LCBO Holiday Beers/Gift Packs 2008 Release

[GregClow]

The following items are planned to be included in the LCBO's Holiday Beers/Gift Packs release for 2008. They should start appearing in stores shelves sometime in October.

Note that all info, including prices and package contents, is subject to change.

Bah Humbug ($3.40 - LCBO 3822)
500 ml bottle of Wychwood Bah Humbug.

Wernesgruner Party Keg ($23.80 - LCBO 83832)
5 L mini-keg of Wernesgruner Pilsner.

Bitburger Gift Pack ($13.00 - LCBO 83840)
6x330 ml bottles of Bitburger Pilsner and a branded glass.

Hobgoblin Gift Pack ($6.95 - LCBO 3566)
500 ml bottle of Wychwood Hobgoblin and a branded glass.

Biere du Boucanier Mixed Pack ($16.95 - LCBO 612077)
Two 330 ml bottles each of Boucanier Red, Boucanier Dark and Boucanier Golden.

Westmalle Gift Pack with Glass ($13.95 - LCBO 83907)
One 330 ml bottle each Westmalle Dubbel and Westmalle Tripel, and a branded glass.

Samuel Smith's Selection Box ($12.95 - LCBO 696658)
One 550mL bottle each of Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, Samuel Smith's Pale Ale and Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale, a branded glass, and two coasters.

St Peter's Twinpack ($11.95 - LCBO 97477)
One 500mL bottle each of St. Peter's Ruby Red Ale and St. Peter's IPA, and a branded glass.

Chimay Gift Pack ($13.95 - LCBO 560383)
One 330mL bottle each of Chimay Blue, Chimay White and Chimay Red, and a branded glass.

Maredsous Gift Box ($14.95 - LCBO 925818)
One 330mL bottle each of Maredsous 6 Blond, Maredsous 8 and Maredsous 10, and a branded glass.

Stella Artois L'Etoile Gift Pack ($6.95 - LCBO 50286)
330 mL bottle of Stella Artois and a branded glass.

Taste of Belgium Gift Pack ($19.95 - LCBO 676494)
One 330 mL bottle each of Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Leffe Blond, and a branded glass for each beer.

Erdinger Bavaria Gift Pack ($10.45 - LCBO 612119)
One 500 mL bottle each of Erdinger Dunkel and Erdinger Hefeweizen, and a branded glass.

Affligem CombiPack ($14.95 - LCBO 682906)
Two 330 mL bottles of Affligem Blonde, one 330 mL bottle each of Affligem Dubbel & Affligem Tripel, and a branded glass.

De Koninck Gift Pack ($14.45 - LCBO 612101)
One 330 mL bottle each of De Koninck Blond and De Koninck Tripel, two bottles of De Koninck Amber, and a branded glass.

Fruli Strawberry Gift Pack ($14.50 - LCBO 83816)
Four 250 mL bottles of Fruli Strawberry and a branded glass.

Marston's Pedigree Gift Pack ($11.95 - LCBO 83857)
Two 500 mL bottles of Marston's Pedigree and a branded glass.

Mill Street Barley Wine ($11.95 - LCBO 70359)
500 mL ceramic bottle of Mill Street Barley Wine.

Corona Gift Pack ($10.95 - LCBO 579300)
One 710 mL bottle of Corona Extra, two branded glasses and a bottle opener.

Coronita Gift Pack ($14.95 - LCBO 612069)
Six 207 mL bottles of Corona Extra in a branded bucket.

Exclusive Belgian Ales ($16.20 - LCBO 562397)
One 330 mL bottle each of Augustijn, Bornem Dubbel, Bornem Triple, Bruegel, Gulden Draak and Piraat.

Christoffel Winterse Bock Jug ($27.95 - LCBO 88088)
2 L jug of Christoffel Winterse Bock.

Christoffel Winterbier Jug ($29.95 - LCBO 925800)
2 L ceramic jug of Christoffel Blond.

Grolsch Premium Lager ($11.95 - LCBO 50294)
1.5 L bottle of Grolsch Premium Lager.

Steam Whistle Gift Pack ($27.95 - LCBO 11692)
Two 341 mL bottles of Steam Whistle and a retro wall-mounted bottle opener.

