LCBO Spring 2009 Release

Ralphus · Post by **Ralphus** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 6:44 pm

So given the list were there any that you loved, hated, or had new appreciation for?

PIETRA (6.5% - $2.55/330 ml - LCBO 100495)
TRAFALGAR OAK AGED RYE (5% - $3.95/650 ml - LCBO 67173)
TRAFALGAR CEDAR CREAM ALE (5% - $2.35/341 ml - LCBO 104679)
DOPPEL HIRSCH DOPPELBOCK (7.2% - $3.95/500 ml - LCBO 106237)
GREAT LAKES GREEN TEA & GINSENG ALE (4.2% - $4.95/650 ml - LCBO 105874)
ROGUE BRUTAL BITTER (6.2% - $6.35/650 ml - LCBO 909770)
ROGUE KELLS IRISH LAGER (5.2% - $6.35/650 ml - LCBO 113399)
WESTMALLE TRIPEL (9.5% - $3.75/330 ml - LCBO 676577)
WELTENBURGER KLOSTER ASAM BOCK (6.9% - $3.35/500 ml - LCBO 893974)
ORVAL (6.2% - $3.50/330 ml - LCBO 121574)
URBOCK 23 (9.6% - $3.00/330 ml - LCBO 65763)

Also Greg, excuse my niavety, but is there a summer release schedule?

Zuma · Post by **Zuma** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:56 pm

Constant new appreciation for Orval. Every time I drink it I like it more than the previous.

Aside from that, no great shakes. I really enjoyed the Brutal Bitter last year, yet I am not feeling it this year.

Having the selection of bocks was nice, but I still end up reaching for the leftover Aventinus Eisbock instead.

I did not try the Trafalgar beers.

I did try the Pietra. Bad stuff that one.

beerbroker · Post by **beerbroker** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:11 pm

I'm with you on the Brutal Bitter - I love it but not quite as much as I remember it last year (maybe because we've since gotten access to some other great IPA's but it don't think this batch is quite as good). The Kells is very good for a lager - what else can I say?

I'm loving the Orval this year. It's going to be amazing in about 6 months once the carbonation dies down (hopefully). It's better IMHO than the ones I have left over from last year.

I continue to regret trying Trafalgar beers. I appreciate that they're experimenting but I wish they would master a couple of beers before they try brewing stuff that is way out of their league. Am I alone here?

I tried the Bocks but it's really not my favourite style so I won't even attempt to judge - too sweet and malty for me.

Love the Westmalle Tripel - hoppiest tripel in town!

Over and stout,

BB

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:02 pm

Ralphus wrote:Also Greg, excuse my niavety, but is there a summer release schedule?

Yes, there's one coming, but I don't have the list yet. I'll poke around and see if I can get my hands on it soon.

TJ · Post by TJ » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:06 am

Ralphus wrote:So given the list were there any that you loved, hated, or had new appreciation for?

The Orval and the Westmalle are the best of the bunch I'd say.

I really enjoyed the Doppel Hirsh. Nice and smooth, with dried fruit flavors and some chocolate and caramel sweetness, but I wouldn't mind if there was a little bitterness to offset this. The swing-top bottle is pretty nifty.

Great Lakes Green Tea...hmmmm. Maybe I need to try it again on a hot day. I just remember it being very dry—I'm not a huge fan of dry.

Rogue Brutal Bitter was really good, and the Kells was good, but again it might be another one I need to try in the summer to more fully appreciate.

My girlfriend picked up the Urbock 23 for me ages ago because she does nice things like that...but for some reason the bottle and label are off-putting and as such it keeps getting passed over. I can't explain it.

I tend to avoid anything Trafalagar. Pietra sounds dire. And that's as far as I got.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:22 am

Brutal Bitter was my favourite for overall drinking, and of course Orval is great. Still lots left at my store too.

The Kells was just ok for me. Tasty and well made, but not one I'll rush out to get again.

Doppel Hirsch was ok too. I'm not a fan of bocks in general but I did drink few to try to appreciate them.

Pietra wasn't as bad as some of you guys are making it out to be.

Gedge · Post by **Gedge** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:46 am

Loved the bocks (esp. Asam), Westmalle, Orval. I've bought at least 10 of the Brutal Bitter. I agree that it's not quite as good as the last batch, but I still wish it (and more Rogues) were year-round offerings.

