PRMason: Yes, I noticed it in some bottles in Toronto today. I've already dropped an e-mail to the brewery to get their feedback.
As for anyone looking for stock of the Spring Release, I was in the Queen's Quay store today and it's got lots of cases of all of them. Actually we've been pushing the LCBO to allocate more to Queen's Quay because they invariably sell out in the first week of every promo yet they are the single best store in the province for sales of our beers so I guess someone was listening. I know it's not great for those of you who don't come downtown or don't live in Toronto but, if you are in the city, this is one store where you'll certainly be able to get your fill of Pale Ales and Bitters in the next few weeks.
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We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Spring release
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esprit
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1677
- Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2001 8:00 pm
- Location: Esprit Agencies-Toronto
PRMason: Yes, I noticed it in some bottles in Toronto today. I've already dropped an e-mail to the brewery to get their feedback.
As for anyone looking for stock of the Spring Release, I was in the Queen's Quay store today and it's got lots of cases of all of them. Actually we've been pushing the LCBO to allocate more to Queen's Quay because they invariably sell out in the first week of every promo yet they are the single best store in the province for sales of our beers so I guess someone was listening. I know it's not great for those of you who don't come downtown or don't live in Toronto but, if you are in the city, this is one store where you'll certainly be able to get your fill of Pale Ales and Bitters in the next few weeks.
As for anyone looking for stock of the Spring Release, I was in the Queen's Quay store today and it's got lots of cases of all of them. Actually we've been pushing the LCBO to allocate more to Queen's Quay because they invariably sell out in the first week of every promo yet they are the single best store in the province for sales of our beers so I guess someone was listening. I know it's not great for those of you who don't come downtown or don't live in Toronto but, if you are in the city, this is one store where you'll certainly be able to get your fill of Pale Ales and Bitters in the next few weeks.
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Jon Walker
- Seasoned Drinker
- Posts: 1899
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2001 8:00 pm
- Location: Wherever you go there you are
A quick review of the March Pale Ale offerings.
I spent the weekend, like most, watching the hockey. Fortunately I picked up a bunch of the new products (2 cases of Hopdevil...lucky to find that much apparently) and did a little sampling.
In no particular order;
1) Samuel Smiths India Ale. I too was underwhelmed by this beer. I found it very similar to Smiths Winter Welcome which I drank a fair bit of during the Christmas holidays. It is a somewhat complex beer with lots of subtle notes but it hardly supports the claim of being an "India" ale even without the pale in the name. I'd rather drink their excellent stouts. 6/10
2) Brakspear's Bitter. Well as some of you know I was born and raised in Henley on Thames about a quarter mile from the brewery. My first beer experiences were Shandys made with Brakspear's on hot summer afternoons in my youth. Clearly I'm biased. Regardless I think this beer really speaks for itself. Outstanding roasted malt flavors, nice sharp bitter hop notes but in a lovely balance. For me this is the best of the English offerings in this release. 8/10
3) Rogue's Brutal Bitter. More complex than Smith's with more of a palette, finish and nose but not as bitter as many other West Coast rivals. For something that claims to be "brutal" in its bitterness it was underwhelming but still pleasing. As Perry has noted I too found the beer hazy with some suspended sediment lurking in the bottle. 7/10
4) St. Peter's Best Bitter. I'm definately a fan of St.Peter's bottles but less so of the beer within. This was a decent bitter but in a side by side with Brakspear's I doubt it'd stand a chance. It's just less impressive, less complex...sorry. 6/10
5) Victory Hopdevil. I've been a BIG fan of this beer since getting a batch from Premier soon after moving to Toronto. I am without doubt a "hophead" so it's no surprise that this is my favorite beer currently available through the LCBO. It's big, bold and full of hops from the nose to the finish. It has solid balance, nice colour...just fantastic. 9/10
Now a few people have bashed hopheads as being unrefined. I'd defend that by simply saying it's not about being bashed over the head with hop flavour, it's about being hit with a velvet pillow full of hops while the malt holds you up from under.
