The Bar Towel

I was on the OCB site and noticed no listing for Church Key. Does this mean they are not part of the OCB group for whatever reason?

Love the Holy Smoke and thinking about day trips as the weather warms.

Again, just curious.

Cheers,
J

jaymack wrote:I was on the OCB site and noticed no listing for Church Key. Does this mean they are not part of the OCB group for whatever reason?

Love the Holy Smoke and thinking about day trips as the weather warms.

Again, just curious.

Cheers,
J

they haven't been for about 2-3 years

Yeah and OCB membership might not benefit every brewer for the time and expense they would have to contribute to get the promotional inclusion. Plus membership isn't really a qualifier that an OCB member has a better craft beer than a non-OCB brewer. It's mainly a collective advertising entity, as best I can tell - a way to stand up to MolBatt-level ad campaigns that enjoy limitless funds.

Church Key may simply not need external involvement for its business, and the OCB may not need every brewer in their push for greater craft beer awareness.

Belgian wrote: It's mainly a collective advertising entity, as best I can tell - a way to stand up to MolBatt-level ad campaigns that enjoy limitless funds.
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don't forget the lobbying aspect of the OCB, which is a key part of their mandate and cost structure.

From my experience, each member expects an implied ROI from OCB dues. I know we are looking at a few different models to deal with these alumni members (on how to get them back and involved in the OCB).

The divide (and reason for leaving) is/are as follows:
1) Government relations (lobbying)
2) Collective marketing (by marketing I mean TBS, LCBO programs)
3) OCB quality, ingredients, and the OCB seal usage
4) Financial hardship

Some members would like to be part of the lobbying efforts (or the results) while others further benefit from marketing programs like the Discovery Pack. Hopefully we'll be able to figure out a menu style dues structure (pay to play) that aligns a brewery's goals with the cost of membership to ultimately benefit the health of the industry (which is sort of in a sick state).

P-

Your forgeting Peter the meetings are long and boring.

I think the OCB should be devoting alot more of its time and resources to educating the general public about good beer, and about things like government controlled liqour stores, and non canadian owned beer stores. I'm astounded by the percentage of people that have no clue about all of that, and just how hard it is for small breweries.
If they focused on that even a little bit they would convert so many more people towards drinking good beer. Hell everyone knows the ontario "safe brewing" philosophy should be able to convert half the provinces population to drinking a craft brewed lager or something.

I agree. The pace of the meetings is a huge buzz-kill. Decisions take forever. We make decisions (at our brewery) at hyper speed. I guess, my participation in the OCB is my conjugal duty. I also believe in a higher purpose….whatever the f**ck that means. I also agree with you Queef…on pretty much everything in your post. My only fear as a brewer is privatization.

Queef wrote:I think the OCB should be devoting alot more of its time and resources to educating the general public about good beer, and about things like government controlled liqour stores, and non canadian owned beer stores. I'm astounded by the percentage of people that have no clue about all of that, and just how hard it is for small breweries.
If they focused on that even a little bit they would convert so many more people towards drinking good beer. Hell everyone knows the ontario "safe brewing" philosophy should be able to convert half the provinces population to drinking a craft brewed lager or something.

In a perfect world the LCBO would have monthly promotions advertising different beer styles, at least in my view. Would it be so much to ask though for just a simple booklet or something people could pick up about various different styles/explanations of flavours and aroma's? I know there already are a few different OCB pamphlets that list a bunch of Ontario brews and their respective styles, but IIRC there was no real explanation of what an Imperial Stout, IPA, Porter, etc. actually is.

Sorry for the threadjacking.

JesseM wrote:

Queef wrote:I think the OCB should be devoting alot more of its time and resources to educating the general public about good beer, and about things like government controlled liqour stores, and non canadian owned beer stores. I'm astounded by the percentage of people that have no clue about all of that, and just how hard it is for small breweries.
If they focused on that even a little bit they would convert so many more people towards drinking good beer. Hell everyone knows the ontario "safe brewing" philosophy should be able to convert half the provinces population to drinking a craft brewed lager or something.

In a perfect world the LCBO would have monthly promotions advertising different beer styles, at least in my view. Would it be so much to ask though for just a simple booklet or something people could pick up about various different styles/explanations of flavours and aroma's? I know there already are a few different OCB pamphlets that list a bunch of Ontario brews and their respective styles, but IIRC there was no real explanation of what an Imperial Stout, IPA, Porter, etc. actually is.

Sorry for the threadjacking.

ever ask anyone how much it costs just to have your product displayed on an end shelf in the LCBO? They don't really have any incentive to do such an education any more than they will go out of their way to describe the differences in the scotch on their shelves.
Thats another thing the OCB probably should be doing more of.

End Isle displays are around $8,000 for a period (1 month, I think). We are planning to share one with a couple other brewers this summer.