Next Beer Frenzy?

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:51 am

So, all this Westyinsanity made me think about if there was anything else that could top this?

Off the top of my head I think Cantillon, even though it's been here before, could make a splash if it hit the LCBOs. As could a Zwanze Day if we had one in Toronto. Doubt it would be as big as this though.

I'm purposely excluding a beer like Dark Lord as that doesn't get sold anywhere else so not realistic.

Any thoughts?

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:55 am

I think Cantillon would be interesting... lots of people trying to return "spoiled" bottles.

Personally I think anything limited should be a lottery now.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:56 am

Cantillon is an abvious one.

I guess the real question is, what could the LCBO possilby get that would cause write ups in the Toronto Star, etc.? That is really what caused a big part of this hype. Cantillon seems somewhat realistic and defintiely hype-able. I am not sure what else would meet both of those criteria. Maybe some bourbon county stout now that Goose Island is producing it as a year-round?

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:14 am

Tactical Nuclear Penguin or another of these "world's strongest" types?

I dunno. I think Westy was the ultimate and will never be topped, based on its reputation and (heretofore) lack of availability.

KW1 · Post by **KW1** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:15 am

While Cantillon certainly has the cred to get many beer enthusiasts frothing, I think the overall taste profile would not be appealing to the masses. No mainstream craze there.

I wonder if Utopias will come back, and in any bigger volume.

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:15 am

I suppose Pliny would cause some hand-wringing but seems pretty far-fetched considering it's pretty limited distribution in the States.

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:16 am

KW1 wrote:While Cantillon certainly has the cred to get many beer enthusiasts frothing, I think the overall taste profile would not be appealing to the masses. No mainstream craze there.

Which has me thinking ... I'm not sure that Westy 12 is going to appeal to half of the people who bought it...

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:24 am

Without question people bought into the hype. We have had numerous Trappists available in the past with arguably the same level of quality (Rochefort, etc.) but none of them had a response like this.

Hell, all Westy's were available for tasting at Volo last night and I doubt there was a lineup 3 hours ahead of time!

groulxsome · Post by **groulxsome** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:31 am

I don't know what to think of a Cantillon LCBO release. If it was picked up it might catch fire like Westy, but it seems less likely because (a) it's not a once in a lifetime abby wide-release (b) the highest Cantillon is 15th on BA, but it's only 5% so, to a lot of people, the value for money ($20-$30 a bottle perhaps) is not going to be there. It would certainly have beer-geek line ups, but I'm doubtful of a really big gawker/hype interest (though it would be great if everyone wanted Cantillon that bad!).

I mean, how many people are rushing out to buy the best wine in the world when it's at the LCBO. The third best wine of the year (2012) from Wine Spectator, Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella’s Garden 2010, is in stock at the LCBO for $64.95. I don't see the lineups for that.

If the LCBO could get Heady Topper (I think that's perhaps more likely than Pliny if only for geographic reasons) maybe the same rush would be there. But, looking at the forums on BA for what people are looking to trade for, I don't see why Peché doesn't get rushed off the shelves. Maybe all this heightened beer awareness will make the Le Trou Du Diable release more highly anticipated!

Kel Varnsen · Post by **Kel Varnsen** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:46 am

I imagine the gift pack aspect, combined with the rarity and the story behind the production increased the hype. Heady or Pliny might be more desired by beer geeks, but unless they were released around christmas, in rare numbers with a gift pack, I don't see this kind of turn out just for bottles (or cans as it were). And even if they did release a rare christmas gift pack that they wouldn't have the great story about how the release is used to generate money to repair an 19th century monastery, which seems to be mentioned in all the media stories and certainly adds to the interest.

chris_schryer · Post by **chris_schryer** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:56 am

While the media hype certainly played a part, Westy's years of "elusiveness" is what really drove it. Even a moderate beer fan has probably heard of it. Also, as it is European, you don't run into the "American beer" misconceptions the general public still holds. It's easy to believe the hype when it's a Monk-made beer with a hard to pronounce name. I think that history makes this a nearly-unique event. If Utopias had been put on a shelf, it would have been bigger. Think tents.

So what could come close? Maybe Pannepot, for the Euro/difficult to pronounce front. Maybe TNP or Bismarck, which has the benefit of being extremely expensive, as well as having a great back story. But it's true that some really stellar beers have come through without any fanfare. For the US crafty, maybe Pliny, maybe Founders CBS if they make a big enough batch, or something well-known like DFH 120 or Stone AB.

Could you imagine if the LCBO got 650mls of 120 and sold it for like $30/each?

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:58 am

chris_schryer wrote:
Could you imagine if the LCBO got 650mls of 120 and sold it for like $30/each?

I'd buy a case and resell them for a $100 each!

[/bitter voice]

boney · Post by **boney** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:14 am

Westy was the perfect storm of hype, media, quality, growing interest in craft beer, collectibility and Christmas. It wont be equalled. However, it marks a change in beer culture in Ontario. Craft beer isn't a secret anymore. More and more peole will gravitate to craft because of it's superior quality. Everyone who enjoys craft beer wont become an obsessive beer geek, but the density of beer geeks will increase simply due to greater exposure.

It will be interesting to see if the number or rare highly desireable products in Ontario keeps pace with the growing fandom. If not, conpetition for those products may become intense. Mark my words, all an Ontario brewer needs to do to get a cult beer is brew an outstanding product that gets close to a 4.0/5.0 on RB or BA (which there are several who are now capable), barrel age it and make a limited availabilty annual event out of its release and we will see our own little Dark Lord Day, Pliny the Younger etc.

Don't think it'll happen? Line ups for Westy, Bellwoods first couple pop up shops and Amsterdam's Sleeping Giant selling out of 400 bottles on a Tuesday (or Thursday, I can't remember) suggest the climate is right.

And my guess for the next little mini frenzy will be when Kuhnhenn's 4D hits. And I swear to God, if any of you get in my way, I will cut you!

(disclaimer: that's a total joke...the cutting, not the 4D..... but you never know who's going to call you for being literal on the ol' interwebs these days)

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:23 am

So...when's the Cantillon coming?

iguenard · Post by **iguenard** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:31 am

We should be getting Jester King Black Metal in Quebec through Bieropholie.... that should be mad.

Other than that, I think if Kuhnhenn 4th dimentia comes out, and we get a brewery feature... Raspberry eisbock could cause carnage also.