The Bar Towel

I haven't requested the Spring list yet. There have been a lot of no-shows in the past, plus the paperwork issues this time around, so I've been holding back--no point posting a list of beers that aren't likely to show up.

They don't have a finalized list yet.

Al of Kingston wrote:Because, God knows, you have to have your frigging paperwork together months ahead of putting a product on a shelf.

well if you've been dealing with the lcbo as long as that importer has, you should know you have to have everything in on time.

To refresh everyone's memories, on the 13th of December Peter from Esprit wrote;

esprit wrote: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.

We can beat around the bush and refer to an un-named importer all we like but since Peter already posted on the matter why don't we just say what (and who) we mean.

I'm not sure how this situation happened, who is responsible and whether blame can really be assigned exclusively to one party or the other or some balance of the two. Bottom line, unless Peter was able to sort this matter out with the LCBO then DFH 60 is not coming our way this spring and the other beers he was bringing in will likely be replaced with who knows what.

Look, I've certainly jumped the gun in these forums with my "beliefs" on a few occasions and I'm as sad as the next guy about this gaffe (I loves me some DFH) but let's not point the finger exclusively at Peter without knowing the whole story.

Wow, with all due respect, there are zero Ontario micros that can replace DFH 60 Minute. That's like getting promised a prime rib steak then being served a McDonald's burger.

Add yet one more reason to the "Fuck the LCBO" list.

DragonOfBlood wrote:Wow, with all due respect, there are zero Ontario micros that can replace DFH 60 Minute. That's like getting promised a prime rib steak then being served a McDonald's burger.

Add yet one more reason to the "Fuck the LCBO" list.

or maybe another reason peter should have gotten the paperwork in on time.

Al of Kingston wrote:

I really hope the spring line up has lots of pale lagers.

That is hilarious. Maybe there is a part of the former Warsaw Pact whose identicality of pale lager we Ontarians have yet to fully explore.

Lots of cold shelf space to explore the diversity of former warsaw pact lagers (tm) but a bureaucratic rejection of the fastest selling beer LCBO ever shelved because US micro beer needs a filing deadline for a stack of paperwork...and no extention or quarter given in the requirment.

" I used to be disgusted but now I'm just amused" ( Elvis Costello)

DragonOfBlood wrote:Wow, with all due respect, there are zero Ontario micros that can replace DFH 60 Minute.

I'd even be happy if they stocked the Ontario micros.

No disrespect to the DFH that I would so like to have in my glass right now...

pootz wrote: Lots of cold shelf space to explore the diversity of former warsaw pact lagers (tm) but a bureaucratic rejection of the fastest selling beer LCBO ever shelved because US micro beer needs a filing deadline for a stack of paperwork...and no extention or quarter given in the requirment.

I'm no fan of Brewer's Retail, but maybe we will get lucky and have the LCBO outsource the matter to them like they did with returns. I actually had a LCBO manager recently tell me that beer is sold in the Beer Store and the LCBO is for everything else, when I complained about their lack of inventory.

I wonder if the deal they signed on empties included a non-compete clause?

Tapsucker wrote:

DragonOfBlood wrote:Wow, with all due respect, there are zero Ontario micros that can replace DFH 60 Minute.

I'd even be happy if they stocked the Ontario micros.

quote]

Well they do mostly...but it's hard to find an unpasturized Ont Micro that makes it to the cooler ( outside the Cooper St. 'Bo) becaue the coolers are stacked full of "former Warsaw pact lager diversity (tm)" which requires no refrigeration in its sterilized can packaging. So when you find Ont. Micro it's seldom well handled or in top condition. This is why I drive to Brick to get JRB red or King to get fresh Dark and Pils...or drive to Better Bitters Etc....poor shmucks like Stratford and Taps are SOL because the LCBO is their sole bottle retail outlet.

" I used to be disgusted, now I'm just amuzed" ( E. Coatello)

Tapsucker wrote: I'm no fan of Brewer's Retail, but maybe we will get lucky and have the LCBO outsource the matter to them like they did with returns.

yeah, that'd be a great idea let's have the chain owned by (foreign) macro brewers have a complete monopoly. because they're already so wonderful now when they have at least nominal competition.

DragonOfBlood wrote:Wow, with all due respect, there are zero Ontario micros that can replace DFH 60 Minute. That's like getting promised a prime rib steak then being served a McDonald's burger.

I dunno, when they are in good shape the Church Key West Coast Pale ale, Tankhouse, and Hop Addict or Sgt Majors are all in the ballpark imho. I had a few older bottles of the 60 minute after it showed up and all those locals were as good or better than the 60 minute when there are in good form. Now the 90 minute.. thats a whole nother ball game.

There are some quality local beers, no doubt, but the seasonal releases are about getting hold of beers you otherwise don't see. If there is going to be an attempt to bring in Ontario beers to fill the gap left by the scuttled Esprit order then those beers should be stuff we can't otherwise get year round. If the LCBO really believed in promoting local beers AND keeping with the nature of seasonal releases being unique, they would have gone to all the local breweries and offered them a one off to bring a previously unavailable bottled beer in to stores for this limited promotion. I'm betting breweries like Black Oak, Scotch Irish, Church Key and others would have jumped at that given the time required to sort it out.

Jon Walker wrote:There are some quality local beers, no doubt, but the seasonal releases are about getting hold of beers you otherwise don't see. If there is going to be an attempt to bring in Ontario beers to fill the gap left by the scuttled Esprit order then those beers should be stuff we can't otherwise get year round. If the LCBO really believed in promoting local beers AND keeping with the nature of seasonal releases being unique, they would have gone to all the local breweries and offered them a one off to bring a previously unavailable bottled beer in to stores for this limited promotion. I'm betting breweries like Black Oak, Scotch Irish, Church Key and others would have jumped at that given the time required to sort it out.

that's actually one of the things they're apparently doing with this.

I'm fairly new to Toronto (moved 6 weeks ago), but we've got it pretty good here. I use to pick up Black Oak anytime I was anywhere near Toronto, because we just didn't get it in London (or a lot of other good stuff).

If the LCBO fills the void with Ontario craft brews, it'll be a let down for the Torotonians, but I it'll be great for the rest of the province (and the brewers as well).

That said, DFH 60 is soooo drinkable... I may just have to brew something like it myself!

I hope they'll still bring in some doppelbock. Maybe they'll make up for this with a stellar summer release? I liked all those hefe's a couple years age. (PLEASE HOLD THE FRUIT BEER).