The Bar Towel

This is a rant. I attended the Royal Winter Fair today at the Ex. They had a drink bar, served some great stuff from the Ontario Craft brewers. Not to bad price wise either considering what you would pay at the LCBO for these brews. Here is thing that pissed me off. I love trying anything new to me, they had Grand River: 1913, Mild, and Plowman Ale, also Muskoka Winter Ale (it is coming out in the pop top soon), and LB Mocha Porter. The LCBO had a booth, they had none of these there to purchase... after a discussion with the bar keep, you think in a civilized society such as Ontario I could just purchase a bottle of each to bring home, and or him bring it over the LCBO and I could buy it there. NO. NO. NO. ONTARIO SUCKS ASS! There is my rant...

- cattersley.

cattersley wrote:This is a rant. I attended the Royal Winter Fair today at the Ex. They had a drink bar, served some great stuff from the Ontario Craft brewers. Not to bad price wise either considering what you would pay at the LCBO for these brews. Here is thing that pissed me off. I love trying anything new to me, they had Grand River: 1913, Mild, and Plowman Ale, also Muskoka Winter Ale (it is coming out in the pop top soon), and LB Mocha Porter. The LCBO had a booth, they had none of these there to purchase... after a discussion with the bar keep, you think in a civilized society such as Ontario I could just purchase a bottle of each to bring home, and or him bring it over the LCBO and I could buy it there. NO. NO. NO. ONTARIO SUCKS ASS! There is my rant...

- cattersley.

Well, at events like this, it is up to the supplier/agency to put forward their products for sale in the LCBO stall/shop that is present. If the supplier/agency didn't offer these to the LCBO for sale on the day, it is hardly the LCBO's fault/error.

I never said it was the LCBO's fault. They only work within the legislated frame work of the province. I detest Ontario's out of date liquor laws that prevents people such as myself to enjoy a legal product in to comfort of my own home. The LCBO is getting better with selection, but selection from store to store is hit and miss, my point is that it would be illegal for that bar to sell me the bottles to bring home, and it would be illigal to transfer those bottles over the that LCBO so I could purchase them (even though the same breweries other products were for sale there)... It is all frustrating, especially since I am in Durahm Region, and have to drive to location after location to get the products I want to try.

- cattersley.

cattersley wrote:I never said it was the LCBO's fault. They only work within the legislated frame work of the province. I detest Ontario's out of date liquor laws that prevents people such as myself to enjoy a legal product in to comfort of my own home. The LCBO is getting better with selection, but selection from store to store is hit and miss, my point is that it would be illegal for that bar to sell me the bottles to bring home, and it would be illigal to transfer those bottles over the that LCBO so I could purchase them (even though the same breweries other products were for sale there)... It is all frustrating, especially since I am in Durahm Region, and have to drive to location after location to get the products I want to try.

- cattersley.

So, you totally disregard what I said about how and why the product wasn't available to buy at the Winter Fair LCBO stall?

Plus, there are very few places, Pubs, Bars, festivals etc wherever you go that will sell a closed bottle of beer for you take home. Some of the pubs that do it in the UK charge a nice premium to take said bottles home.

Torontoblue wrote: Plus, there are very few places, Pubs, Bars, festivals etc wherever you go that will sell a closed bottle of beer for you take home. Some of the pubs that do it in the UK charge a nice premium to take said bottles home.

For what it's worth most bars in BC do off-sales where you can buy a 6 pack of beer from behind the bar to take home. Its totally legal, and while the the prices are higher than what you would pay at a liquor store, they are usually cheaper than what you would pay to order a drink at the bar. The main reason people do it is convienence, since if you are at a bar until late and then decide to leave, you can pick up some beer to drink at home, even if liquor stores and cold beer and wine stores are closed (or too far away to drive or cab to).

Not sure why this isn't legal in Ontario, it would seem like an easy way to increase beer sales, as well as de-regulate the liquor selling industry a bit without freaking people out since unlike in a corner store this beer is already being sold in places where ID checking is required.

Most are missing the point of the rant I think.

Essentially, he tried some good beer on location, and was frustrated that while these breweries could sample their products their, the only on site availability for purchase, like most events in Ontario, was an lcbo booth location, only able to stock the products that have already gone through the months long approval process...

Not that anyone would agree with how stupid the Ontario system is or anything...

Queef wrote:Most are missing the point of the rant I think.

Essentially, he tried some good beer on location, and was frustrated that while these breweries could sample their products their, the only on site availability for purchase, like most events in Ontario, was an lcbo booth location, only able to stock the products that have already gone through the months long approval process...

Not that anyone would agree with how stupid the Ontario system is or anything...

But still, the brewer HAD the chance to have their product available for purchase, at no cost as it's just taken from the LCBO stock, but it appears they didn't take this easy, one paper application route.

I'm sick and tired of people having the easy swipe at the LCBO/AGCO when it's usually just down to sheer laziness/apathy by the agent/ supplier/brewer!

So, it made mote sense for the brewer to anticipate the event 6 -12 months in advance, and jump through all the application hoops and aproval processes, rather than just being able to sell their one off, or "new" brew at a point of sale location that is not their brewery.... Damn lazy brewers!!! Curses, the system is fine!!!

Queef wrote:So, it made mote sense for the brewer to anticipate the event 6 -12 months in advance, and jump through all the application hoops and aproval processes, rather than just being able to sell their one off, or "new" brew at a point of sale location that is not their brewery.... Damn lazy brewers!!! Curses, the system is fine!!!

It's a few pieces of paper you fill out to get your alcohol into such an event. I know, I've done it a few times!!!! You tell the LCBO the SKU #, how many you want to selll and..........taa-daa............you're selling your product at an event.

Torontoblue wrote:It's a few pieces of paper you fill out to get your alcohol into such an event. I know, I've done it a few times!!!! You tell the LCBO the SKU #, how many you want to selll and..........taa-daa.....you're selling your product at an event.

That is if the product you are serving has been accepted into the LCBO. We have 1 product that has been accepted and a couple of seasonals...the rest not, so we direct them to the brewery. That is the situation with many of the more interesting products available there. Of course, the less interesting products are readily available at the LCBO and you could find at the LCBO booth.

Just get your product accepted! Couple of forms, voilà, presto! Lazy brewers.

Queef wrote:Just get your product accepted! Couple of forms, voilà, presto! Lazy brewers.

Nice having an intelligent conversation with you.

Torontoblue wrote:

Queef wrote:Just get your product accepted! Couple of forms, voilà, presto! Lazy brewers.

Nice having an intelligent conversation with you.

oh, come on. They are essentially your words, not mine. I simply clarified the rant, and you hit the tangent of "sick of whining", "easy to have your beet for sale"....etc etc.
By intelligent, you meant informed, right? Cause we can do that no problem

Queef wrote:

Torontoblue wrote:

Queef wrote:Just get your product accepted! Couple of forms, voilà, presto! Lazy brewers.

Nice having an intelligent conversation with you.

oh, come on. They are essentially your words, not mine. I simply clarified the rant, and you hit the tangent of "sick of whining", "easy to have your beet for sale"....etc etc.
By intelligent, you meant informed, right? Cause we can do that no problem

I've been working for an agency for over 3 years, 2 of them dealing with the LCBO, so I know the process.

And you are saying the process is easy and conducive to a good beer representation in the province?