The Bar Towel

liamt07 wrote:

Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:

liamt07 wrote: You want a discussion, we can have one. Leave the condescension out of it.

That's the thing, I don't want a discussion. I'm not particularly interested in discussing, or even promoting, craft beer anymore, least of all on the internet.

Simplest solution: stop posting on an internet forum.

I haven't posted on Beer Advocate in years, and I go months without posting on here so by and large I have, and the posts I do make here are usually limited to the "what are you drinking" thread or finding out when a product is coming around.

The last straw for me was reading a review for Ayinger Celebrator that said it wasn't hoppy enough. I lost all interest in "discussing" beer on the internet at that point.

90% of all beer is best when fresh. The peak of freshness can only be achieved with local beer.

Caveat - not all local beer is of high quality, not all styles may be represeneted locally, nor is it always served fresh.

Any brewery, regardless of location, ownership, or size can produce high quality beer.

We may prefer to support a local producer of high quality beer.

We may prefer to suport an independent producer of high quality beer.

We may prefer to support a small sized producer of high quality beer.

markaberrant wrote:Any brewery, regardless of location, ownership, or size can produce high quality beer.

This is an indisputable fact.

But since I aim to remove as much corporate crap from my life as possible there are companies I refuse to buy from, regardless of quality. A-B InBev is one of them.

Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:*sigh*

If I have to explain to you why supporting companies in your own backyard is better than supporting multinationals then this is a less than pointless discussion.

Just because the beer is brewed locally doesn't ensure it is local. Ever wonder where all the hops, grains, bottles, etc. come from? Probably not grown in Toronto

Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:But since I aim to remove as much corporate crap from my life as possible there are companies I refuse to buy from, regardless of quality. A-B InBev is one of them.

And yet you still have a corporate sports team logo as your avatar. Didn't we have this same argument a year or two ago? Ah, memories...

Regardless, I assume you will be the first in line when my brewery opens next fall. Looking forward to it.

markaberrant wrote:
And yet you still have a corporate sports team logo as your avatar. Didn't we have this same argument a year or two ago? Ah, memories...

Regardless, I assume you will be the first in line when my brewery opens next fall. Looking forward to it.

I think we did. Yes, it's a corporate sports logo, but I like football, and it's kind of hard to find a mom and pop league that has the best players in the world. It's impossible to cut the corporate hooks entirely unfortunately.

As for your brewery, if I ever make it out your way I will be there for sure if you agree to stop off at Black Swan if you ever make your way to Stratford.

Magners Irish Cider at Ceili Cottage, 7.75, utter crap run like hell away from it.
Thornbridge Cider at Castro's Lounge, 6.75, very decent with a puckering tang to it.
Boon Framboise, the acidic thin profile is a good night-ender.

Over the last week...

Beau's Brandy Barrel Oktobock + Sargon
Bellwoods Motley Cru
Bellwoods Warp & Weft
Bellwoods Weft & Warp
Beyond The Pale Bigamy - Third Time's A Charm
De Struise Pannepot 2010
Dunham Vin D'Orge Noir
Le Castor Yakima (draught)
Muskoka Detour
Trou Du Diable Bar Volo 25th Anniversary

Belgian wrote:Magners Irish Cider at Ceili Cottage, 7.75, utter crap run like hell away from it.

I'm surprised you didn't already realise this before splashing the cash

Over the last two days in the Ormond-Daytona area:
Tomoka Brewery Indian Summer IPA (sample)
Swamp Head Wild Night (sample)
Tomoka Brewery Peace Pipe Smoked Porter (sample)
Engine 15 Rye Of The Tiger (sample)
Brooksville Hot Head Red (draught)
Samuel Adams Rebel IPA (draught)
Ormond Brewing 40 Weight Dry Stout (sample)
Ormond Brewing Bigger Belma IPA (sample)
Ormond Brewing American Black Ale (sample)
Ormond Brewing Tomahawk Red IRA (sample)
Cigar City Invasion Pale Ale (can)
Red Brick Laughing Skull Amber Ale (bottle)
Cigar City Hopped On The High Seas - Kohatu (can)
St. Bernardus Christmas Ale (bottle)

The Tomoka, Engine 15, Cigar City, and St. Bernardus beers and Ormond Black Ale impressed while the rest ranged from "meh" to good. Except for the stores there's not a single sour to be found in this area so I'm hoping to have more luck when we return to Jacksonville tonight.

RE: Goose Island. Ales' comments on the AB-InBev ownership and drinking local are perfectly valid but if I chose to avoid GI it would be because of the former and not because they make an inferior product (most of their beers are quite delicious). I also have a soft spot for GI because, prior to the corporate takeover, they played a role in converting me from someone who simply enjoyed craft beer to the completely obsessed beer geek I am today.

markaberrant wrote:Any brewery, regardless of location, ownership, or size can produce high quality beer.

We may prefer to support a local producer of high quality beer.

We may prefer to suport an independent producer of high quality beer.

We may prefer to support a small sized producer of high quality beer.

Well put. I like supporting local, independent, and/or small breweries. But I won't continue to do so if I don't actually like the beer I'm buying.

Torontoblue wrote:

Belgian wrote:Magners Irish Cider at Ceili Cottage, 7.75, utter crap run like hell away from it.

I'm surprised you didn't already realise this before splashing the cash

"The young may yet grow wise..."

Opened up a can of Sixpoint Hi-Res last night, coulda sworn it was Peach Schnapps

The past week

Southern tier 2xone: bought a case because I love mosaic hops and was not disappointed.

Sierra Nevada ruthless rye: sn never disappoints, nice spice to this IPA.

Ithaca fleur de Belgique: from their Belgium 12 pack, both IPAs are nice but the stout and "tripel" are forgettable

Saison DuPont: showed up at the new lcbo in town. Pleasant surprise, although I prefer oast house's honestly, but not for 3 dollars more. No idea how oast comes up with their prices, but I still have to support them because they are good and it's great to have a brewer 10 minutes from my house that's brews a nice Biere de garde.

Amsterdam four barrels barley wine - pretty unmemorable. Bready and sweet with not much barrel.

And from a generous buddy living in Texas:
3f/surly/real ale Blakkr - awesome black IPA
Prairie Bomb! - lots of dark chocolate and coffee
Prairie vanilla noir - tonnes of vanilla and subtle whiskey