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LCBO Spring 2018 Craft Beer Release

This forum is for discussing everything beer retail: LCBO, Beer Store, Grocery Stores and Indie Stores.

Moderators: Craig, Cass

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MatttthewGeorge
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Post by MatttthewGeorge »

Cass wrote:Anyone excited for the A La Fut? That is actually through my agency, which has been dormant for a while but resurrected when I began working with ALF.

I realize that the price point is high - but it is a very expensive cost and of course the LCBO does not flex at all on its side when it comes to markups & additional costs. I'm hopeful that folks will find it worth it.
Every A La Fut Beer I’ve had has been excellent so I’m excited to see it, however I’ve stopped spending that type of money on beer. That said I’ll possibly pick up a single bottle.
untappd/instacrap/facebitch/snapitychat/etc: @matttthewgeorge

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

Cass wrote:Anyone excited for the A La Fut? That is actually through my agency...
I realize that the price point is high - but it is a very expensive cost and of course the LCBO does not flex at all on its side when it comes to markups & additional costs. I'm hopeful that folks will find it worth it.
Yes thanks, I am excited to get at least one to try.
In Beerum Veritas

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Zuma
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Post by Zuma »

Cass wrote:Anyone excited for the A La Fut? That is actually through my agency, which has been dormant for a while but resurrected when I began working with ALF.

I realize that the price point is high - but it is a very expensive cost and of course the LCBO does not flex at all on its side when it comes to markups & additional costs. I'm hopeful that folks will find it worth it.

I have not had it in a while, but I raved about older batches of this beer on Untappd. If the new batch is close to the old it will be something special.

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Post by Ceecee »

Gleemer Imports wrote:...woosh? (is that the sound that water makes?)
This makes me happy!

What will it be? Golden Blend? Framboos? The mind boggles!

beerstodiscover
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Post by beerstodiscover »

Some of these have hit shelves: Renaissance, St Feuillien, Garrison, Jacobins Kriek.

Currently enjoying the St Feuillien Saison on this spring-like Sunday afternoon. One of my faves. Fruity esters, citrus, hops, herbs, sweet, bitter and dry. A gentle giant.

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

atomeyes wrote:
beerstodiscover wrote:Whoa, pretty good. Mostly new stuff here. Excited for Rodenbach Caractère Rouge, and it's going to sell for less than Vintage? Nice price on Timmerman's too.
that and the Jacobins Kriek are too sweet.
I'm convinced that Rodenbach's changed their recipes up over the last 2 years. Alexander and CR are grossly sweet.
I'm blown away by the Jacobins Kriek. It's hardly what I'd call excessively sweet, it has a beautiful real Kriek Cherry flavor and a very good sour-sweet Lambic balance.

Oh wow it gets shit ratings too! I have to say this is bemusing. Maybe Jacobins made a good batch that wasn't syrupy for a change. I cannot comment on past bottlings as this is my virginal attempt.
In Beerum Veritas

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Craig
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Post by Craig »

I was about trying it because of those awful ratings calling it a sugar bomb. Sigh, now I gotta go to the BO.

atomeyes
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Post by atomeyes »

Belgian wrote:
atomeyes wrote:
beerstodiscover wrote:Whoa, pretty good. Mostly new stuff here. Excited for Rodenbach Caractère Rouge, and it's going to sell for less than Vintage? Nice price on Timmerman's too.
that and the Jacobins Kriek are too sweet.
I'm convinced that Rodenbach's changed their recipes up over the last 2 years. Alexander and CR are grossly sweet.
I'm blown away by the Jacobins Kriek. It's hardly what I'd call excessively sweet, it has a beautiful real Kriek Cherry flavor and a very good sour-sweet Lambic balance.

Oh wow it gets shit ratings too! I have to say this is bemusing. Maybe Jacobins made a good batch that wasn't syrupy for a change. I cannot comment on past bottlings as this is my virginal attempt.
personal preference, right?
but make sure you're not confusing the Jacobins rouge with Jacobins kriek.
i know that the Kriek Max is a joke beer in belgium. i won't go into their complete thoughts behind these beer because it's pretty offensive, but the Kriek is really not a great beer and i'd be surprised if it saw real cherries.
try the Caractere Rouge and let us know what you think. if it's 15 C or warmer it's undrinkable. like syrup, in my opinion. only time i enjoy those Rodenbachs are when they're on nitro in Antwerp. then the creaminess works with the sweetness, but it's 1-2 snifters, max.

