2023 In Review

[anthony9]

I saw a post back in 2016 (viewtopic.php?t=10695) by Sprague11. I thought I could make a thread of similar nature for 2023.

I will revisit or prompt some topics from the previous thread and see how things have/have not changed in the last seven years.

Did this many brewers really come onboard in 2016? Is the ratio of good or potentially good brewers to mediocre really as bad as I think it is?

Quite a bit different, seemingly. Unfortunately, lots of closures, with a few openings and transformations. I'm not as familiar with the quality ratio back then, but there seems to be more high quality producers than before.

Yes, the market is becoming very saturated. Every little town now has a brewery which isn't sustainable IMO. I willing to try all these guys once or twice, but after that? Unless the Macros drop even more of their market share, I'd say we are at or near 'peak beer', and we'll start to see some go under. Via Masterplan.

Seems like a prescient prediction.

With regards to selling to the big guys, Tapsucker's prediction of Amsterdam was correct. (Though in 2022).

Sprague11 had a nice template that I will include here,

Favourite Ontario Brewer:
Favourite Ontario Beer:
Favourite Canadian Brewer outside Ontario:
Favourite Canadian Beer not from Ontario:
Favourite US brewer:
Favourite New brewer:
Highest rated beer of 2023:
Lowest rated beer(s):

Crazy prediction for 2024:

Boney had a nice observation of the Ontario beer scene at that time.

[anthony9]

Favourite Ontario Brewer: Barrel Heart Brewing
Favourite Ontario Beer: Cherries Aged Like Grace
Favourite Canadian Brewer outside Ontario: Brett & Sauvage
Favourite Canadian Beer not from Ontario: Indigo Gem
Favourite US brewer: Allagash Brewing

Most unrealized potential: Bench Brewing

Hope for 2024: Inflation moderation/reduction of brewing inputs.

Crazy prediction for 2024: Craft beer taxation becomes more favourable.

[Tapsucker]

Favourite Ontario Brewer: I'm probably going to stick with GLB, but the few examples of Fairweather beers I have had impressed me a lot.
Favourite Ontario Beer: Granite Brand New Day
Favourite Canadian Brewer outside Ontario: Another toss up. Four Winds have always made me happy, but I haven't been out to BC in a long time and have heard they let the bacteria into the house and now are leaning into sours. When they just did basics, they did basics really really well. So as a backup I also nominate 33 Acres. (whats with BC brewers and numbers?). These guys have always swung for the fences and mostly made it. Besides I love their pub. I realize I'm leaving a big Quebec blind spot here, but...
Favourite Canadian Beer not from Ontario: Disco Soleil
Favourite US brewer: gonna pass on this this year, haven't had enough samples. Maybe Tanaya Creek?

Most unrealized potential: I'm going to stick my neck out and say Boshkung. They got the beans, they just have to get to work grinding them right.

Hope for 2024: Rents and labour costs don't displace all of our favourite haunts.

Crazy prediction for 2024: We will hit peak Shoppers Drug Mart so landlords will no longer be incented to boot other businesses out of commercial spaces.

[portwood]

General

Favourite Ontario Brewer: Rouge River (others, Wood Brothers, Badlands, and Godspeed for non-hazies. I would drink more from these 3 if I didn't have to pay $15-20 for delivery
Favourite Canadian Brewer outside Ontario: Brasserie du Bas-Canada by a mile
Favourite US brewer: Tempted to say Treehouse (now verging on macro) but my bucket list is for The Alchemist (pandemic shutdowns eliminated my 2020 planned visit
Favourite Ontario Beer: Fresh Drip (seasonal), Holy Trinity (regularly available)
Favourite Ontario Beer (non-hazy): Ridges
Favourite Canadian Beer not from Ontario: any IPA from Brasserie du Bas-Canada

2023 stats according to my ADHD spreadsheet:
Number of new beers: 330, from 110 different breweries
average rating: 3.8/5
Top style: NEIPA (typical, eh?)
Top brewery: Rouge River with 59 new beers (yes, I know most of them are the "same" with different labels, LOL)
Highest rated beer of 2023: Neron
Lowest rated beer(s): Tsingtao
Favourite venue: Brewskey pub & taproom, Montreal

Crazy prediction for 2024: Dougie hires another family member. To manage the transition from the Alcohol Master Framework Agreement.
https://lcbo.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-U ... 0000016970

[Cass]

Fun thread, and thanks @anthony9 for bringing it back!

Some of mine:

Favourite Ontario Brewer: Probably a toss up between GLB, Indie & Godspeed
Favourite Canadian Brewer outside Ontario: It's so hard to determine a fave for this or the U.S. one so I'll just go with highlights of visits from 2023. Definitely enjoyed 2 Crows in Halifax.
Favourite US brewer: Highlights included Dovetail & Off Color (Chicago) Bullfinch (Syracuse) and Kusterer (Grand Rapids)

Crazy prediction for 2024: The Beer Store does something wild as the end of master framework starts to near

[Tapsucker]

Crazy prediction for 2024: The Beer Store does something wild as the end of master framework starts to near

I'm pretty sure they are going to pivot to exclusively hard seltzers.

