is that the LCBO is quite a large and departmentalized organization so that in a project such as this one, many departments play a role within which they have full jurisdiction to apply their standards and protocols.

I don't think any of us ever forget that, because that's exactly what the problem is in terms of flexibility towards offering the kind of product selection most Bar Towellers are looking for. It's a large and departmentalized organization that does not need to exist for the purpose it claims to serve.

[Jon Walker]

Thanks for the clarification. It's pretty much what I had guessed, an issue originating with the brewery. Glad to hear the problem is resolved and the product will be available soon. Hopefully it will bring to an end the needless sniping the "I need it NOW" crowd have levelled at the LCBO and the Beer Category folks. Too many here are short sighted about the positive changes, albeit slow ones, that are starting to take effect at the LCBO. I'm glad beers like this will be available on a regular basis now even if it has happened a couple of weeks later than hoped.

Now lets hope the sales figures reaffirm to the Beer Category execs that there's a better market in Ontario for decent IPA's than for eastern block clone lagers.

[Belgian]

Righto Jono. The releases are mostly getting better.

Commenting on the LC objectively means mixing in a bit of good-natured fair criticism WHILE admitting all the positive developments.

On the contrary, ranting on about beers THAT ARE NOT EARLY is pretty much the opposite of that objectivity. You push THAT line often enough, & the Importers will just stop telling us about the early arrivals... that's 'inside' information which is ordinarily quite helpful for buying beer. Let's not blow that.

Is that horse well-tenderized yet, Greg? What goes with horse steak??

[Illuminatus]

Is that horse well-tenderized yet, Greg? What goes with horse steak??

Eastern Bloc clone lagers.

[GregClow]

Is that horse well-tenderized yet, Greg? What goes with horse steak??

Eastern Bloc clone lagers.

Actually, one of the few places in town that serves horse has a pretty nice beer menu:

http://www.lapalette.ca/dinner%20menu.html
http://www.lapalette.ca/beer%20menu.html

I don't see it listed on the dinner menu, but apparently they do a "Quack & Track" plate pairing duck confit and horse tenderloin.

[Steve Beaumont]

Horse meat and Orval! It's a delicious combination.

[Belgian]

Hmmm... must be the 'horseblanket'.