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

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:13 pm

Well, it's not something I was particularly looking forward to, as I've had it already, but Anchor Steam is now listed on the LCBO website. I'm happy that SOMETHING new is now listed. For the past month I've been left asking them to throw me a frickin' bone of some kind, and I guess this is a sign of more to come.

But, can anyone explain to me how the hell the LCBO comes up with their seemingly inexplicable, possible fictitious ABV levels? I know they do their own stupid lab tests, but their inconsistencies with both the brewers and RB are nothing short of astounding. They've listed the Anchor Steam at 6% abv, while RB has is at 4.9% abv (and if I recall correctly, the bottles themselves say 4.9%). Why do they always contradict every other reliable source on that bit of info?

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:16 pm

I think the LCBO do their own accurate tests.

I seem to recall they re-labelled "Chapeau Exotic" at 1.5% instead of the brewers claimed 3.5%. That's a bit of a difference.

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:35 pm

Most U.S. breweries use the antiquated hydrometer for alcohol content and even then they don't check every batch...the LCBO uses gas chromatography which is incredibly accurate. We have had numerous problems with U.S. micros who have no idea what their alcohol content might be and we have had variances as high as 7%. There appears to be no controlling body in the U.S. which looks after alcohol declarations so the breweries simply don't care whether they are accurate or not.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:43 pm

esprit wrote:
U.S. micros who have no idea what their alcohol content might be and we have had variances as high as 7%.

Might be good to know if you were planning to drive a car later that day.

sphilp · Post by **sphilp** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:50 pm

I've noticed a lot of american beers don't even have the abv printed on them. I doubt if the brewery even bothered to test it.

Jan Primus · Post by **Jan Primus** » Wed May 21, 2008 6:05 pm

Wasn't the John By imp stout supposed to be 9% but the LC's tests had it at 6.7%? Based on the buzz I felt, I think the LC was actually right.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:01 pm

Jan Primus wrote:Wasn't the John By imp stout supposed to be 9% but the LC's tests had it at 6.7%? Based on the buzz I felt, I think the LC was actually right.

Tsarina (same recipe) was higher ABV than originally intended... maybe 6.7 would have been closer to what Perry was shooting for?

Jon Walker · Post by **Jon Walker** » Thu May 22, 2008 12:23 pm

To bring this thread back on track...Southern Tier IPA has passed lab testing and has an LCBO product number. It is 81737. Not up on the website yet since the beer is still being held up at due to a "packaging issue". Apparently the LCBO doesn't like the fact that the cases contain open topped six packs which for reasons that mystify me need to be remedied before they can ship the beer to stores. Still possible this could be worked out before the end of the month but the beer could and likely will be held up as a result. I think it's a fair bet to say the first week of June for on shelf availability is optimistic.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu May 22, 2008 12:31 pm

Strange... there's other open-top six packs on the shelves...

Jon Walker · Post by **Jon Walker** » Thu May 22, 2008 12:35 pm

Yeah...Brooklyn Lager springs to mind since it also comes from New York state and the packaging is very similar. I can't account for it, just reporting what I'm hearing.

Bobbyok · Post by **Bobbyok** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:46 pm

Isn't Mill Street an open-topped six pack?

Jon Walker · Post by **Jon Walker** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:49 pm

Bobbyok wrote:Isn't Mill Street an open-topped six pack?

There are more than a dozen open topped bottled six packs on the LCBO shelves. Why this one merits extra attention I have no idea. Perhaps Rolland & Russell have a clearer explanation.

Gedge · Post by **Gedge** » Thu May 22, 2008 2:00 pm

I'm sure someone has noted this in the past, but an anagram for LCBO is BLOC. Seems fitting on more than one level.

Bobbyok · Post by **Bobbyok** » Thu May 22, 2008 2:31 pm

Jon Walker wrote:
Bobbyok wrote:Isn't Mill Street an open-topped six pack?
There are more than a dozen open topped bottled six packs on the LCBO shelves. Why this one merits extra attention I have no idea. Perhaps Rolland & Russell have a clearer explanation.

Since it's 6.5%, they must be trying to determine if they'll require the "Strong Beer" sticker to go on the six pack or on each individual bottle in the six pack just in case people grab one and manage to get out of the store with just a single.

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:09 pm

Bobbyok wrote: just in case people grab one and manage to get out of the store with just a single.

And may GOD be merciful and not allow that to happen.