Anyway, try them all if you're able but I'd certainly suggest both the Hopdevil and the Brakspear's.
I spent the weekend, like most, watching the hockey. Fortunately I picked up a bunch of the new products (2 cases of Hopdevil...lucky to find that much apparently) and did a little sampling.
In no particular order;
1) Samuel Smiths India Ale. I too was underwhelmed by this beer. I found it very similar to Smiths Winter Welcome which I drank a fair bit of during the Christmas holidays. It is a somewhat complex beer with lots of subtle notes but it hardly supports the claim of being an "India" ale even without the pale in the name. I'd rather drink their excellent stouts. 6/10
2) Brakspear's Bitter. Well as some of you know I was born and raised in Henley on Thames about a quarter mile from the brewery. My first beer experiences were Shandys made with Brakspear's on hot summer afternoons in my youth. Clearly I'm biased. Regardless I think this beer really speaks for itself. Outstanding roasted malt flavors, nice sharp bitter hop notes but in a lovely balance. For me this is the best of the English offerings in this release. 8/10
3) Rogue's Brutal Bitter. More complex than Smith's with more of a palette, finish and nose but not as bitter as many other West Coast rivals. For something that claims to be "brutal" in its bitterness it was underwhelming but still pleasing. As Perry has noted I too found the beer hazy with some suspended sediment lurking in the bottle. 7/10
4) St. Peter's Best Bitter. I'm definately a fan of St.Peter's bottles but less so of the beer within. This was a decent bitter but in a side by side with Brakspear's I doubt it'd stand a chance. It's just less impressive, less complex...sorry. 6/10
5) Victory Hopdevil. I've been a BIG fan of this beer since getting a batch from Premier soon after moving to Toronto. I am without doubt a "hophead" so it's no surprise that this is my favorite beer currently available through the LCBO. It's big, bold and full of hops from the nose to the finish. It has solid balance, nice colour...just fantastic. 9/10
Now a few people have bashed hopheads as being unrefined. I'd defend that by simply saying it's not about being bashed over the head with hop flavour, it's about being hit with a velvet pillow full of hops while the malt holds you up from under.
Anyway, try them all if you're able but I'd certainly suggest both the Hopdevil and the Brakspear's.
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Josh Oakes
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As I neither work nor live near an LCBO these days, it took me a while to get to the Spring Release. I just got tasting bottles for now, as the big purchase will be later. The new stuff...St. Peter's Best Bitter was pretty nice. Very metallic nose would be the major issue, but the malts come through as clear as digital - you've got pale, crystal, and chocolate, maybe even a dash of roast.
Brakspear Bitter is surely a quality beer, and prime stuff for hopheads. But for me personally, I'm not a Goldings fan. Of all the beers infected with this vile weed, Brakspear Bitter stands with the dearly departed Dragon's Breath as one of the few I can enjoy, but I wish they made this beer with Northdowns...
Sam Smith's India...not sure why anyone would rag on it. English IPAs aren't supposed to taste like IPAs from California. This is nicely balanced, with high quality ingredients in evidence. Hey, I'm from Vancouver so you know I love the West Coast stuff, but anyone who doesn't enjoy a pint of this has rocks in their head.
The others I've had before and will get to later, though I may not post it here cause you can always check out my website, or Ratebeer.
Brakspear Bitter is surely a quality beer, and prime stuff for hopheads. But for me personally, I'm not a Goldings fan. Of all the beers infected with this vile weed, Brakspear Bitter stands with the dearly departed Dragon's Breath as one of the few I can enjoy, but I wish they made this beer with Northdowns...
Sam Smith's India...not sure why anyone would rag on it. English IPAs aren't supposed to taste like IPAs from California. This is nicely balanced, with high quality ingredients in evidence. Hey, I'm from Vancouver so you know I love the West Coast stuff, but anyone who doesn't enjoy a pint of this has rocks in their head.
The others I've had before and will get to later, though I may not post it here cause you can always check out my website, or Ratebeer.