DAB Original Party Keg ($21.95 - LCBO 329029)
5 L mini-keg of DAB Original.

Deuchars IPA Gift Pack ($16.85 - LCBO 83915)
Four 500 mL cans of Deuchars IPA, and an Ian Rankin novel.

Trafalgar Triple Threat ($10.95 - LCBO 103960)
One 200 mL bottle each of Trafalgar Korruptor, Trafalgar Critical Mass and Trafalgar Black Bullet.

[StevenThrasher]

Westmalle Gift Pack with Glass ($13.95 - LCBO 83907)
One 330 ml bottle each Westmalle Dubbel and Westmalle Tripel, and a branded glass.

Pick of this years crop. The Westmalle glass is brilliant!

Chimay Gift Pack ($13.95 - LCBO 560383)
One 330mL bottle each of Chimay Blue, Chimay White and Chimay Red, and a branded glass.

As always a fantastic pack to give anyone as an introduction to fine beer.
I gave these to everyone I hang out at so I would always know I'd have a proper glass wherever I go.

Maredsous Gift Box ($14.95 - LCBO 925818)
One 330mL bottle each of Maredsous 6 Blond, Maredsous 8 and Maredsous 10, and a branded glass.

Samuel Smith's Selection Box ($12.95 - LCBO 696658)
One 550mL bottle each of Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, Samuel Smith's Pale Ale and Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale, a branded glass, and two coasters.

St Peter's Twinpack ($11.95 - LCBO #TBA)
One 500mL bottle each of St. Peter's Ruby Red Ale and St. Peter's IPA, and a branded glass.

All worth at least one.
Excellent work this year Peter (Esprit).

Taste of Belgium Gift Pack ($19.95 - LCBO 676494)
One 330 mL bottle each of Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Leffe Blond, and a branded glass for each beer.

Overpriced as usual.

Steam Whistle Gift Pack ($27.95 - LCBO 11692)
One 341 mL bottle of Steam Whistle and a retro wall-mounted bottle opener.

A wall mounted opener is welcome but that seems WAAAY overpriced.

[GregClow]

Steam Whistle Gift Pack ($27.95 - LCBO 11692)
One 341 mL bottle of Steam Whistle and a retro wall-mounted bottle opener.

A wall mounted opener is welcome but that seems WAAAY overpriced.

Yeah, it does seem a bit spendy. And looking at last year's list of gift packs, it looks like it was previously $24.95, and included two bottles of beer.

(Although I'm assuming that it only includes one bottle this year based on the fact that the list I got from the LCBO has '341 ml' as the format, while multi-bottle packs have formats like '1000 ml' and '1980 ml'. Once it comes out, it could have two bottles after all.)

[boney]

I broke my one and only Stella half pinter a couple of months ago, so I'm actually excited about the Stella pack (nice glass.....awful beer to chug down, but what are you going to do).

This is easily the best gift pack selection I can remember seeing at the LCBO. Thanks for posting it Greg, thanks to Esprit for bringing in some fine packs and a rare thanks to the LCBO for making it worthwhile to do most of my Christmas shopping there.....proof that things are slowly but surely getting better? Here's hoping.

[esprit]

Pricing of some of the mundane packs really get's to me...we have to pay $155 to lab test each beer in the pack and then a $1200 Administrative and Marketing fee which no one can seem to explain to us...some products end up in a nice catalogue and others don't but we still have to pay...these are not moneymakers for us but more an attempt to expose people to these great beer varieties along with the appropriate glass....frankly, we're stupid to offer them at these prices but then again, I'm stupid as well as obnoxious. Thanks for the support and kind comments and we hope you all enjoy these offerrings as we are really proud to be able to offer such a selection. Please understand, I use bartowel to vent when I can't vent at anyone else...if I vent at the LCBO I'm screwed...if I vent at my wife, I'm not screwed...offending the odd geek is much less onerous and I can handle any boycotts...put yourselves in my shoes and try to do this for 20 years...R&R are great guys but I really do grow weary of the odd bartowelller loving them and hating me because they are so nice...they are, I'm often not...I can be a dick but I've devoted 20 years to this business and, frankly, I could have made way more money doing other things...then again, that's my opinion and I could be wrong. Esprit is all about good beer and you don't have to like me personally...actually, if you meet me you will like me as I'm very likeable...kinda like a Smurf except fatter. I am what I am and that's all that I am.........I'm Popye the Sailor man...toot, toot...BTW, I've been up for over 2 days now and I may be somewhat incoherent but most of you won't notice.