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Post by Belgian »

atomeyes wrote:personal preference, right?
but make sure you're not confusing the Jacobins rouge with Jacobins kriek.
i know that the Kriek Max is a joke beer in belgium. i won't go into their complete thoughts behind these beer because it's pretty offensive, but the Kriek is really not a great beer and i'd be surprised if it saw real cherries.
Morello cherries (a flavour from my childhood) are supposedly getting rarer in Belgium. I too hate fake-fruity Belgian beers, the 'joke' beers but this is a enjoyable Kriek I would like to buy more of, at least from this batch.
Jacobins apparently use fresh juice of the label is correct. Seems legit to me but maybe not everyone's liking.
https://goo.gl/images/FxJsaf
I'm now drinking a Duchesse de Bourgogne which, while good, it does have fairly dominant apple vinegar acetic and sugary / caramel notes. This one is exactly like the only other bottle I've ever tried. A beer that might be perfect in a recipe that calls for a somewhat sour beer, like beef Carbonnade de Flamande - I would buy it for that. But for a well-rated Red/Brown Sour to drink I find it a tad simplistic for my taste, go figure.

And speaking of Flanders Sours, anyone tried the Halcyon Gravity Well on tap & in 750 ml bottle? Is the bottled version something that would age and be well worth $16.95? I found the on tap version a bit plain but again, perhaps it lacked development that bottle-conditioned aging may contribute. I really like Infinity Mirror which I think is almost the best deal going at $9.95.
In Beerum Veritas

atomeyes
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Post by atomeyes »

Belgian wrote:
atomeyes wrote:personal preference, right?
but make sure you're not confusing the Jacobins rouge with Jacobins kriek.
i know that the Kriek Max is a joke beer in belgium. i won't go into their complete thoughts behind these beer because it's pretty offensive, but the Kriek is really not a great beer and i'd be surprised if it saw real cherries.
Morello cherries (a flavour from my childhood) are supposedly getting rarer in Belgium. I too hate fake-fruity Belgian beers, the 'joke' beers but this is a enjoyable Kriek I would like to buy more of, at least from this batch.
Jacobins apparently use fresh juice of the label is correct. Seems legit to me but maybe not everyone's liking.
https://goo.gl/images/FxJsaf
I'm now drinking a Duchesse de Bourgogne which, while good, it does have fairly dominant apple vinegar acetic and sugary / caramel notes. This one is exactly like the only other bottle I've ever tried. A beer that might be perfect in a recipe that calls for a somewhat sour beer, like beef Carbonnade de Flamande - I would buy it for that. But for a well-rated Red/Brown Sour to drink I find it a tad simplistic for my taste, go figure.
for mainstream Belgian sours/reds, Duchesse is what it is. same with Rodenbach. a bit sweet but does the job in a pinch. i used to get soya sauce off of draught Rodenbach but that seems to have changed over the past few years, so i'm thinking that Palm has tinkered with all the recipes. slightly sweeter, less "funk".

one thing i can tell you for certain: do NOT age that Jacobins. it oxidizes after a year. really unstable.

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Post by Belgian »

My taste for more challenging sour ales has definitely shifted over recent years. Palate Drift.
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beerstodiscover
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Post by beerstodiscover »

I haven't tried to many Kriek' but I'd say this Jacobins Kriek it balanced, not too sweet/sour, and fairly dry. The cherry flavour is tasting real to me and it drinks very quickly. Nowhere near the crappy lambics like Belle-Vue, etc.

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Post by beerstodiscover »

Rodenbach Caractère Rouge and Timmermans are rolling out.

Rodenbach Caractère Rouge seems to be a steal at $8.70, it's listed for US$27.99 at Total Wine. Timmermans is a good value at $6 too, US$7.99 at Total Wine.

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northyorksammy
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Post by northyorksammy »

is it timmermans oude geuze as per the picture, or old kriek as per the title?
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Cshh
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Post by Cshh »

It's oude gueuze, not the kriek.

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