Propeller ESB coming to LCBO

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:09 pm

June 30th is a reasonable date of production. It's August 6th you know

. A month is a while. But I'm no expert.

Roland + Russell · Post by **Roland + Russell** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:15 pm

bsj1983 wrote:A family member brought home a 6 pack (Wooooooo!!!) and I noticed something strange. Just above one of the box's handles, the date 6-30-2009 is printed.

Production date? Seems unlikely if it only got into the store yesterday (as the LCBO site suggests.)

The words "BEST BEFORE" have been clearly blacked out with some kind of marker.

I haven't tried a bottle yet, and it won't poison me, but still, seems like an unsavoury business practice.

This shipment left Halifax July 3, 2009 and it was bottled on June 30. Due to rushing to get the beer here, they chose to stamp the production date on the carton rather than the bottle. Thus the words Best Before were blacked out as they mean something totally different from Production Date.

The brewery, and its owner, John Allen, went through major obstacles to return to this market (meeting label and carton requirements) and they would certainly not compromise their hard earned reputation.

Please let us know if further clarification is required.

It is unfortunate that this left you with the impression of "unsavoury business practice" . We can assure you that the brewery, agency and LCBO all strive to ensure product quality.

Enjoy the beer, you will live to tell about it. We ourselves are enjoying a bottle this evening.
Thank you for bringing up your concerns.
Best regards,

Magni · Post by **Magni** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:21 pm

Saw that there was an update and more-or-less ran (ultra ttc marathoned) to the Bay and Bloor LCBO to grab a six-pack. She's chilling now, I can't wait to have a little of my old Halfiax neighborhood in Toronto.

bsj1983 · Post by **bsj1983** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:25 pm

Roland + Russell wrote: It is unfortunate that this left you with the impression of "unsavoury business practice" . We can assure you that the brewery, agency and LCBO all strive to ensure product quality.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just found the blacked out "best before" unusual, as if the LCBO was just now releasing it after having held it for testing/whatever for a while. Comparing it to an older box my brother brought back from the maritimes a while back, it seemed strange.

I still find the mental image of an LCBO worker in the storeroom meticulously blacking the words out on dozens of boxes with a jeweler's eyepiece and a sharpie amusing, though.

And you're quite right, it's as good as I remember! I went out and bought another six, and it looks like it's flying off the shelves.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 12:10 am

Roland + Russell wrote: Enjoy the beer, you will live to tell about it.

This beer tastes shockingly similar to a delicious fresh botttle of Propeller ESB I had at the Rhino a few weeks ago. Should I notify my next of kin, just in case?

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 12:15 am

bsj1983 wrote: Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just found the blacked out "best before" unusual, as if the LCBO was just now releasing it after having held it for testing/whatever for a while.

As if the LCBO would work that hard. "Yeah, five or six beer geeks in Ontario might actually notice the date code, so lets hide it ON EVERY SINGLE SIX PACK IN ONTARIO..."

bsj1983 · Post by **bsj1983** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 3:46 am

Belgian wrote: As if the LCBO would work that hard. "Yeah, five or six beer geeks in Ontario might actually notice the date code, so lets hide it ON EVERY SINGLE SIX PACK IN ONTARIO..."

That's what I was getting at, yes, with the whole loupe and sharpie bit.

nickelass · Post by **nickelass** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 6:23 pm

This is pretty good! Thanks R & R!

bartle · Post by **bartle** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:21 pm

Picked up some today. This is pretty nice, nothing overly special for my taste buds. It was a very smooth and mild beer all the same.

I did drink it with my meal, so I cannot be too judgemental over it. It's nice to see some beer from the Atlantic make it this far.

Rumrunner · Post by **Rumrunner** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:39 am

Was at the LCBO on Brock Street yesterday and they just got the Propeller ESB in that day.
Chilling in my fridge for sampling tonight.

carguy · Post by **carguy** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:04 am

I hope you didn't chill it too much Rumrunner. I picked mine out of the cooler at the LCBO, and then a warm 20 minute drive home, but I couldn't resist, and opened one right away. It was the best tasing one I had. The others I had later from the fridge were too cold I guess, as they just didn't taste as full and well rounded. The last bottle I took out to sit an hour before I opened it, which helped. In my opinion, this beer is best served at "cellar" temperature, rather than cold, to truely appriecate it.

Bytowner · Post by **Bytowner** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:33 am

carguy wrote:I hope you didn't chill it too much Rumrunner. I picked mine out of the cooler at the LCBO, and then a warm 20 minute drive home, but I couldn't resist, and opened one right away. It was the best tasing one I had. The others I had later from the fridge were too cold I guess, as they just didn't taste as full and well rounded. The last bottle I took out to sit an hour before I opened it, which helped. In my opinion, this beer is best served at "cellar" temperature, rather than cold, to truely appriecate it.

Agreed. I had one well-chilled up at the cottage and it was unbearably thin and slippery. I'll need to try one at a higher temp.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:08 pm

+ 2, often a beer chilled is a beer killed (or something like that...)

Creemore Keller same deal. Deserves tall crystal and cool, not cold, presentation.

WilliamEstevan · Post by **WilliamEstevan** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:36 pm

I'm bringing this thread back to life because I'm drinking an absolutely delightful Propeller ESB that was brought back to me directly from Halifax by some pretty cool parents in return for my chauffeur services (along with a Propeller IPA, Porter and Pale).

I bought a six pack from the LCBO last week and I found that they were lacking the B of the ESB (from the batch bottled 6/30), but this one (a 650ml bottle, produced the first week of August) is bitter, full-flavoured and complex... I'm tempted to say that I prefer it over Fullers.

I absolutely agree that it should be cellar temperature.

Roland + Russell · Post by **Roland + Russell** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:47 pm

The next shipment of Propeller ESB is scheduled to leave Halifax this Friday (September 11).

Thank you for your kind reviews and brisk sales for this great beer.

Cheers,

R+R