The Bar Towel

Belgian wrote:So... I don't want to hear any of you complaining if you aren't at least trying these five or six exisitng options!

Fair enough, I was being a bit reactionary. I think lister has the right idea - a broader spectrum of beers would be wiser. I would perhaps try to include a variety of summery styles. While I can enjoy a good Russian Imperial Stout any time, I think that something a bit more accessible to popular tastes would be more advisable. I don't mean more Euro-lagers, but rather beers that would compliment warm weather while challenging Joe Six-pack's automatic assumption that warm weather = cold, bland lager. Having said that, I don't really see where they seem to think that sweet, fruity beers are ideal for a summer release. Like I've said, I prefer something a bit crisper and more refreshing.

Steve Spong wrote:

Belgian wrote:So... I don't want to hear any of you complaining if you aren't at least trying these five or six exisitng options!

Fair enough, I was being a bit reactionary. I think lister has the right idea - a broader spectrum of beers would be wiser. I would perhaps try to include a variety of summery styles. While I can enjoy a good Russian Imperial Stout any time, I think that something a bit more accessible to popular tastes would be more advisable.

Sure, I was defending the good Weizen options we have, not the sticky-sweet frou-frou beer they wasted the Spring Release on.

(BTW, Steve correct me but I think "reactionary" means 'conservative to old ways and stubbornly resistant to all change', I hardly think you meant that did you?)

Zithal wrote:So many fruity beers, so few pansy-ass friends.

LOL! Well, I'm sure if you buy lots of those fruity beers you'll attract plenty of insects to help drink them. Mostly female insects (notice the whining sound.)

Belgian wrote:(BTW, Steve correct me but I think "reactionary" means 'conservative to old ways and stubbornly resistant to all change', I hardly think you meant that did you?)

True, true. Far from it, actually. I'm not sure what I was getting at, but I agree with your view that there are actually quite a few decent wheat beers in Toronto.

Well, to the minority of you that are excited about all the fruity beer coming this summer...enjoy it but don't worry about stocking up. My guess is that a lot of the stuff will still be around when the first snow fall hits the GTA. Ultimately that's BAD for all of us.

I tried the St. Louis Kriek and the Ninkeberry at the TO Wine & Cheese show...

The Ninkeberry was Ok, very sweet, very sort of alcopoppy, but not bad tasting... It's a fun one to pass around, it'll raise a few eyebrows and might be a 'gateway' beer that get some ladies into trying other fruit-flavored brews... Apologies for the gender stereotyping, but lets face it MOST women who drink beer do like fruit-flavored beer (if not exclusively).

The St. Louis Kriek was pretty bad. I actually like the Bellvue Kriek, but the St. Louis really had that cough medicine thing going on...

Interesting bureaucratic concept of acceptable summer fare for beer fanciers...I may draw heat and I'm not really sure who made the final list decisions but I have to say it is not very reflective of what most of this group (or any other who routinely buy better beers), would look for for a summer beer offerings...where's the summer bavarian weizens, helles and the summer Kolsch?..Maybe some witbiers or Sticke alts???

Christofel is always welcome...even reruns of the blond but did it ever occur to the powers to be that the Christoffel Robertus Vienna may be as popular or more so? I suppose there is some beer marketing commissar in the LCBO that thinks we are scared of unfruited dark beer and ales in the summer?

pootz wrote:I suppose there is some beer marketing commissar in the LCBO that thinks we are scared of unfruited dark beer...

People should be less scared of all things dark.

They just look at a dark ale or lager, and nervously make a whole set of sociological assumptions about it, without even knowing the beer at all!

pootz, the LCBO only considers what is presented to them and I can assume that Rubaiyat did not present the beer you mention to the LCBO. If you think they go out seeking beers you're badly mistaken. They reject 90% of what is presented and agents decide what to present. At the risk of repeating myself, complaining on bartowel might feel good but writing to the powers that be is the only way to possibly affect what is bought. As agents, all we can do is try to present what we think might be purchased and we will invariably go for something which has been purchased before.

Belgian wrote:Wheat a minute!
If you want Hefeweizen, at least buy Paulaner HW at the Beer Store, it's better than any HW's we got last year... this, and the two Schneider products are representative of the German style.

Locally we have the fair Magnotta WW, the supreme Denisons Weisse on draught, and for a little twist the spicy Mill Street Belgian Wit in bottles is also forthcoming. So... I don't want to hear any of you complaining if you aren't at least trying these five or six exisitng options! :wink:

I enjoyed the Franziskaner last year.

Paulaner & Schneider weisse (original) are good, but they're a little maltier/heavier than some of the fruitier/lighter hefes I'd prefer in the summer.

I'm looking forward to the Mill Street Wit. Hopefully it'll be available throughout Ontario.

The Torontonians definitely have some nice local options. The Wunder-weisse is great on tap... but I've never seen it in London (and the bottles just weren't as good). Denisons doesn't make it into a bottle, or outside the Toronto area either.

Trafalgar did a nice, light, summery wheat last year as well... and I think it would've been even better if it wasn't as watered-down.

Hopefully the Keaton in London will continue to have the Erdinger on-tap (even though it's not my favourite either)... and maybe Chaucer's will get something good (they currently have the Hacker Pschor Dunkelweisse on tap).

HefeWeizen seems to be the Pinot Noir of the Beer World, in that it seems to be a fussy thing to make a really consistent pleasing example, expressing the best traits.

Like Pinot Noirs, there are so many quirky differences among Hefes - and while many are still in a way sorta good, they are just not the epitome.

I firmly believe good Hefe has not passed the lips of some 'Hefe-Haters.'

I've gotta side with Belgian on this front. I mean, we've got Paulaner, Erdinger, Schneider, Hacker and Maganotta as German-style wheats...how many more do you need to copmplete the spectrum of tastes? This compared to another great summer style, kolsch, of which we have....uh, none, I guess.

Wheatsheaf wrote: Belhaven Blueberry Beer (AKA Belhaven Fruit Beer?)

I've googled high and low and AFIK there's no such thing as a Belhaven Blueberry Beer, so I'm pretty certain it's the Fruit Beer we will be getting again.

Blankboy wrote:

Wheatsheaf wrote: Belhaven Blueberry Beer (AKA Belhaven Fruit Beer?)

I've googled high and low and AFIK there's no such thing as a Belhaven Blueberry Beer, so I'm pretty certain it's the Fruit Beer we will be getting again.

Just because the LC announce it doesn't mean their information is quite right.

Who's the importer? Can Esprit or somebody clarify it?

Belgian wrote:Who's the importer? Can Esprit or somebody clarify it?

Belhaven is repped in Canada by Premier Brands.

I've got an email out to them now.