Is this as lively as it gets?

[Wray77]

By 'lively' I just mean enough folks interested in the subject that they frequent a site that the media, publicans and brewers use. I'm not really interested in sales, or even the number of brewers. I'm more concerned with the passion for quality beer.

[ritzkiss]

Ah yes, passion as measured by internet posts - the classic method.

But in all seriousness, you're arguing that what we need is more people online debating beer rather than more people in pubs drinking beer? Seems odd to me.

[Wray77]

I hope I'm not arguing anything. I'm assuming that if the passion for beer is out there, it would be reflected in here.

[LondonBeer]

I think that numbers indicating annual growth of craft beer sales in LCBO and the ever growing number of breweries and beers available in Ontario are pretty good indicators. Beer is meant to be enjoyed in a company of like minded people.
It is our choice to either be happy or unhappy with our lives.
I don't need online discussion to tell me what I see every day with my own eyes: This is the best time to drink craft beer in this province!!
You can either choose to like it, drink it, and support your local breweries by purchasing their beers, or you can can go online whine about it all not being good enough.
Choice is yours.
I LOVE EVERY DAY this summer.

+1

[JerCraigs]

I hope I'm not arguing anything. I'm assuming that if the passion for beer is out there, it would be reflected in here.

Not to be a dick about it, but threads like these may be part of why there aren't more threads in the forum...

[saints_gambit]

I hope I'm not arguing anything. I'm assuming that if the passion for beer is out there, it would be reflected in here.

What unit of measurement are you using to quantify passion? I believe that the imperial unit is the Balboa, but that becomes confused because sportscasters erroneously use it to measure "heart" which is just not the same thing. The metric version is, as I understand it, the kilocare.

Oh, that's right. It's a nonsensical emotional construct which has no demonstrable quantifier, but is, rather, the kind of thing people use as a buzzword in marketing or to define a hobby.

Which is an interesting thing to want to see on a pants optional internet message forum that people typically post to half looped.

Perhaps your expectations are unrealistic.

[grub]

Ah yes, passion as measured by internet posts - the classic method.

if we were measuring that way, the OP wouldn't be showing pretty well. as of now he's at 84 posts with 6 of them in this thread...

quality over quantity. I could be one of those guys who has to throw his $0.02 into every single thread on the forum 5x per day, but I'd argue the "meaningful beer conversation" is but a small percentage of their posts.

[PeerlessMark]

Beer is a thing to be enjoyed with friends at home and at bars. I think beer lovers come to a site like this for news and to hone their ability to describe what they're tasting... less so to unnecessarily tell each other that they really love beer. I assume anyone who creates a user account here loves beer already.

[JeffPorter]

You might try to use a measuring cup to gauge your height, but it would be the wrong tool for the question you're asking.

+1

[Wray77]

I hope I'm not arguing anything. I'm assuming that if the passion for beer is out there, it would be reflected in here.

What unit of measurement are you using to quantify passion? I believe that the imperial unit is the Balboa, but that becomes confused because sportscasters erroneously use it to measure "heart" which is just not the same thing. The metric version is, as I understand it, the kilocare.

Oh, that's right. It's a nonsensical emotional construct which has no demonstrable quantifier, but is, rather, the kind of thing people use as a buzzword in marketing or to define a hobby.

Which is an interesting thing to want to see on a pants optional internet message forum that people typically post to half looped.

Perhaps your expectations are unrealistic.

I assume everyone that frequents The Bar Towel is passionate about beer (regardless of their post count or content) so the unit of measurement is the number of people posting. I also encourage everyone who views this thread to ridicule me if nothing else.

[GregClow]

I don't need online discussion to tell me what I see every day with my own eyes: This is the best time to drink craft beer in this province!!
You can either choose to like it, drink it, and support your local breweries by purchasing their beers, or you can can go online whine about it all not being good enough.
Choice is yours.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[GregClow]

I assume everyone that frequents The Bar Towel is passionate about beer (regardless of their post count or content) so the unit of measurement is the number of people posting.

And how many people need to be posting regularly to prove that there are enough of us "passionate" about beer to prove whatever point it is you're trying to make?

Using a version of your logic, the fact that posting on Bar Towel has increased roughly 100-fold in the last 10 years should mean that the popularity of craft beer in the real world should've increased by the same amount. Which is hasn't.

Anyway - going back to your original statement, I simply don't agree with the suggestion that this forum isn't "lively". Sure, there are a few of us that post more often than others - that's the case with EVERY Internet forum. That doesn't prove anything.

You know what proves that craft beer is booming in Ontario? The fact that craft beer events have grown in size and frequency, and regularly sell out or have massive line-ups. The fact that craft beer sales were up 45% at the LCBO last year, the largest growth of any product group by far. The fact that there are dozens of bars and restaurants in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario that are now serving craft beer that weren't 10 or 5 or 3 years ago. That fact that craft beer is on offer in almost every new bar or restaurant of note that has opened in Toronto in the last couple of years.

Is Ontario's craft beer scene as good as it could be? No, of course not. There will always be room for improvement. But it's stronger and more exciting than it every has been. And I don't need to count the number of people who post on an Internet forum to tell me that.

[Wray77]

I see craft brew is booming, but I wonder if the kilocare is there to avoid a bust.

[markaberrant]

OMG, I just have to say, that I totally love craft beer! It's the best. I can't stop thinking about it, and talking about it, LOL! Anyone know where I can get a bottle of Dark Lord? Heard it is powerful stuff, LOL! I went down to the BeerStore to ask if they had it, the clerk thinks it should be coming on the next shipment. OMG, I can't wait!!! In the meantime, I picked up a stash of these cool sounding beers from Trafalgar to hold me over. I even found some vintage beers way back on a shelf. The stuff is called Steelback. I totally believe in supporting local, I can't wait to try this stuff. OMG!!! Hey, if anyone wants to chat about beer, drop me a note at obsessedbeerknurd@gmail.com, or check out my review site at newtobeerbuttotallyanexpert.blogspot.com (I know the name is kinda long, but I wanted to choose something original that totally expressed how awesomely passionate I am about beer... except for Guinness, I tried some of that a couple weeks ago... DID NOT LIKE... sorry, guess I haven't developed a taste for motor oil, LOL)>).

[Torontoblue]

Is the OP Bujubanton in disguise? They are just as troll worthy!!!