The Kells - tried it twice and it just didn't do it for me. Same with the GL Green Tea, just didn't grab me.

Pietra - had a sip of one I bought for the missus. She liked it, me not so much.

Tried a couple of the Trafalgar Cedar. Taste was ok but both bottles seemed flat and a bit lifeless.

Urbock 23 - had one. Bit sweet for me, but I should really buy a couple for the cellar.

Rosko · Post by **Rosko** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:12 pm

I know it's a sacrilege to say this, but I never enjoyed Orval.

That probably makes my opinion here moot, but I'm on board with previous comments about the brutal Bitter. Good, but not worth the cost.

The Urbock is too sweet.

The Dopperl Hirsch and the Weltenburger are as good as bocks can get. Just love them. And the Westmalle is great as always.

As for the trafalgars and any beer made with chestnuts - well, I work too hard for my beer money to have tried this batch.

lister · Post by **lister** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:23 pm

Of that release I only had GL Green Tea, Kells and the UrBock. The Green Tea and the UrBock were meh. I like the Kells but don't like the bottle size nor the price. (Some beers I don't mind having a bomber size of but for some it's just too much.)

I've had the Brutal Bitter, Westmalle Tripel, Asam Bock and Orval in previous releases. None of them I particularly care for. Trafalgar is on my shit list and I refuse to pay for any of their beers. The girlfriend loves Orval and likes the Tripel.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:31 pm

PIETRA skipped it
TRAFALGAR OAK AGED RYE skipped it
TRAFALGAR CEDAR CREAM ALE tried one, was kind of meh on it
DOPPEL HIRSCH DOPPELBOCK liked this, but in limited amounts, nice to go with some good dried sausage
GREAT LAKES GREEN TEA & GINSENG ALE haven't tried it yet, probably will buy one to see how it is, and how it compares to the sample I had last summer
ROGUE BRUTAL BITTER haven't picked this up, but may yet, I prefer the DGA
ROGUE KELLS IRISH LAGER disapointingly bland
WESTMALLE TRIPEL love it, have had several fresh, and have a dozen left
WELTENBURGER KLOSTER ASAM BOCK liked this, but found the Amsterdam bock a better value
ORVAL a little overly floral, have a number set aside to age
URBOCK 23 - pretty harsh alcohol, but a decent underlying malt, have one set aside to try in a year or so.

boney · Post by **boney** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:14 pm

I tried all of the offerings from the spring realease and I didn't really dislike any of them, even the Pietra and Trafalgar products. On the other hand, with the exception of Orval (in my top 5 of all time) there weren't too many I loved either. I like Westmalle tripel, but I prefer a little age on them so the alcohol settles out a bit, so I'm only starting to really dig the Westmalle's from last year.

Honestly, the general listing of both Fuller's ESB and Harviestoun's Bitter & Twisted excited me much more than the spring release. That said, I always appreciate all of the effort the importers make trying to diversify the beer selection in Ontario with these seasonal releases. Cheers to them!

Sanchex · Post by **Sanchex** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:45 pm

I usually love Rogue but I thought the Brutal Bitter was mediocre at best and the Kell's was swill. Green Tea was really nice and looking forward to more. Skipped everything else except the Orval because I either have it in my beer stockpile or wasn't worth my time/money. I'm embarrassed to say but this was the first time to have Orval and it was awesome. Easily my favorite Trappist beer.

Jan Primus · Post by **Jan Primus** » Fri May 01, 2009 11:38 am

Sanchex wrote: I'm embarrassed to say but this was the first time to have Orval and it was awesome. Easily my favorite Trappist beer.

I'm emberrassed to say that it took me years to like Orval...now it's definately one of my fave beers.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Fri May 01, 2009 12:53 pm

GregClow wrote:
Ralphus wrote:Also Greg, excuse my niavety, but is there a summer release schedule?
Yes, there's one coming, but I don't have the list yet. I'll poke around and see if I can get my hands on it soon.

I'm sure it'll be up here soon, but for those that are really curious:
http://greatcanadianpubs.blogspot.com/2 ... lease.html

TJ · Post by TJ » Fri May 01, 2009 1:02 pm

Derek wrote:I'm sure it'll be up here soon, but for those that are really curious:
http://greatcanadianpubs.blogspot.com/2 ... lease.html

A part of me died when I read that list.