Ola Dubh 40 in the T-dot?

Rob Creighton · Post by **Rob Creighton** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:56 pm

viggo wrote:I agree with Jer here. You can't just sell your beer to a distributor here and have them to the legwork after that. If a brewery in Toronto wants London to get their beer, I believe the only option is to deliver it themselves.

Nope. It's just not tradition here. I can only attribute it to that. Amsterdam sells and delivers their beer outside of GTA through Premier. It is more likely that both parties (crafts and Premium/Premier/etc) have not been able to see where the margin is going to come from. TBS does it for some at big cost. It's just the way it has evolved here.

probstk · Post by **probstk** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:17 pm

Gedge wrote:I understand your pain, but bitching about the LCBO not bringing an expensive/limited beer to Barrie is like bitching about U2 not playing Timmins.

Do you think that U2 drinks Ola Dubh??

Gedge · Post by **Gedge** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:19 pm

probstk wrote:
Do you think that U2 drinks Ola Dubh??

They probably own Harviestoun via some offshore tax shelter.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 6:49 pm

Rob Creighton wrote:
viggo wrote:I agree with Jer here. You can't just sell your beer to a distributor here and have them to the legwork after that. If a brewery in Toronto wants London to get their beer, I believe the only option is to deliver it themselves.
Nope. It's just not tradition here. I can only attribute it to that. Amsterdam sells and delivers their beer outside of GTA through Premier. It is more likely that both parties (crafts and Premium/Premier/etc) have not been able to see where the margin is going to come from. TBS does it for some at big cost. It's just the way it has evolved here.

And to counter what Steel says, it makes no point to drink less of a micro simply because they limit their distribution. There is no "tit for tat" in this equation. The Brewery is doing what it can, where it can. We should appreciate that!

And I won't go into my 'local beer is traditional' thing, you've all heard it. Not everyone in Canada is my Uncle living in Bavaria, who when buying bottled products prefers locally-made beer as a traditional, and sensible, option. We also don't have the incredible number of local brewpubs that Germany used to have. Micros here are stuck in the middle!

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:28 pm

Belgian wrote:
Rob Creighton wrote:
viggo wrote:I agree with Jer here. You can't just sell your beer to a distributor here and have them to the legwork after that. If a brewery in Toronto wants London to get their beer, I believe the only option is to deliver it themselves.
Nope. It's just not tradition here. I can only attribute it to that. Amsterdam sells and delivers their beer outside of GTA through Premier. It is more likely that both parties (crafts and Premium/Premier/etc) have not been able to see where the margin is going to come from. TBS does it for some at big cost. It's just the way it has evolved here.
And to counter what Steel says, it makes no point to drink less of a micro simply because they limit their distribution. There is no "tit for tat" in this equation. The Brewery is doing what it can, where it can. We should appreciate that!

That makes sense. I really should clarify that I don't stop buying from a brewery altogether. But often a brewery becomes second fiddle if you know what I mean. I look at London as an under serviced (though things are picking up thanks to Milos) area and I feel a lot of breweries could penetrate this market if they so chose. I buy more stuff at the LCBO from the breweries that are present in our bars. I don't own a brewery and know almost nothing about marketing of course, so my opinion is mostly rubbish, but it is still mine.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:07 am

All this twaddle aside I really do look forward to the 40! I hope we can all score a few, or help our friends get ahold of at least a bottle. Cheers.

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:13 am

Had a chance to taste a sample of both 12 and 40 yesterday. Both are excellent beers, and the differences between the two are subtler than I expected. The most striking difference is in the aroma - in terms of flavour, they're really in the same ballpark.

According to Bill, the "beer guy" at LCBO Queen's Quay, he's had a lot of requests to reserve bottles of the 40. He anticipates that given the limited quantity available, it will barely make it to the shelves. So those interested may want to contact one of the stores in the lists earlier in the thread to see if they'll hold a bottle or two.

Sanchex · Post by **Sanchex** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 10:31 am

just tried to reserve the ola dubh 40 but i was told that since it's no showing in inventory yet, that he can't hold any.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:35 am

GregClow wrote: According to Bill, the "beer guy" at LCBO Queen's Quay, he's had a lot of requests to reserve bottles of the 40.

I imagine some establishments can justify re-selling for 60-75 dollars a bottle. Thanks for the heads-up Greg as this is exactly what I was wondering, if it just became an 'insider deal' and the consumer never sees it (360 bottles for the whole of Ontario is pretty scarce...)

Sanchex wrote:just tried to reserve the ola dubh 40 but i was told that since it's no showing in inventory yet, that he can't hold any.

Well if Bill can hold it, can't others? What store you call?

Luckily many locations listed are wandering distance from my work. Not everyone is so fortunate...

lister · Post by **lister** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:36 pm

GregClow wrote:Had a chance to taste a sample of both 12 and 40 yesterday. Both are excellent beers, and the differences between the two are subtler than I expected. The most striking difference is in the aroma - in terms of flavour, they're really in the same ballpark.

I wish the LCBO wouldn't allow reserving for such a limited supply. Based on your description I'm not going to try too hard to procure a bottle of the 40. If I can great, if I can't I'll be content with the 12 particularly given the price difference.

Sanchex · Post by **Sanchex** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:48 pm

Belgian wrote:
Well if Bill can hold it, can't others? What store you call?

I call Queen's Quay store but no Bill.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:35 pm

Sanchex wrote:
Belgian wrote:
Well if Bill can hold it, can't others? What store you call?
I call Queen's Quay store but no Bill.

Given the fractured communication throughout the system, you might want to stroll in & talk to whoever the 'beer guy' is & ask to get on that list.

But to contradict my own statement, I still agree with Lister that perhaps an order this size should all HAVE to go through the inventory system, rather than be held off for a few people on special pre-release lists. This ain't no "Bordeaux Futures" program (and even those are clearly open to the public at large with no special favors.)

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:56 pm

Found Ola 12 at Summerhill today. One of the employees saw me looking at it and told me to "get it while I could" as they only got a couple of cases. What was on the shelf was all they had, so she told me.

Bobsy · Post by **Bobsy** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 5:16 pm

Cass wrote:Found Ola 12 at Summerhill today. One of the employees saw me looking at it and told me to "get it while I could" as they only got a couple of cases. What was on the shelf was all they had, so she told me.

We must have passed like ships in the night.

dutchcanuck · Post by **dutchcanuck** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:58 pm

So? How is it? Any tasting notes?