Looking for the original Bar Towel blog? You can find it at www.thebartowel.com.
We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Search found 607 matches
- Fri Dec 08, 2023 12:40 pm
- Forum: Breweries, Tied Houses & Taprooms
- Topic: Collective Arts
- Replies: 195
- Views: 119606
Re: Collective Arts
GLB are truly unrivaled at their price point in Ontario. Canuck at 3.15 and their rotating IPAs at like 3.60 are like a buck cheaper than their competition. Pompous Ass is under 3 bucks! I will say though, Collective Lager has become a bit of a staple for me. It's consistent, well-priced and pretty...
- Thu Dec 07, 2023 11:53 am
- Forum: Breweries, Tied Houses & Taprooms
- Topic: Collective Arts
- Replies: 195
- Views: 119606
Re: Collective Arts
A re-focus on quality may do them some good..... I think you are on to something. For a while now I've thought they should regroup to some of their core product, get it right and throw in some rotational seasonals and maybe the occasional collab. Every time I go to the LCBO I feel they have some ot...
- Wed Dec 06, 2023 3:22 pm
- Forum: General Beer Discussion & Random Talk
- Topic: Non-Alcoholic Beer
- Replies: 75
- Views: 11733
Re: Non-Alcoholic Beer
Rouge River has another NA IPA out and it's fantastic. First one (Free Beer) might have been slightly better, but that's probably just personal hop preference. https://rougeriverbrewingcompany.com/store/jazz-dance-non-alc-ipa-473ml Nice. I'll be in Markham next weekend, hopefully it sticks around t...
- Mon Dec 04, 2023 9:52 am
- Forum: Breweries, Tied Houses & Taprooms
- Topic: Schooner Street Brewery
- Replies: 7
- Views: 967
Re: Schooner Street Brewery
"Our private members' tap room is an exclusive haven, accessible by invitation only, ensuring an intimate setting for those seeking a truly distinctive experience." All I can say is LOL! Definitely comes across as a style over substance endeavour at this point. Hopefully they brew good eno...
- Mon Dec 04, 2023 9:45 am
- Forum: Breweries, Tied Houses & Taprooms
- Topic: Breweries closing and/or restructuring and/or bought out
- Replies: 82
- Views: 14591
Re: Breweries closing and/or restructuring and/or bought out
Absolutely, I was wondering about that as well. Especially RTD cocktails and seltzers, I've noticed they've taken up a good chunk of shelf space at the LCBO that used to be devoted to beer. I go to Vic Park/Ellesmere a fair bit and the craft selection seems to have been cut down by a good 25% or mo...
- Fri Dec 01, 2023 3:08 pm
- Forum: Breweries, Tied Houses & Taprooms
- Topic: Breweries closing and/or restructuring and/or bought out
- Replies: 82
- Views: 14591
Re: Breweries closing and/or restructuring and/or bought out
I think part of it may be the rapid growth of many breweries in a saturated market, but what is really being downplayed is the interest in other beverages such as RTD cocktails, seltzers, wines, etc as younger generation's tastes change or we become more health conscious. As an anecdote, I just cam...
- Fri Dec 01, 2023 1:36 pm
- Forum: Breweries, Tied Houses & Taprooms
- Topic: Breweries closing and/or restructuring and/or bought out
- Replies: 82
- Views: 14591
Re: Breweries closing and/or restructuring and/or bought out
I also thought Laylow was just a neighbourhood bar, didn't realize they considered themselves a brewery. Katalyst, I've seen that name pop up but never came across any of their beers. Economic challenges for craft breweries notwithstanding, I do wonder if the industry grew too fast to be sustainable...
- Fri Nov 24, 2023 1:23 pm
- Forum: LCBO, Beer Stores, Grocery & Indie Stores
- Topic: Winter Release ???
- Replies: 24
- Views: 3612
Re: Winter Release ???
On the topic of imports, anyone have some insider knowledge as to whether or not they'll be bringing in another shipment of Orval? I was getting excited that it'd be somewhat regular with new stock 3 years in a row from 2020-22. If we go on another hiatus I'm going to have to start rationing again lol
- Fri Nov 24, 2023 1:13 pm
- Forum: General Beer Discussion & Random Talk
- Topic: Anyone get a beer advent calendar?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 2546
Re: Anyone get a beer advent calendar?
Years ago, 2017 I think, I got a German import advent and while a lot of the beers were ok at best, it was interesting to try stuff we'd never get over here. It's funny you should mention this - I was at a Costco in Detroit a couple of weeks back on a business trip, and I saw the German beer advent...
- Fri Nov 24, 2023 9:32 am
- Forum: Beer Events & Festivals
- Topic: Goose Island Black Friday & Bourbon County Stout
- Replies: 92
- Views: 30807
Re: Goose Island Black Friday & Bourbon County Stout
The decline of the Bastard series has been disappointing. In the mid to late 2010s those were some of the best BA stouts going. Last I had was around 2020/2021 and I noticed a significant drop-off. It was watery, unbalanced. Hopefully it returns to form. I'd recommend trying Left Field's Blackburne...
- Fri Nov 24, 2023 9:25 am
- Forum: LCBO, Beer Stores, Grocery & Indie Stores
- Topic: LCBO Online Exclusives
- Replies: 654
- Views: 391690
Re: LCBO Online Exclusives
Details included in link. https://www.vintagesshoponline.com/vintages/Public/OrderProgramProducts.aspx?programId=1032&lang=en&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ecomm-notification&utm_campaign=20231122_Sazerac-Availability-Notification~Vintages_en&utm_content=Hero Full Email Blurb belo...
- Fri Nov 24, 2023 9:19 am
- Forum: General Beer Discussion & Random Talk
- Topic: Anyone get a beer advent calendar?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 2546
Re: Anyone get a beer advent calendar?
Stumbled across this thread by chance from a couple of years ago. Every year I am tempted to buy a beer advent calendar.....but I've never pulled the trigger. Has anyone else purchased one in 2021 or last year and can offer comments on fun and value? I'm much the same. Finally decided to last year ...
- Thu Nov 23, 2023 4:05 pm
- Forum: LCBO, Beer Stores, Grocery & Indie Stores
- Topic: LCBO Online Exclusives
- Replies: 654
- Views: 391690
Re: LCBO Online Exclusives
Not into spirits, but just got an email from the LCBO for the re-release of Sazerac on November 24th at 8:30. The SAQ seems to have had issues with lotteries, but seems like it's been taken care of more recently. Did they say what's coming? I noticed there's some Sazerac Rye in store near me, so I ...
- Thu Nov 23, 2023 10:46 am
- Forum: Local and Imported Beer Reviews
- Topic: Rouge River - Never Say Never Series
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3215
Rouge River - Never Say Never Series
With all the discussion about imperial stouts in the BCBS thread, thought I'd resurrect the ol' beer review section to add a thread for RR's Never Say Never series. As mentioned I had a can of their 2021 release which was aged for 9 months in Elijah Craig bourbon barrels. It's a massive beer clockin...
- Thu Nov 23, 2023 10:32 am
- Forum: Beer Events & Festivals
- Topic: Goose Island Black Friday & Bourbon County Stout
- Replies: 92
- Views: 30807
Re: Goose Island Black Friday & Bourbon County Stout
^Great to hear. Hasn't shown up at any of the LCBOs I frequent so looks like I might have to travel. And for BA stouts, one I completely forgot about- Never Say Never from Rouge River. Totally forgot I had some of those and cracked open a 2021 can aged in Elijah Craig barrels. Phenomenal. I would sa...