The Bar Towel

Want some advice on the best 500mL cans at LCBO. Going deep into the woods for a week and don't want to lug bottles around. My first thoughts are: Fuller's ESB, Porter, Holsten Festbock, Maibock.

I've hauled 500ml cans into the woods many times! We have some similarities. London Porter and Pilsner Urquell have given me variety and great taste for my one week hunting trips in the past. Fresh 10W30 and Devil's Pale Ale have come in handy before as well. Now I would certainly be bringing Fullers ESB. I've brought Wellington back before as well, although I cannot remember exactly which of their brands are available in cans (the one off brewery only release of their Imperial Stout would certainly make the cut).

I do not go to the LCBO that often these days, so I am sure there are lots of other choices as the LCBo pushes this serving format.

Let us know how you do, I have to make this choice in November!

Jonesy wrote:Want some advice on the best 500mL cans at LCBO. Going deep into the woods for a week and don't want to lug bottles around. My first thoughts are: Fuller's ESB, Porter, Holsten Festbock, Maibock.

the muskoka hefeweissen is decent. staropramen's pretty tasty too. and kostritzer schwarzbier is outstanding with bbq...

Unfortunately I often find the available choices in cans to be hardly worth the weight of carrying them. If you stop by a well stocked 'BO, good for you. If not, I would suggest looking for some of the wines in 4L boxes. Some are quite decent (especially the whites) and you can jettison the box leaving an easy to backpack bag. The bags are also easy to chill in the lake without leakage.

Frankly I'd prefer an o.k. bag of wine to a mediocre beer after a long hike!

Fuller's ESB. No contest.

Kostritzer Swartz is fantastic stuff. Pick some up.

The Fuller's ESB is also a good buy, but that extra little alcohol tends to sneak up on me for some reason.

I really enjoy the Muskoka Hefe. It is pretty Bavarian, and just as tasty as some of the authentic German ones we get in bottles. Muskoka lager ain't bad at $9.95 for 6 cans.

Nickel brook lager is ok too, recently available in cans as well.

Some good stuff that hasn't been mentioned...

Creemore Lager, Pils, or their upcoming keller; Neustadt Scottish pale ale (is a nice, low alcohol quaff); Wellington County Dark; Hockley stout; Steamwhistle (I like German hops & it's pretty good when it's fresh).

I'll second the Great Lakes Devil's Pale Ale.

Fuller's and Creemore would also be up there on my list.

Derek wrote:Some good stuff that hasn't been mentioned...

Creemore Lager, Pils, or their upcoming keller; Neustadt Scottish pale ale (is a nice, low alcohol quaff); Wellington County Dark; Hockley stout; Steamwhistle (I like German hops & it's pretty good when it's fresh).

The Steamwhistle is a good choice Derek, but I feel the price point for the cans is over the top. $2.85 for Steamwhistle for the 500 ml cans, or one can pay $2.50 for pure pils indulgence with Pilener Urquell, at $2.50 can. and it travels thousands of miles to get here, and still comes in cheaper than Toronto's finest pils.

Agree especially with Fullers London Porter & Köstritzer Schwartzbier, and would add Hockley Dark, and the apparently overlooked Muskoka Dark which I admittedly had just once. These are mostly smooth-drinking dark summer beers with interesting malt and roast flavors.

If you get a chance to make it to Guelph, you could grab some Wellington RIS at the brewery if they still have it. Only $2.20 a can.

SteelbackGuy wrote: The Steamwhistle is a good choice Derek, but I feel the price point for the cans is over the top. $2.85 for Steamwhistle for the 500 ml cans, or one can pay $2.50 for pure pils indulgence with Pilener Urquell, at $2.50 can. and it travels thousands of miles to get here, and still comes in cheaper than Toronto's finest pils.

The price point is odd... and I'm not sure anything matches the Moravian maltiness of the Urqell, but when it comes to hopping, I'm more partial to German than the Czech variety.