Rak 'N Tap

Josh Oakes · Post by **Josh Oakes** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 3:36 pm

Nice lighting. Should do wonders for the beers.

screw2000 · Post by **screw2000** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 9:53 pm

Well, the turnstile (which looks like it got lifted from a Shoppers Drug Mart) answers at least one of my questions.

Perhaps I'll go check it out on my lunch hour...

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 1:30 pm

Actually, the lighting is much less direct and certainly less intense that in the average LCBO store as the lights are at the very front of the refrigeration unit.

Josh Oakes · Post by **Josh Oakes** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 10:46 am

I love the *look* of a big fridge full of beers staring me down, don't get me wrong on that. At Joe's I much prefer to walk in the fridge and grab my own to reading off a menu (though I seldom get to do the former, which makes sense enough).

But a closed fridge like what Joe or even Chester's has would be much better for the beers themselves.

DougShoemaker · Post by **DougShoemaker** » Fri Jan 17, 2003 4:15 pm

I went to Rak 'N Tap today. The Manager, is named Bernadette. She is friendly, helpful and willing to learn more about beer. I was hoping to try the Yersekes Mooselbier, but they don't have it. (Any reason Paul?) Anyway the food was good, service too. I recommend the Chicken Tika, spicey and good for a cold day like today. It is quite a beer selection that's for sure.

Wishing them all the Best, Cheers, Doug

Mississauga Matt · Post by **Mississauga Matt** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 3:28 pm

I went to the Rak 'N Tap today and enjoyed the experience.

They are located on Hurontario right across the street from the Brampton court house and land registry offices, which are just above the 407 and not that far above the 401.

The strip mall in which the Rak 'N Tap resides has a Longo's food store, a Magnotta wine outlet, and a beer store.

Evidently the previous tennant was also a pool establishment, so that should help with continuity customer-wise.

There are 10 fine-looking resurfaced pool tables, but sadly no snooker tables. Use of the tables is free each day from noon to 3.

They also advertise their big screen TV with satellite feed.

An open dining area exists by the windows, with 4 booths available. There are no dividers separating the dining area from the pool tables. I estimate that Ian Bowering would give them a 2 1/2 mother-in-law rating.

The beer fridges are quite impressive, and you certainly get the "kid in a candy store" feel as you try to make your selection.

The prices I felt were for the most part quite reasonable. Some quality Belgians can be had for approximately the same price as Ontario micro brews. The Sam Smith's beers from England, on the other hand, generally run around $9 for a 341mL or thereabouts sized bottle. Kasteel is there for about $5.50, and anybody interested in the now defunct Brakspear Bitter will be happy to know that some are spending their retirement in Brampton.

Minor glitches are evident: some of the Rogue beers are labelled as Australian (no big whoop), and the beers are far too cold, so much so that some were starting to freeze. They also are a little lean with respect to appropriate glassware - in contrast to the Esplanade Bier Markt - but again this is no big deal.

The wait staff and management are quite friendly, but not really up on quality beer, but they certainly are interested in learning.

All in all I enjoyed myself, and will certainly be back. I wish them the best of luck.

Lexicon · Post by **Lexicon** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 1:00 am

Oh my god, this is in Brampton? I'm going to cry. Not in frustration because it's a good drive out from the city but with tears of joy, because I call that boring place my home.

Can't wait to check it out.

Lexicon · Post by **Lexicon** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 7:41 pm

Okay, so I went there. The selection was huge, including many Belgians. I had not heard of many of the Belgians, however, whether this is due to my inexperience or their selection of more obscure Belgians I do not know. I was looking for a plain gueuze, which I have not had before, but unfortunately I did not find one in all of the selection. I had one Rochefort 8 (which I found absolutely excellent), for $9.83, one Petrus Oud Bruin (the first old brown I've had and the only one I saw there--I was hoping for one of the better Flemish browns or reds I've read about) for $5.13 if I recall correctly, and one Kasteel (actually $5.99, not the $5.50 Matt thought it was). The errors are still there, such as the incorrect labelling of Rogue beers as being from Australia--which Bernadette pointed out. Bernadette was also very attentive, making sure everything was good with us, and was very interested in what made me pick the beers which I did pick (and it sure took me a long time to decide, especially for the first one). The girlfriend, who doesn't drink can highly recommend the Coke *snicker*, and the calamari which we shared was good, except for being a little too salty. The cook himself came out and asked us if it was alright, so this place is definitely aiming to please, which is always a pleasure to see. I definitely hope that it succeeds and gives me years of drinking pleasure to come.

About the lighting, some of the lights on the beers (the lagers, mostly) were turned off, so I suppose they're responding to comments about the detrimental effects of light on beer. I know it wasn't just blown tubes because Bernadette turned them on later, either when more customers came in, or when she was restocking/looking for my beer which wasn't in the computer or something like that.

Great place.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Lexicon on 2003-02-04 16:55 ]</font>

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 12:00 pm

Lexicon, we have a shipment of Mort Subite Gueuze and Liefmans Goudenband on the way and we'll be delivering some to Rak N Tap and other bars when it's available and they will be available to purchase by the case to Bartowellers.

Lexicon · Post by **Lexicon** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 9:12 pm

Ah, great. That's the very old brown I wanted to try. As for Mort Subite Gueuze, I hear it's not the best out there (not terribly traditional), but it's the one I had hopes of finding at the Rak'N Tap anyway. I'd also like to try Mort Subite's cassis, which I hear is quite good.

As for cases, I just wish I had the means to buy that much beer at once. The Rochefort 8 was just great, a case of it would be lovely. I hear the 10 is even better. Any chance of you bringing that in?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Lexicon on 2003-02-04 21:13 ]</font>

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:15 am

Although I'm a huge fan of Belgian beers and have been importing and drinking them for some 15 years, traditional Gueuze is something akin to pickle juice and a very acquired taste. Mort Subite is a good, commercial example which tastes a lot like a good cider. Our next shipment of Mort Subite will include a few cases of Cassis which are destined for Smokeless Joe's. As for Rochefort 10...it's hard to get...it's very expensive...and we'll have some in a shipment expected to arrive in April!

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:16 am

By the way Lexicon, let us know if you'd like to buy a case of the Rochefort 8.

Peter
esprit@primus.ca

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Wed Jul 09, 2003 1:42 pm

No personal attacks, please. A couple of posts have been deleted.