Beer-brewing monks bring their suds to T.O. (Grimbergen)

TJ · Post by TJ » Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:30 am

With apologies if this has been posted elsewhere here:

http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoa ... 83761.html

brew-san · Post by **brew-san** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:15 pm

Mmm... I love me a good dubbel... but don't know anything about Grimbergen.

Anyone have any idea what they mean by "to launch the brew in Toronto". Does this mean tere's now an agent in Ontario distributing the beer. Is it going to be available in the LCBO? Is it something exclusive to Bier Markt?

TJ · Post by TJ » Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:58 pm

This is a much better article by a much better writer in a much better paper:

http://www.thestar.com/business/compani ... cle/944010

But it doesn't shed much light on what this beer's availability in Ontario entails either. Hopefully its author will chime in.

free bacon · Post by **free bacon** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:04 pm

From the article I gathered that it's available on tap at the esplanade bier market.

Jon Walker · Post by **Jon Walker** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:37 pm

It is available on tap here in Vancouver. Had it recently at the restaurant Chambar. Nothing really to get excited about (IMHO).

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:43 pm

TJ wrote:This is a much better article by a much better writer in a much better paper:

http://www.thestar.com/business/compani ... cle/944010

But it doesn't shed much light on what this beer's availability in Ontario entails either. Hopefully its author will chime in.

I'm sure Jordan had more, but you know the Sun can only fit so much room on their pages for articles before the ad spaces get cramped

TJ · Post by TJ » Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:18 pm

free bacon wrote:From the article I gathered that it's available on tap at the esplanade bier market.

I figured that as well. It just seems like Carlsberg would have loftier aspirations than just selling a few kegs out of a single bar in Toronto, or two if the King Street location has it on tap as well.

Jon Walker wrote:Had it recently at the restaurant Chambar. Nothing really to get excited about (IMHO).

I had it (bottled) in Holland about three years back and I agree that it's not worth getting excited about, but at the same time it'd be nice if this showed up on tap as an option in Ontario.

icemachine wrote:I'm sure Jordan had more, but you know the Sun can only fit so much room on their pages for articles before the ad spaces get cramped

I'm not sure what you mean--I'm assuming you think Jordan St.John wrote the piece for The Sun? The first linked article was written by Tom Godfrey and I didn't really mean to slam him so much as slam the Sun and compliment Josh Rubin is all.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:25 pm

TJ wrote:
icemachine wrote:I'm sure Jordan had more, but you know the Sun can only fit so much room on their pages for articles before the ad spaces get cramped
I'm not sure what you mean--I'm assuming you think Jordan St.John wrote the piece for The Sun? The first linked article was written by Tom Godfrey and I didn't really mean to slam him so much as slam the Sun and compliment Josh Rubin is all.

Yeah I assumed beer articles was Jordan's beat at the Sun - my mistake. I saw Josh's article in the paper too, definitely a more informative article. About the only reason I read the Sun at all is if I need a laugh.

Pub Style · Post by **Pub Style** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:42 pm

Jon Walker wrote:It is available on tap here in Vancouver. Had it recently at the restaurant Chambar. Nothing really to get excited about (IMHO).

I with ya, Jon.

TJ · Post by TJ » Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:22 pm

Pub Style wrote:
Jon Walker wrote:It is available on tap here in Vancouver. Had it recently at the restaurant Chambar. Nothing really to get excited about (IMHO).
I with ya, Jon.

I don't think anyone is against Jon on this matter.

saints_gambit · Post by **saints_gambit** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:19 pm

Oi, sunshine.

I only run on weekends. Skipped the Grimbergen launch to file the column.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:46 pm

TJ wrote:
Pub Style wrote:
Jon Walker wrote:It is available on tap here in Vancouver. Had it recently at the restaurant Chambar. Nothing really to get excited about (IMHO).
I with ya, Jon.
I don't think anyone is against Jon on this matter.

Yeah if I'm in Paris or Florence it's like "Oh. Grimbergen. I can drink that I guess." Not much emotional excitement.

It's the farthest thing from Westmalle or Westvleteren as a monastic brewer or as a beer. I'd opt for a Westmalle dubbel over Grimbergen any day.

iguenard · Post by **iguenard** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:17 am

The two best Grim's I think are the Dubbel and the Optimo Bruno.

From memory, they are like a hybrid of a Leffe Brown and a Rodenbach.... they all have this little sour acidic character that can take aback if your not anticipating it. Last I had was a Tripel on tap in a small pub in Brussels. Like was said earlier, interesting, no more.

Love the labels though.

tuqueboy · Post by **tuqueboy** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:23 am

TJ wrote:This is a much better article by a much better writer in a much better paper:

http://www.thestar.com/business/compani ... cle/944010

But it doesn't shed much light on what this beer's availability in Ontario entails either. Hopefully its author will chime in.

Hi TJ. Thanks for the kind words. It's currently only available on draft. They're starting out with the bier markt, but rolling it out to a handful of other places as demand warrants. If enough people get interested, they'll consider trying to get it into the lcbo. From a strictly business point of view, this is really carlsberg's way of trying to compete with ab-inbev's 1-2 hit of stella and leffe.

TJ · Post by TJ » Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:35 pm

tuqueboy wrote:
TJ wrote:It's currently only available on draft. They're starting out with the bier markt, but rolling it out to a handful of other places as demand warrants.

Thanks! If I ever end up at the bier markt I'll likely order this. But the chances of me ending up at the bier markt are pretty slim.