The Bar Towel

I found some localy last year and absolutely loved it. If I see it again I'm going to have to invest in it, I didn't realise it was that hard to come by.

I believe both McAuslan's and Brooklyn's Pumpkin Ales are coming back this year...no monopoly for us on pumpkin beers this year.

Look for Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale at most stores this week. We're doing a slightly larger run than last year but we still expect to sell out before Halloween.

Picked up a four-pack at Jovi on the weekend. Really really tasty stuff. Hadn't had a pumpkin ale before, this was a very nice first experience.

notdan wrote:Picked up a four-pack at Jovi on the weekend. Really really tasty stuff. Hadn't had a pumpkin ale before, this was a very nice first experience.

Make sure you try the Great Lakes too, it is very good.

Jovi had cases and cases when I was there recently, so hopefully you'll have a good supply there for a while to meet all of your pumpkin beer needs!

SteelbackGuy wrote:

notdan wrote:Picked up a four-pack at Jovi on the weekend. Really really tasty stuff. Hadn't had a pumpkin ale before, this was a very nice first experience.

Make sure you try the Great Lakes too, it is very good.

Jovi had cases and cases when I was there recently, so hopefully you'll have a good supply there for a while to meet all of your pumpkin beer needs!

I flew through the 4 packs I bought originally, so I'm going to have to get some more. Tasty stuff!!

Hmmm, I'm not seeing this in the LCBO search for pumpkin, st ambroise or mcauslen's though I see their other products.

I like to search first to save the drive to out of stock stores.

Matty D wrote:Hmmm, I'm not seeing this in the LCBO search for pumpkin, st ambroise or mcauslen's though I see their other products.

That's probably because it's not available at any LCBO locations yet for this year.

The people earlier in the thread who have bought it recently did so over the border in Quebec, where it's already out.

Also, it's McAuslan, not McAuslen. That will help when you're searching for it in the future.

Thanks Greg for the details (and spelling lesson ). I get a little impatient when I hear about people sampling a good beer and hate to miss out.

I will sit patiently and wait like the rest of you not close to Quebec.

It doesn't look like there will be any Brooklyn this year, there is none in the warehouse, but there is a small amount of McAuslan sitting there, the product doesn't have a listed status yet though...waiting...waiting...

The rep told me yesterday that it's been stored up in the LCBO warehouse for some time now. According to him the brewery has been getting angry that they've not released it yet. He was optimistic that it should be sent out to stores soon. He also gave me a product number for it but I seem to have misplaced it.

I look forward to trying it...the Great Lakes is the benchmark for Pumkin beer imvho. I do like most of em but none have the perfect balance of ale to pumkin like the GL...all the non-beer geeks I've introduced it to have loved it as well, a great gateway to craft beers.

Just picked up the great lakes pumpkin last night, lots in stock locally (60 bottles according the the LCBO site, well 58 now ) Good stuff but I do still want to compare it to St. Ambroise''s offering.

Last year the Great Lakes was a clear winner (for me) over the McAuslan. Will be interesting to re-try this year's batches. And don't forget the Grand River, if you can get it. It was very good too.

midlife crisis wrote:Last year the Great Lakes was a clear winner (for me) over the McAuslan. Will be interesting to re-try this year's batches. And don't forget the Grand River, if you can get it. It was very good too.

I agree completely with this. I'll probably just stick with the GL this year, and maybe a case of the GR if I make it up to Cambridge sometime in the next couple weeks.

midlife crisis wrote:Last year the Great Lakes was a clear winner (for me) over the McAuslan. Will be interesting to re-try this year's batches. And don't forget the Grand River, if you can get it. It was very good too.

Plus Mill Street is doing one for the brewpub this year. It'll be available on or before October 8th, when it will be one of the featured beers at a Brewmaster's Dinner.