This posting is more of a response to the observation about Keith's in the preceding "fall release" topic but -- as that thread has grown to at least 4 pages and is veering off into other things I am taking the liberty to re-hash the Alexander Keith's in the Fall Release observation in a new thread and here are my comments.
Yes, it seems that Alexander Keith is calling itself a microbrewery now.
A personal experience I would like to relay. A friend of mine went into Rower's and asked for a bottle of Mill Street, which was happily available in that pub for awhile (a VERY short while if I am not mistaken). The waitress said they didn't have it any more because it didn't sell. "But we have a really wonderful microbrew from Nova Scotia called Alexander Keith's Blond. It's wonderful." These were her words exactly.
My friend wisely declined.
Then another person joined the party and the waitress did her pitch for Alexander Keith's Blond again. The newcomer bought a pint on an experimental basis and it was piss awful. The whole table tried it and the verdict was unanimous. My friend remonstrated with the waitress that nothing produced by Alexander Keith could qualify as a microbrew but she was adamant. Also, this beer was supposed to be a wheat beer and didn't taste like it. Wrong colour, quite dark, etc. On the way out of the pub, my friend saw a plaque on the wall advertising "Alexander Keith Blond" and this plaque has been spotted on the outside walls of several other downtown pubs.
Anyone else tried this "microbrew" ?!
Paul
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Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
... fall release -- keith's
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Rob Creighton
- Bar Fly
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- Location: Dundas, ON
You have to grudgingly give Labatt/Interbrew credit for creating a complete side business (Oland) that has cashed in huge on the more profitable premium sector and barely acknowledges there association with Blue and Wildcat. Molson has nothing to touch it and has flailed hopelessly with the Rickards line.
I constantly talk to people in the business that don't know how Oland is set up so imagine how many of the general public are ignorant of it. Maybe its true. It's all marketing. We're all sheep. AAAAAAUgh! I need a beer.
I constantly talk to people in the business that don't know how Oland is set up so imagine how many of the general public are ignorant of it. Maybe its true. It's all marketing. We're all sheep. AAAAAAUgh! I need a beer.
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Rubaiyat
- Posts: 141
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- Location: Rubaiyat Wine and Spirit Merchants
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Grudgingly, yes.
And I don't fault the consumer, no -- they really are in the dark in this regard, yes (and I mean that in a good way).
BUT ... when it comes to licensees it's a different story. Believe you me it's not easy trying to explain why we have to charge for glasses, why we can't help them in different ways, why we can't build things for them, decorate things for them, etc. etc. Oland markets itself independently but we all know it has deep - very deep - pockets. Great marketing, yes, and no - Molson can't touch it.
Now you realize I am micro-analyzing the issue -- but then again that's the name of the game when you're in the game (i.e. industry) ... trying to sell ... one licensee at a time ... in the big picture, though, Oland has done wonders. Sheep or no sheep it has helped the category huge, no doubt. And I have said this before.
As I finish my Alley Kat Aprikat and head off to bed ... soon ...
And I don't fault the consumer, no -- they really are in the dark in this regard, yes (and I mean that in a good way).
BUT ... when it comes to licensees it's a different story. Believe you me it's not easy trying to explain why we have to charge for glasses, why we can't help them in different ways, why we can't build things for them, decorate things for them, etc. etc. Oland markets itself independently but we all know it has deep - very deep - pockets. Great marketing, yes, and no - Molson can't touch it.
Now you realize I am micro-analyzing the issue -- but then again that's the name of the game when you're in the game (i.e. industry) ... trying to sell ... one licensee at a time ... in the big picture, though, Oland has done wonders. Sheep or no sheep it has helped the category huge, no doubt. And I have said this before.
As I finish my Alley Kat Aprikat and head off to bed ... soon ...
When I'm asked about Keith's, particularly the "India Pale Ale", I politely respond "You can't argue with success". I know that this success is largely based on deep-pocket marketing, both in the media and in licensees. The truth is, for a very small company like Scotch Irish which operates on the margins of the pub world, its not that big a problem. In Ottawa, Keith's makes up about 30% of all domestic draught sales. That's huge, but most of the bars that do use it are places that would not give us a second look. The scene is dominated by "chain bars" that get "incentives" to buy certain brands. Most micro's cannot begin to give such enticements, so we wisely stay away. Instead, we focus on smaller, independantly owned establishments that understand how hard it is to make a buck in the marketplace. Even if these places sell Keith's as well, they probably don't do big enough numbers to warrant the swag.
Keith's big success is with the 19-25 year old drinkers who used to drink Blue, but want to be seen drinking something "upscale" without having to change the taste of waht they are drinking. Keith's fills this bill nicely.
One encouraging note: The Arrow and The Loon in Ottawa ( a sister pub of the Bow and Arrow) had Keith's for awhile this summer. It has now been replaced due to lack of sales!
Keith's big success is with the 19-25 year old drinkers who used to drink Blue, but want to be seen drinking something "upscale" without having to change the taste of waht they are drinking. Keith's fills this bill nicely.
One encouraging note: The Arrow and The Loon in Ottawa ( a sister pub of the Bow and Arrow) had Keith's for awhile this summer. It has now been replaced due to lack of sales!