LCBO Summer 2009 Release

robinvboyer · Post by **robinvboyer** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:53 pm

Had some of the Hopback Summer Lightning this weekend. Wow, call me disappointed!! This wasn't very good, i was expecting MUCH more hops, and a more flavorful ale, really it was quite boring. The Harviestoun, and even the Deuchars IPA are MUCH hoppier, and much better.

velovampire · Post by **velovampire** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:46 pm

robinvboyer wrote:Had some of the Hopback Summer Lightning this weekend. Wow, call me disappointed!! This wasn't very good, i was expecting MUCH more hops, and a more flavorful ale, really it was quite boring. The Harviestoun, and even the Deuchars IPA are MUCH hoppier, and much better.

I didn't mind it, though I was also expecting a few more hops. Had a bottle last night and a couple tonight. It was, as you say, a bit underwhelming, slightly watery, but I could see drinking a bunch of it on a hot summer day. Not bad, seems almost pilsnerish at times. But you're right - I much prefer the Harviestoun to this.

mjohnston · Post by **mjohnston** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:32 am

I can't say I found the ST Raspberry wheat to be as bad as others seem to have found it. That said, I did chill it to the point that some ice was forming in the bottle - maybe that's the secret

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:36 am

mjohnston wrote:I can't say I found the ST Raspberry wheat to be as bad as others seem to have found it. That said, I did chill it to the point that some ice was forming in the bottle - maybe that's the secret

That might be the ticket.

It is awfulyl syrupy and sweet!

northyorksammy · Post by **northyorksammy** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:37 am

the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 12:28 am

You got me craving the Harviestoun and Deuschars, none at cooper st of course.

I might try the ST Raspberry blended 50-50 with Petrus Oud Bruin (if it's a bit syrupy.)

How about the Ephemére Pomme - is it really at Spadina/Dundas?? I did not ever see an effing bottle of that one, nice work LCBO boneheads.

probstk · Post by **probstk** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:44 pm

Belgian wrote:You got me craving the Harviestoun and Deuschars, none at cooper st of course.

I might try the ST Raspberry blended 50-50 with Petrus Oud Bruin (if it's a bit syrupy.)

How about the Ephemére Pomme - is it really at Spadina/Dundas?? I did not ever see an effing bottle of that one, nice work LCBO boneheads.

Ephémère Apple is pretty easy to get in Gatineau, both in big and small bottles. If someone in TO wants to act as point man, I don't mind sending a reasonable quantity your way...maybe trade for some TO micros that don't make it this far east?

carguy · Post by **carguy** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:42 pm

There is a lot of the Ephemere Pomme at the LCBO at Franklin and Dundas in Cambridge.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 6:00 pm

northyorksammy wrote:since pass through the falls a few times a year, having a brewpub there will be handy for me...commercially, with all the yankees visiting, i hope they do awesome

Uhhhhh, did I miss something here?

Philip1 · Post by **Philip1** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 6:46 pm

carguy wrote:There is a lot of the Ephemere Pomme at the LCBO at Franklin and Dundas in Cambridge.

I've seen it numerous times in Brampton LCBOs, but always in the big bottles only. The only time I ever saw regular sized bottles (330ml) was when TBS had a Unibroue mixed selection 12 pack a few years ago.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:02 pm

SteelbackGuy wrote:
northyorksammy wrote:since pass through the falls a few times a year, having a brewpub there will be handy for me...commercially, with all the yankees visiting, i hope they do awesome

Uhhhhh, did I miss something here?

Nope, Sammy was posting drunk again and put his quote in the wrong thread

northyorksammy · Post by **northyorksammy** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:53 am

yes (drinking lots of coffee) I thawt I posted this in the Niagara Falls brewpub thing, why was it moved on me? BTW, both pubs are now open

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:57 am

robinvboyer wrote:Had some of the Hopback Summer Lightning this weekend. Wow, call me disappointed!! This wasn't very good, i was expecting MUCH more hops, and a more flavorful ale, really it was quite boring. The Harviestoun, and even the Deuchars IPA are MUCH hoppier, and much better.

You're comparing different styles of beer here. The Summer Lightning is the original Golden Ale and is not meant to be bitter. It's a typical subtle, easy drinking English Golden Ale, which hides it's 5% alc very well.

Again, it's the North American/Canadian palette not getting to grips with a typical English beer. Not everything is hopped to high heaven you know

Also the fact that it is a bottle conditioned beer and kept out on warm shelves certainly doesn't help keeping this beer as fresh as it should.

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:59 pm

Again, it's the North American/Canadian palette not getting to grips with a typical English beer. Not everything is hopped to high heaven you know

Sure it is not just people getting their hopes (hops?) up because of the name "Hopback" ?

Likely a better explanation than using the "we don't get English beers" dead horsey line.

Anyway, I do agree, not sure why people would expect this one to be hoppy - we had it before (4 years ago?) at the lcbo, and I really enjoyed it as a perfect summer golden ale (when in a well kept LCBO).

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:04 pm

tupalev wrote:
Again, it's the North American/Canadian palette not getting to grips with a typical English beer. Not everything is hopped to high heaven you know
Sure it is not just people getting their hopes (hops?) up because of the name "Hopback" ? Likely a better explanation than using the "we don't get English beers" dead horsey line.

Not really as Hop Back is the name of the brewery and not the beer.