The Bar Towel

Bit of a strange experience tonight.

I noticed on the LCBO website that a store out my way was showing inventory of 24 cans. Went there, looked and looked, but couldn't find any.

Ask an employee, and he said it was out back, but he couldn't sell it. The rest of the conversation went something like this.

Me: You have some and you can't sell it!? Why not?

LCBO: It supposed to be sold as six packs, but they just sent a case of 24 and they don't have the rings.

Me: You can't sell it because of that? [I knew that the listing clearly shows this as single cans, but I didn't bring it up]

LCBO: Yah, they're all loose with no rings.

Me: I don't need the rings.

LCBO: You want to buy six loose ones and have them rung up as a six-pack.

Me: Sure.

Got my prize and as I left for the front, he said "Just have her scan 1 and ring it up as a six-pack"

I dutifully passed on the message, but the product showed up as a single (surprise, surprise). So she rung up 5@ and scanned another.

Strange....but I got some Red Racer, so it was a good night.

Less a beer review and more matter of fact..........this beer kicks ass.

When I had it summer of 2010 in Bracebridge thanks to Jed, it was one of th best IPA's I'd ever had. When I had it this summer (had to go to Queen's Quay because f*** KW), it was nothing like I remember it. Wtf

SteelbackGuy wrote:Less a beer review and more matter of fact..........this beer kicks ass.

Wasn't meant to be a review - this is the "LCBO and Beer Store" forum, not the "Beer Review" forum.

I fullly agree, however, with how you feel about this beer. I first tried it when I bought some in Calgary last January. One of my favourites for sure.

Finally snagged some here in Ottawa at long last. Probably a victim of the hype - it was good, very good but I guess I was expecting a transcendent moment or something. I think the IPAs we can now get here on a regular basis compare well. Don't want to sound too complainy though, as I'm happy to have it here and hope it comes back again soon to the wilds of Ontario beyond Queens Quay. The more the merrier as far as good IPAs go.

I feel the same way. I had a 6-pack last year it was amazing.. the stuff I got from the LCBO doesn't taste the same to me... for some reason the taste really reminds of me the 'tang' orange juice crystals I used to make juice with when I was a kid..

JesseM wrote:When I had it summer of 2010 in Bracebridge thanks to Jed, it was one of th best IPA's I'd ever had. When I had it this summer (had to go to Queen's Quay because f*** KW), it was nothing like I remember it. Wtf

Pretty good, but will NOT buy again. I only bought one to try it.

2.95 per can?

That'd be 17 bucks for a six pack of IPA... what in the friggin hell.. I'll pass.

Smashbomb and Mad Tom are under 13 for a six pack why the hell would I buy that. Is it made in gold plated tanks?

Brewbert wrote: Smashbomb and Mad Tom are under 13 for a six pack why the hell would I buy that. Is it made in gold plated tanks?

You could buy it because Red Racer is light-years ahead of Smashbomb, and much better than Mad Tom.

Brewbert wrote:
Smashbomb and Mad Tom are under 13 for a six pack why the hell would I buy that. Is it made in gold plated tanks?

If you don't care about the quality of your IPA and are simply concerned with consuming something "hoppy" then I agree. Mad Tom is not even in the ballpark with Red Racer. Mad Tom doesn't hold up to most American IPAs IMP. Smash Bomb is really good but is not there either and has some consistency problems from batch to batch.

Buying Red Racer is a no brainer, which is why I grabbed 12 cans yesterday.

Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:

Brewbert wrote: Smashbomb and Mad Tom are under 13 for a six pack why the hell would I buy that. Is it made in gold plated tanks?

You could buy it because Red Racer is light-years ahead of Smashbomb, and much better than Mad Tom.

TheSevenDuffs wrote:

Brewbert wrote:
Smashbomb and Mad Tom are under 13 for a six pack why the hell would I buy that. Is it made in gold plated tanks?

If you don't care about the quality of your IPA and are simply concerned with consuming something "hoppy" then I agree. Mad Tom is not even in the ballpark with Red Racer. Mad Tom doesn't hold up to most American IPAs IMP. Smash Bomb is really good but is not there either and has some consistency problems from batch to batch.

Buying Red Racer is a no brainer, which is why I grabbed 12 cans yesterday.

I agree with both of you. I love this beer.

Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:

Brewbert wrote: Smashbomb and Mad Tom are under 13 for a six pack why the hell would I buy that. Is it made in gold plated tanks?

You could buy it because Red Racer is light-years ahead of Smashbomb, and much better than Mad Tom.

Smashbomb, yes. Mad Tom? Hell no. In my mind.

I've recently come off of a 1.5 year long IPA fix, and I currently find Smashbomb undrinkable. The stuff we're getting in KW is either sitting around for too long or just plain bad. Wtf?

JesseM wrote:Smashbomb, yes. Mad Tom? Hell no. In my mind.

I've recently come off of a 1.5 year long IPA fix, and I currently find Smashbomb undrinkable. The stuff we're getting in KW is either sitting around for too long or just plain bad. Wtf?

When's the last time you purchased it in town?? I've been enjoying it lately. There were some batches that weren't the greatest before but everything since September has been pretty good. Most recently I picked up a 6 from your local this past weekend, and it might have been the best I've had so far.

Brewbert wrote:Pretty good, but will NOT buy again. I only bought one to try it.

2.95 per can?

That'd be 17 bucks for a six pack of IPA... what in the friggin hell.. I'll pass.

Smashbomb and Mad Tom are under 13 for a six pack why the hell would I buy that. Is it made in gold plated tanks?

If you want a Premium IPA this is your product. If the cost bothers you, stick to local. I love this beer - was lucky to find some at the Summerhill LCBO.

Getting all price-snippy are we then?

I love that Stone IPA costs 1.50 a bottle at Premier Gourmet if I buy it in six-packs. So a 24 of those saves me 36 dollars over Red Racer, and if I also fill my empty tank with cheaper USA gas there's still a large net savings on what's actually a fun day trip.

I'll support every very good Canadian IPA too of course. Corné du Diable is just fantastic right now at the new lower price. Highly slurpable.

Belgian wrote:Getting all price-snippy are we then?

I love that Stone IPA costs 1.50 a bottle at Premier Gourmet if I buy it in six-packs. So a 24 of those saves me 36 dollars over Red Racer, and if I also fill my empty tank with cheaper USA gas there's still a large net savings on what's actually a fun day trip.

I'll support every very good Canadian IPA too of course. Corné du Diable is just fantastic right now at the new lower price. Highly slurpable.

I remember this being an argument in another thread. I remember getting reamed out for saying getting gas there saved money. I agree though. Going to the states is the best thing a beer geek can do. Really opens up the old peepers.