The Bar Towel

Posted: **Sat Dec 13, 2003 12:25 pm**

I see that it's starting to hit the stores with stock available in Eastern, Western & Northern Ontario but no stores in the GTA area yet. Check the Product Search function on the LCBO website to get exact store locations....enjoy!

Posted: **Sat Dec 13, 2003 10:24 pm**

I noticed it was in Stratford when I was there on Friday. I was tempted to get on here and tease borderline about it--but then I thought, no, he's suffered enough

.

I certainly hope it's worth this ridiculous wait! (I haven't tried it yet, myself.)

[ This Message was edited by: bluewater on 2003-12-13 22:27 ]

Posted: **Sun Dec 14, 2003 3:58 pm**

On 2003-12-13 22:24, bluewater wrote:
I was tempted to get on here and tease borderline about it--but then I thought, no, he's suffered enough .

That was very gracious of you. Thanks.

I certainly hope it's worth this ridiculous wait!

It is not as though we have entirely given up boozing in the meantime... [grin]

Posted: **Sun Dec 14, 2003 5:26 pm**

On 2003-12-14 15:58, borderline_alcoholic wrote:
That was very gracious of you. Thanks.

Well I do have my thoughtful side, you know. It helps balance all the evil.

It is not as though we have entirely given up boozing in the meantime... [grin]

I hear that. All my Terrible disappeared awfully quickly...I can't imagine what happened to it

.

[ This Message was edited by: bluewater on 2003-12-14 17:27 ]

Posted: **Mon Dec 15, 2003 4:06 pm**

I rang the LCBO info-line today to find out the latest developments with regard to Adnams SSB actually making it to shops within Toronto [gasp]. A quite helpful LCBO employee informed me that they have been having problems with transporting it into the GTA, but it should start making it to stores within Toronto from around Wednesday.

I am not going to start holding my breath or anything, but I am at least feeling cautiously optimistic about actually seeing it here reasonably soonish...

Posted: **Mon Dec 15, 2003 8:42 pm**

Picked up some here in Hamilton at the Upper James store. They also have the London Porter on the self.

Joe.

Posted: **Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:57 am**

I checked the web site today and it appears that Adnams is now in most Toronto area stores...enjoy!

Posted: **Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:07 pm**

I have *FINALLY* gotten my grubby little hands on a few bottles of the Adnams SSB. Hooray. It is very well timed as it is exactly the type of English ale which I like to drink in this sort of weather and I am very pleased to be reacquainting myself with it.

My fingers are very firmly crossed that it does well here and that Broadside, which is my favourite Adnams beer, makes it into the Autumnal selection.

And Peter - you are right, the distinctive bottles are very nice indeed.

Posted: **Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:14 pm**

Oh, and FWIW, I picked up my SSB from the LCBO at the Atrium on Bay.

There was none out when I got there, but a very helpful employee looked it up on their system, although he did caution me that the Seasonals do run out quite quickly. (Not quite this quickly, I hoped.) He swiftly confirmed that they had 8 cases or so in stock and went off to look for them. He couldn't find any (8 bright orange cases are obviously quite hard to spot) so he called over someone else who knew where they were and they dutifully brought some out.

One of my more successful visits to the LCBO shops, I think.

[ This Message was edited by: borderline_alcoholic on 2003-12-16 14:18 ]

Posted: **Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:46 pm**

Looks like they only got 24 bottles at my local outlet. I'll have to pop over there soon and grab a couple...

Posted: **Tue Dec 16, 2003 3:15 pm**

Here in Kingston they had it in with the general releases... I picked up a coupla bottles, and if I like it, I'll get some more! But we're high and dry on the Asam-Bock here.

Posted: **Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:53 pm**

We got them a few days ago in Ottawa! Just bought mine tonight!

Posted: **Wed Dec 17, 2003 8:50 am**

Well after all that, I was disappointed with this beer.

Nicely malty, but lacking in hop bitterness to balance the sweetness, IMHO.

Posted: **Wed Dec 17, 2003 12:48 pm**

I think that with the long wait and built-up expectations it's easy to be disappointed by this beer. Compared with some of the blander offerings that we've had in the past, however, it stands up fairly well. Not massively hoppy, but pleasantly crisp, dry, and minerally. Reminiscent, I think, of Marston's Pedigree--so if you miss having that beer on the LCBO's shelves you'll probably like the SSB.

Posted: **Wed Dec 17, 2003 2:19 pm**

I think that it is important to remember where the SSB fits in Adnams suite of beers. It is a slightly stronger session ale than their standard bitter, and as such is designed more for easy quaffableness rather than an astonishing depth of flavour - for that you would want the Broadside or for a more esoteric taste the Fisherman ale.

The deprecation of Adnams Extra (SSB being the bottle conditioned version) from the draught Adnams range would suggest that the Broadside coupled with the Seasonal Adnams beers have eclipsed it somewhat in recent times. Nevertheless, I think that SSB provides a very enjoyable malty flavour with a pleasant enough depth of complexity for session drinking and it still maintains the signature Adnams taste, which I am quite excited to have access to again.

From my own perspective and moreso having seen the comments of other posters here, I do wish that Adnams had entered this market with their more formidable Broadside - as I always think that when making an entrance it is good to put your best foot forward, so to speak, but personally I am very happy to have access to their SSB for now and hope that this is just the beginning of their presence in this market.

Oh, and interestingly after Wheatsheaf's comments, I never much liked Marston's Pedigree, but there you go.

I do hope that someone other than myself likes it...

[ This Message was edited by: borderline_alcoholic on 2003-12-17 14:30 ]