Next Beer Frenzy?

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:40 am

groulxsome wrote:The third best wine of the year (2012) from Wine Spectator, Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella’s Garden 2010, is in stock at the LCBO for $64.95. I don't see the lineups for that.

Is it a limited supply?

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:41 am

iguenard wrote:We should be getting Jester King Black Metal in Quebec through Bieropholie.... that should be mad.

Other than that, I think if Kuhnhenn 4th dimentia comes out, and we get a brewery feature... Raspberry eisbock could cause carnage also.

I honestly was not blown away by the Raspberry Eisbock, good but definitely not near the top of any list for me.

groulxsome · Post by **groulxsome** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:25 pm

JerCraigs wrote:
groulxsome wrote:The third best wine of the year (2012) from Wine Spectator, Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella’s Garden 2010, is in stock at the LCBO for $64.95. I don't see the lineups for that.
Is it a limited supply?

The 2010 version had 4,000 cases (about 360 hL). So I guess the supply is fairly limited.

ErkLR · Post by **ErkLR** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 5:11 pm

groulxsome wrote:
JerCraigs wrote:
groulxsome wrote:The third best wine of the year (2012) from Wine Spectator, Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella’s Garden 2010, is in stock at the LCBO for $64.95. I don't see the lineups for that.
Is it a limited supply?
The 2010 version had 4,000 cases (about 360 hL). So I guess the supply is fairly limited.

But you also need a major TO newspaper telling people how much they want it. Oh and you have to do that before it's released to cause this kind of shitstorm. I mostly agree with Boney; this was pretty much a perfect storm that's not likely to be repeated in this magnitude. But it's certainly possible to come close to it again, even for our local brewers. They just need the media to create the hype.

groulxsome · Post by **groulxsome** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 5:33 pm

ErkLR wrote:But you also need a major TO newspaper telling people how much they want it. Oh and you have to do that before it's released to cause this kind of shitstorm. I mostly agree with Boney; this was pretty much a perfect storm that's not likely to be repeated in this magnitude. But it's certainly possible to come close to it again, even for our local brewers. They just need the media to create the hype.

I wonder if a newspaper like the Star had picked up Twice as Mad Tom before it was released (it was pretty hard to get the week it was only in the Beer Boutiques) and hyped it as the first double india pale ale from Ontario being sold at the LCBO would it have sold much faster? If they gave it the gloss of a very sought after American style, a style of which the current "best beer in the world" is, would it have been a hype fest? I know the limited nature of Westy is different, but if Muskoka had made it seem more like an occasional, small batch beer, could they have done something similar?

It'll be interesting to see if any Ontario brewers try to emulate the Westy hype with their own limited releases. Someday people might be lining up for Trafalger beers!

(not really)

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 5:49 pm

I totally agree it was a perfect storm - but that storm also made for a great media story: "best beer in the world", impossible to get, expensive, first and possibly only time here, 12/12/12, etc.

Don't underestimate the power of the media, even as everyone predicts the death of papers, etc. That being said, I didn't see the story in the Globe or Post or on TV, primarily the Star and TO Life locally. Didn't even see much on BlogTO or Torontoist.

It's the story that people bought into more so than the beer, and I think that's being proven by the anecdotes of people in line.

Back on topic, I've said it before on BT somewhere but I'd love to see an Ontario brewer have a frenzy as DLD or Pliny Younger. The climate is definitely now ready for it - but in order for it to get really frenetic the media would have to get behind it.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:22 pm

The beer came with a story that wrote itself, and that drove much of the hype. Between its reputation (particularly outside of Canada), it never being available for retail purchase outside of the Abbey before, and how limited the quantities are, no Ontario brewer could compete with that kind of hype.

MetalHead · Post by **MetalHead** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:51 pm

I don't think we'll see the likes of this again. All these other beers mentioned seem very special and sought after to us beer folk but even with some media backing the general populace will be pretty ambivalent methinks. None of the other beers mentioned have quite the same romance to them that westvleteren does. As mentioned above by others.
If Cantillon comes I think it will mostly be a frenzy in the beer community to grab some but nothing much outside our little enclave.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:55 pm

The only thing that came close was was the Utopias call-in sale (which honestly was probably how this should have been handled)

TBH I would not be surprised if the LCBO gets a ton of complaints from store managers and decides to stay away from these sort of products in the future.

Gedge · Post by **Gedge** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:57 pm

I think there's a real opportunity for one of the local micros to build something akin to Dark Lord - something potent, exotic, one day only etc. Make it an "event" on a Saturday, bring in local artisanal food - lots of angles, really.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:06 pm

Gedge wrote:I think there's a real opportunity for one of the local micros to build something akin to Dark Lord - something potent, exotic, one day only etc. Make it an "event" on a Saturday, bring in local artisanal food - lots of angles, really.

Tempest could easily be that beer. Haven't had the DL to compare it, but the hype around it, especially the BA release could easily be built up.

Or they could just keep releasing a couple batches a year and satisfying far more of their customers, and I know which I would prefer

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:07 pm

Was going to put this in the Westy thread, but I think this one might be a better spot for it too

Westvleteren 12 sells out in four minutes at LCBO stores, but who really cares?

chris_schryer · Post by **chris_schryer** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:24 pm

I think re: DLD of Toronto, that perhaps nobody is willing to pull the trigger on it, and step on anybody else's toes. That being said, when Niabic is ready......

chris_schryer · Post by **chris_schryer** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:32 pm

By the way, that NP article is brutal. Wandering, somewhat directionless and full of would-be hipster bitterness. The only thing worse was the comments. I'm glad it was in the Post!

groulxsome · Post by **groulxsome** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:41 pm

icemachine wrote:Tempest could easily be that beer. Haven't had the DL to compare it, but the hype around it, especially the BA release could easily be built up.

I'm always shocked to still see Tempest on LCBO shelves. I had to scramble to get that back in April/May/Whenever in the spring they did the first release. Same with the BA version. If they did a wide BA Tempest it might be a hit, but more in the way that a craft beer release is a hit in the US. A line up of people who want it at the brewery. This is going to be a hard kerfuffle to repeat!