2010 John By

Ralphus · Post by **Ralphus** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:52 am

Agreed.

I picked up a six of Sgt. Major here in town this week and the first two bottles were infected. I returned it for a full refund but they clearly haven't figured out the quality control problems.

Hopefully Kichessippi puts more emphasis on it.

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:46 am

Belgian wrote:
sprague11 wrote:2 Bottles, dated L3 - one was great, but the other was an infected mess, reeking of nail polish remover. I was cooking with it, and it completely ruined a stew I was making.

Like many others, I'm done with this brewery.
It's too bad really. Scotch Irish gave us Ontario both a genuine IPA and an Imperial Stout - rare sty;es made here. Just as incredible the same brand offer(ed) a very good porter, a good bitter brown and a great session mild. All the right recipes... could have been a flagship Craft Brewery here.

Also never cook with bad-smelling ingredients LOL! Nail polish remover??

That's the thing that gets me - Scotch Irish products used to be exceptional at one time. I still enjoyed them on tap or Cask when I could find them, but there is something wrong somewhere that the brewery seems unable to fix.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:58 am

Ralphus wrote:
Hopefully Kichessippi puts more emphasis on it.

Again, the buyer states the Scotch Irish brands remain with current owners, and not transfer to the new buyers Kichessippi.

Maybe original brewmaster Perry Mason will buy them back? Last Perry checked in he was selling Toyotas (hey there's a company than never had a bad year! It is auspicious for Perry that the recently glitch-plagued Toyota is now stronger than ever for safety rating.)

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 5:29 pm

Belgian wrote:
Ralphus wrote:
Hopefully Kichessippi puts more emphasis on it.
Again, the buyer states the Scotch Irish brands remain with current owners, and not transfer to the new buyers Kichessippi.

Yes, but the beers will still be BREWED at the same place. The former Heritage owners are going to be contacting Kichesippi/Heritage to continue brewing the SI beers.

Anyway - all of the anecdotal evidence points to a problem with their bottling line as being the most likely culprit for their infections. This wouldn't have affected Kichesippi up until now, as they've been draught only - but now that they're responsible for bottled product as well, here's hoping they can get the problems sorted once and for all.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:33 pm

GregClow wrote: Anyway - all of the anecdotal evidence points to a problem with their bottling line as being the most likely culprit for their infections. This wouldn't have affected Kichesippi up until now, as they've been draught only - but now that they're responsible for bottled product as well, here's hoping they can get the problems sorted once and for all.

Greg you are a beacon of clarity! Here's hoping Scotch Irish gets to meet its potential.

ErkLR · Post by **ErkLR** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 12:59 am

I opened a bottle of this year's Black Currant Rye Lager. Smelled sour, the taste reminded me of the infected Corporal Punishment I had last summer. I couldn't have more than a few drinks and put it aside.

The bottle and the glass I poured most of it into still have a bit of head about 5h later. That's interesting.

Really hoping the problems get fixed, the SI products seem like a crap-shoot anymore. Couldn't get my hands on any John By.

tuqueboy · Post by **tuqueboy** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:55 pm

GregClow wrote:
Anyway - all of the anecdotal evidence points to a problem with their bottling line as being the most likely culprit for their infections. This wouldn't have affected Kichesippi up until now, as they've been draught only - but now that they're responsible for bottled product as well, here's hoping they can get the problems sorted once and for all.

Wondering if it may also simply be that their draft is consumed more freshly, before infection's had a chance to set in. Not ruling out the bottling line, but just putting another theory out there...

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 7:36 pm

ErkLR wrote:I opened a bottle of this year's Black Currant Rye Lager. Smelled sour, the taste reminded me of the infected Corporal Punishment I had last summer. I couldn't have more than a few drinks and put it aside.

The bottle and the glass I poured most of it into still have a bit of head about 5h later. That's interesting.

Really hoping the problems get fixed, the SI products seem like a crap-shoot anymore. Couldn't get my hands on any John By.

The Plain Porter at the LCBO store I work at (200, Argyle Mall, London) has been fresh and tasting great every time I get one. Swing by and grab some! Can't speak for JB though.

Kel Varnsen · Post by **Kel Varnsen** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:10 am

ErkLR wrote:I opened a bottle of this year's Black Currant Rye Lager. Smelled sour, the taste reminded me of the infected Corporal Punishment I had last summer. I couldn't have more than a few drinks and put it aside.

The bottle and the glass I poured most of it into still have a bit of head about 5h later. That's interesting.

Really hoping the problems get fixed, the SI products seem like a crap-shoot anymore. Couldn't get my hands on any John By.

I had the same problem with Black Currant Rye last year. The worst part was I went to one of the brewery seasonal release parties, tried a sample of Black Currant on tap and really liked it. So I bought a few bottles. But when I opened the first one, at most a week later, the beer from the bottle tasted very different from what I tasted at the brewery. Pretty much the same thing happened when I went to the Passion Brew party.

Hopefully in the new year with the new owners they can find a way to change things, since their brewery is super close to my house and if there products were more consistent I would be there all the time. I mean I could probably walk from my house to there in about a third of the time it would take me to drive to Beau's. Yet I have been to Vankleek Hill way more times then I have been to the Heritage Brewery.

ErkLR · Post by **ErkLR** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:14 pm

Kel Varnsen wrote: I had the same problem with Black Currant Rye last year. The worst part was I went to one of the brewery seasonal release parties, tried a sample of Black Currant on tap and really liked it. So I bought a few bottles. But when I opened the first one, at most a week later, the beer from the bottle tasted very different from what I tasted at the brewery. Pretty much the same thing happened when I went to the Passion Brew party.

Yeah, I really like SI and Heritage, but I've been shying away from their stuff (now that it's finally available in London), because I don't want to have to return it. I'm hoping the problem gets fixed.

SteelbackGuy wrote: The Plain Porter at the LCBO store I work at (200, Argyle Mall, London) has been fresh and tasting great every time I get one. Swing by and grab some! Can't speak for JB though.

I've noticed Argyle has a pretty good selection, but I'm in the downtown core so I never get out that way. I usually hit up Masonville, or if I'm on my way to Windsor, White Oakes or Power Centre.