[MatttthewGeorge]

I stopped using Untappd in Feb of 2023 (second best beer decision I ever made, next to leaving the industry, haha) and therefore I have no reference to look back on, so I'll just go by gut instinct and my aging memory...

Favourite Ontario Brewer:
- Probably still Godspeed, however I rarely have them as I'm not local and don't ship it out to myself often
- Barncat was still making beer in 2023 so they get a nod
- GLB is my favourite readily-available brewery I guess

Favourite Ontario Beer:
- regularly produced I'd say GLB Canuck or SC Lone Pine or MacLeans Pale Ale
- seasonal I'd say Creemore Urbock - I just really enjoyed the heck out of it this year
- one-off I'll go with the 2023 Barrel Aged Rat Queen from Barncat

Favourite Canadian Brewer outside Ontario:
Favourite Canadian Beer not from Ontario:
Favourite US brewer:
- no idea x3

Favourite New brewer:
- was their new breweries this year? If so, doubt I tried any

Highest rated beer of 2023:
- Free Beer (NA IPA) from Rouge River

Lowest rated beer(s):
- Banded Peak Dry Camp NA Pale Ale

Most unrealized potential:
- NA beers (although they are getting some attention, I just think it could be much larger, particularly bars/restaurants having more craft NA options)

Hope for 2024:
- more traditional beers
- less adjuncts
- less hazy whatevers

Crazy prediction for 2024:
- Muskoka gets bought out

[JerCraigs]

624 new to me ratings from 173 Breweries

Favourite Ontario Brewer: Volo (18 new beers, Average 3.68/5), Still Fields (7 new beers average 3.7) I think Volo was the only bar in Ontario I visited multiple times in 2023.
Favourite Ontario Beer: Volo Beer Lino (based on being my top rated, and I had several.)
Favourite Canadian Brewer outside Ontario: Mellon Brasserie (7 new beers, average 3.74) or Isle de Garde (9 new beers, average 3.6). Slight edge to Isle de Garde as I liked the bar a bit more and had a great dinner there. Both new to me breweries.

Favourite Canadian Beer not from Ontario: Isle de Garde Saison Qui Se Voudrait Rustique, and Mellon / Robin Instants De Lucidite
Favourite US brewer: Hill Farmstead - Glass of Vera Mae at DDCiel was very good and was one of only a handful of US beers I had this year.
Favourite New brewer: For Ontario - Dune Hopper. All four of the beers I tried were consistently decent and pretty interesting.
Highest rated beer of 2023: Volo Beer Lino
Lowest rated beer(s): Brutopia Margarita Salted Gose 1.8/5
9 Countries: Belgium, Canada,Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Scotland, United States

Crazy prediction for 2024: A lactose shortage will mean a return to better fruit based beers

[Pub Style]

Favourite Ontario Brewer: I'm probably going to stick with GLB, but the few examples of Fairweather beers I have had impressed me a lot.

Thanks for the love and support of GLB! Lots of great things to come in 2024.

[Pub Style]

Fun thread, and thanks @anthony9 for bringing it back!

Some of mine:

Favourite Ontario Brewer: Probably a toss up between GLB, Indie & Godspeed

We like you too, Cass!

[Pub Style]

I stopped using Untappd in Feb of 2023 (second best beer decision I ever made, next to leaving the industry, haha) and therefore I have no reference to look back on, so I'll just go by gut instinct and my aging memory...

Favourite Ontario Brewer:
- Probably still Godspeed, however I rarely have them as I'm not local and don't ship it out to myself often
- Barncat was still making beer in 2023 so they get a nod
- GLB is my favourite readily-available brewery I guess

Favourite Ontario Beer:
- regularly produced I'd say GLB Canuck or SC Lone Pine or MacLeans Pale Ale

Thanks, Matthew! Hope all is well.

[anthony9]

Looking forward to trying the mixed fermentation offerings at GLB.

[HeadyestTopper]

Favourite Ontario Brewer: Third Moon
Favourite Ontario Beer: I can't pick one.
Favourite Canadian Brewer outside Ontario: Dieu du Ciel (so many more I need to try more beer from)
Favourite Canadian Beer not from Ontario: Peche Mortel --older, I know, but still one of my favourites.
Favourite US brewer: I'd drop everything right now to visit the following: Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, Treehouse, Hop Butcher, Other Half, Big Ditch, Thin Man
Favourite New brewer: I dunno....
Highest rated beer of 2023: Third Moon - Ghost Ship
Lowest rated beer(s): Fuzz Face

Crazy prediction for 2024:

More of the US regional crafts in bottle shops (Other Half, Treehouse, etc)