Starting a revolution

[SteelbackGuy]

I have the advantage of being smart enough to get another job if I lose mine. The fact is in the current system creativity is a liability, and the system helps whoever can produce the most of the blandest beer. Thats not what I want. If you're upset that I called your position weak, deal with it.

Of course I would get another job. Why do you assume I'm not intelligent enough to do so?
Why not try being constructive?


As for me, I do my part each and every day at work to try to work with what we have, and to try and promote craft/good beer. There aren't many LCBO employees who care about beer the way I do, and I practice what I preach at work.

Just a few examples.......


I've got close to ten regular customers who now purchase blanche de chambly from my store, who were either buying hoegarrden from time to time to grasshopper.

I've got a few die-hard mcauslan fans now that, on my recommendation, tried the pale ale as opposed to Blue, and loved it because it had flavour.

I pimp aventinus on people looking to try something instead of getting wine.

We run out of Liberty ale, and Headstrong because I promote the shit out of them, and it works.


I could go on and on.............


Thing is, I do my part EVERYDAY, ALL DAY, then you come on here, blast me, and then are surprised that I am upset? Besides, we're all on the same team, aren't we?

Maybe I'm not a big enough "Beer Advocate" for you, but I sure as hell know that I do my part.

[Wheatsheaf]

Thats a pretty extreme over simplification... I believe Perry's point was that there are people at various levels in the system that are trying to support craft beer and are in fact in the know.

Having the authority to "order anything" as long as it's "approved for sale" doesn't mean shit if what's "approved for sale" is as limited as it is. What "approved for sale" means is: This winter/spring/summer/fall, you can choose to stock these 6/8/10 beers in your store. If managers don't have choices beyond that, and lack the authority to generate additional choices, then, no, I don't think that I'm oversimplifying.

Also, if you read my first post, you'll see that I'm actually agreeing with both of your greater points, which is that there are enthusiastic and knowledgeable people working at the LCBO. I say: Let 'em loose. Let them stock more micros from across North America. Let them put consignment beers on the shelves, because surely someone realizes that they'll fly out the door if they do. Let them chain a copy of Oakes' Beer Guide to the wall so that customers can have a look at opinions other than the BS that the LCBO puts out.

Seems pretty reasonable to me...

[viggo]

As for me, I do my part each and every day at work to try to work with what we have, and to try and promote craft/good beer. There aren't many LCBO employees who care about beer the way I do, and I practice what I preach at work.

Thats great, and I respect the fact that you do that. But how long do you think it will take until those people you get into craft beer start bypassing the LCBO and heading down to Buffalo to get a decent selection?

[SteelbackGuy]

As for me, I do my part each and every day at work to try to work with what we have, and to try and promote craft/good beer. There aren't many LCBO employees who care about beer the way I do, and I practice what I preach at work.

Thats great, and I respect the fact that you do that. But how long do you think it will take until those people you get into craft beer start bypassing the LCBO and heading down to Buffalo to get a decent selection?

That's a good point Viggo. I suspect not long at all. In fact I have some customers telling me about their trips to the Beer Depot in Ann Arbour, or their daily excursion to Ryan's Party Store in Port Huron. (40 Minutes from where I live) Of course, I already know about these places, but I let them go on about it anyway, for the sake of good service.

What I would like to see is a section of the store dedicated to seasonal beers (which some stores have), but then I would like to see something along the lines of a "vintages" type of section for beer. After all, there are lots of beer that would be at the same price points as wine.

You know, back in the day, the vintages section did carry beer, and from what I've been told, they had some pretty good stuff coming in, but the board felt it was "too much work" for the product consultants. That part in itself is a joke (some of these guys don't lift a finger, they just schmooze with reps all day long)

Anyway, these are my thoughts on some of this, and I'm just going to let bygones be bygones, after all it's all for the sake of something we all have the same passion for.

[esprit]

Dogfish 60 Minute and 5 other beers which were selected for the Spring 2007 promo have all been cancelled because we did not submit the stacks of paperwork required by the deadline, notwithstanding that we could supply all of the beers by their shipping deadline. We're being punished by the bureaucracy and the consumer will be denied some great beers as a result. We're appealing their decision but can't even get someone to answer us. We may call upon bartowellers to undertake a writing campaign to the powers at the LCBO to express their displeasure...we'll keep you posted.

[Stomp Brockmore]

Just tell me who to write to.

This is crap.

[SteelbackGuy]

I've already called and expressed my lack of pleasure with the choice.

[GregClow]

We may call upon bartowellers to undertake a writing campaign to the powers at the LCBO to express their displeasure...we'll keep you posted.

Please do, Peter. Just let us know who to email/write/call, and we'll get on it.

[Ale's What Cures Ya]

We may call upon bartowellers to undertake a writing campaign to the powers at the LCBO to express their displeasure...we'll keep you posted.

Please do, Peter. Just let us know who to email/write/call, and we'll get on it.

Definitely count me in. Like Greg said, just tell us where to direct our displeasure.

And we can add yet one more reason to the list of reasons to hate the LCBO.