[dutchcanuck]

Well Esprit,
My hat is off to you! You've done a great job and I look forward to purchasing well over a $100 in giftpacks. My girlfriend is going to kill me over all these new glasses which i will need to display!
Ignore the nay sayers here. I am sure everyone of us really appreciates the hard work that you and R&R do.
And if you're ever looking to hire an intern to teach the trade too, I'd be more than happy to take the job!

[Hawks28]

looks like a very good list. Thanks to everyone who helped bring these in. I will definitely be buying a Chimay, Westmalle and Samuel Smiths. A few more are strong possibilities.

[esprit]

some kudo's to Guy Mclelland and his agency as they are responsible for the Affligem, De Koninck and Fruli pacs and Paul Flint of Rubaiyat who has offerred the Belgian Ales pack for several years now. Both of them and Vlado from R & R were with us on a recent trip to Copenhagen and it was good to get to know the competition, although I'd known Paul for years. We're all in this for the same reason...to get filthy rich...yeah, right. Actually, we're all business people but we're selling something we love so there's a passion there that doesn't exist if you're selling microchips...not that there is anything wrong with selling microchips. By the way, I went to bed at 7PM every night in Copenhagent (I am the oldest of the group) while they partied the nights away. Then I had to wander ths streets in our hotel neighbourhood at 5AM trying to find someone selling coffee. We have some very good beers during our visit and some of them may find their way to our shores.

[esprit]

I should also add kudos to the LCBO's beer department as with experience they are actually making some good choices and they have a lot to juggle...these small brands don't give the kind of return per SQ. FT. of retail space as the big brands but they stick with it and still offer what is a reasonable selection of craft beers...the problem is not the LCBO and their people but rather a government or, rather, successive governments who feel that nothing is broken and therefore nothing needs to be fixed. A single retailer cannot meet all needs...that's a fact but how do we convince this province that a healthy dose of competition is needed? The LCBO cannot sell everything...let someone else try!

[esprit]

..for the record, that's 1373 obnoxious posts so far...

[tupalev]

..for the record, that's 1373 obnoxious posts so far...

Plus how many threatening personal messages?

Sorry, back to the Esprit love in...

[GregClow]

A Steam Whistle rep contacted me to confirm that their gift pack will contain two bottles of beer, just like last year.

The original post has been edited accordingly.

[esprit]

I believe I've only sent 1 threatening personal message in all these years as my specialty is obnoxious..can't even imagine who I sent that to but it was no doubt deserved...does this count against my obnoxious allocation?

[tupalev]

I apologize for completely derailing this thread....

I believe I've only sent 1 threatening personal message in all these years as my specialty is obnoxious..can't even imagine who I sent that to but it was no doubt deserved...does this count against my obnoxious allocation?

I'll let others decide (this is a personal message from Peter to me from about 6 weeks ago in response to a comment I made in this thread http://www.bartowel.com/board/viewtopic.php?p=38619):

Title: YOU

I'm a pretty easy going guy and much of what I post is intended to be tongue in cheek which obviously goes over your flat head. I don't appreciate the personal attacks. I am asking you politely (OR NOT) to stop otherwise I will track you down and you'll have to deal with a 225lb drunken ranter...this is not a joke and not intended to be tongue in cheek...you've crossed the line with me and I'm not someone you want to fuck with. A joke is a joke but you don't seem to know where to draw the line and I will not be ridiculed in a publc forum. I've never attacked you personally so I don't understand why the vitriol from you directed at me. Frankly, I think you're the drunken ranter. Anyhow, let's keep it friendly from now on and play nice because that would be in both of our best interests...and please keep buying my beers. CHEERS!

Lesson Learned: Be careful who you trade barbs with on Bartowel, they may come after you!

[viggo]

Threats shouldn't be tolerated on BarTowel. Maybe the offending user should be removed?