The Bar Towel

We had the Fine Porter in 2004, and the IPA last year.
So what will John Sleeman be presenting this year???

Sapporo Black?

Something that tastes good hopefully. The Fine Porter was the best thing they ever made, and that's not saying much.

The new Sleeman Light is the first Radio Ad I heard in a while today.

"Hello, I'm John Sleeman - yes, I'm still here!"

Honestly, based on the last two, they shouldn't even bother.

Blankboy wrote:Honestly, based on the last two, they shouldn't even bother.

Beer is just not Sleeman's field of expertise.

Blankboy wrote:Honestly, based on the last two, they shouldn't even bother.

Why is that? I think both releases are decent and make for good transition beer, and I do buy the Porter from time to time. It's hard to get your average beer drinker to switch from Keiths IPA to a real hard core IPA in one step. Sleemans IPA, while not earth shattering by any means, does at least offer a glimpse into what a decent beer is.

I think the idea of a gateway beer is problematic, though I appreciate the point. I just do not need to get people drinking partially good beer to introduce them to good beer. I need to get them drinking excellent beer in styles that are easier introductions. So I have rapidly moved my guinea pigs at work known as the beer club from Molbat to McAuslen's pale ale, to Leffe Brun, to Belgian browns and saisons. And these are hunt club lads, people who have cabins and bass boats. I think we just need truck loads of Fantome, Dupont and Hennepin to educate the masses.

Al the beerblogger wrote:I just do not need to get people drinking partially good beer to introduce them to good beer.

Point taken, though IMHO would consider the Sleeman Porter a good beer. I agree that a better approach is like you say, finding excellent beers that are easily appreciated to the average beer drinker.

Regardless, I do hope (optimistically) that Sleeman does have plans for a new release this year just as I am looking forward to the new J.R. Brickman release (was it to be an IPA?) and various other local seasonal releases (from Black Oak, Mill St., Great Lakes, etc.).

Personally, I was never a fan of Sleeman's & their wanna-be craft (they were going after market share from day 1). From the original lineup, I think there was only one that was actually all-malt. While it was better than your average (macro) brew, I wasn't very impressed.

That said, I thought the IPA was similar to Durham County Ale... and I actually really enjoyed the Porter. It's no Old Growler... but it's quite good.

I recently bought a twelve of the current version of the Sleeman Porter for a family get-together and found it pretty enjoyable.

"Honestly, based on the last two, they shouldn't even bother."


"Beer is just not Sleeman's field of expertise."


While everyone has a right to an opinon and tastes vary I think these comments are harsh and out of line.

I don't necessarily agree with everything that goes on at Sleeman but I think the venom here is over the top.

Mother G wrote:"Honestly, based on the last two, they shouldn't even bother."


"Beer is just not Sleeman's field of expertise."


While everyone has a right to an opinon and tastes vary I think these comments are harsh and out of line.

I don't necessarily agree with everything that goes on at Sleeman but I think the venom here is over the top.

You don't happen to work for Sleeman do you?

The "venom" isn't over the top at all. Sleeman is a terrible brewery that makes subpar products. Hell, it's not even the best brewery in Guelph.

Sleeman is nothing more than a quasi-wannabe craft brewery and deserves all the criticism it gets.

Sleeman is nothing more than a quasi-wannabe craft brewery and deserves all the criticism it gets

That is just completely off base. Please try the Porter, for example. It may not be to your taste but it is a credible product that some of us enjoy.

midlife crisis wrote:

Sleeman is nothing more than a quasi-wannabe craft brewery and deserves all the criticism it gets

That is just completely off base. Please try the Porter, for example. It may not be to your taste but it is a credible product that some of us enjoy.

DragonOfBlood wrote:Something that tastes good hopefully. The Fine Porter was the best thing they ever made, and that's not saying much.

I have tried the porter. It was good for Sleeman, but it's total crap compared to porters from good breweries.