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!

Surprisingly good beer from TBS

This forum is for discussing everything beer retail: LCBO, Beer Store, Grocery Stores and Indie Stores.

Moderators: Craig, Cass

Post Reply
GtownRandy
Posts: 321
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 8:17 am

Surprisingly good beer from TBS

Post by GtownRandy »

In an effort to cut down my beer costs, with a lot of Ontario beers at the LCBO approaching $4 a can, I looked at the Beer Store website and found a few good bargains.
For $85 I got 30 tallcans ($2.83 per can) consisting of 6 Boneshaker, 6 Paulaner Salvator, 6 Sweetwater IPA, all rated near 90 on Ratebeer, and 12 Hacker Pschorr Munich Gold.
Attachments
D7301CF0-4AD0-4056-BAE2-74CC079A53AE.jpeg

BigBob
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:09 am
Location: Brampton

Post by BigBob »

It should be added that, particularly with IPAs, it is very important to check the dates. I have come across some pretty old beer at my local TBS.

Thank you for the reminder. I will make a point of looking more often.

GtownRandy
Posts: 321
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 8:17 am

Post by GtownRandy »

Definitely need to check IPA dates. The Sweetwater doesn’t have a canned date, but a best before of Aug 26/23. Hopefully they have a good definition of best before 😀

seangm
Bar Fly
Posts: 604
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2015 12:44 pm

Post by seangm »

I'm with you on cutting down my beer spending, sadly it's become unsustainable. I'll typically fill the fridge with GLB Lager, Canuck or Pompous Ass which range from $50-60 per 24. Just about the best value out there. Jever and Bitburger are also a good deal at under $65/case. My other go-to when I'm returning empties is St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, if I can find it. $53.70 for a case, albeit bottles, but it's such a high quality beer; still one of my favourite Canadian made stouts.

Agreed on checking dates though, some things seem to languish on the shelves of TBS.

User avatar
Cass
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3828
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by Cass »

I do often shop at TBS to get some of the 6/12 pack deals.

I'll echo that St Ambroise is pretty good value at TBS and the beers are still tasty. And there's usually some IPA from someone on sale. There's a TBS at the end of my parents' street and I went yesterday and found Boneshaker for $17.95 for a 6-pack - $3 per can is good value there.

And the decent Euro cans (e.g. the German Weiss's) are good too.

midlife crisis
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2009
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by midlife crisis »

Although I haven't availed myself of it (don't buy in bulk any more), Amsterdam has been e-mailing with deals on 25 packs of cans.

Philip1
Posts: 331
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2004 1:10 pm

Post by Philip1 »

St Ambroise Pale Ale (with the gold label) was one of my first beer loves that helped get me away from macros as it had a unique taste - nothing at all like the pale ales we have today. It used to a regular for me until maybe 2010 or so when I guess I got bored with it. Would love to try it again but my local TBS only has the IPA and Oatmeal Stout (which I buy occasionally). From way back in the day I recall the brewery also had a Griffon Blonde or something that was described as a "Lower Canada Tavern Ale" also available at TBS which I haven't seen in ages.

When I go to TBS I usually get Cause & Effect from Nickel Brook or some cheap (relatively speaking) Wernesgruner from Germany.

User avatar
S. St. Jeb
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1044
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:44 pm
Location: Burlington, ON

Post by S. St. Jeb »

Philip1 wrote: Wed Apr 05, 2023 6:38 pm St Ambroise Pale Ale (with the gold label) was one of my first beer loves that helped get me away from macros as it had a unique taste - nothing at all like the pale ales we have today. It used to a regular for me until maybe 2010 or so when I guess I got bored with it. Would love to try it again but my local TBS only has the IPA and Oatmeal Stout (which I buy occasionally). From way back in the day I recall the brewery also had a Griffon Blonde or something that was described as a "Lower Canada Tavern Ale" also available at TBS which I haven't seen in ages.
St. Ambroise Pale Ale and Griffin used to be favourites of mine many years ago. I also haven't had or even seen either of them for years.

User avatar
MatttthewGeorge
Bar Fly
Posts: 944
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:45 pm
Location: Woolwich, ON
Contact:

Post by MatttthewGeorge »

S. St. Jeb wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:52 am
Philip1 wrote: Wed Apr 05, 2023 6:38 pm St Ambroise Pale Ale (with the gold label) was one of my first beer loves that helped get me away from macros as it had a unique taste - nothing at all like the pale ales we have today. It used to a regular for me until maybe 2010 or so when I guess I got bored with it. Would love to try it again but my local TBS only has the IPA and Oatmeal Stout (which I buy occasionally). From way back in the day I recall the brewery also had a Griffon Blonde or something that was described as a "Lower Canada Tavern Ale" also available at TBS which I haven't seen in ages.
St. Ambroise Pale Ale and Griffin used to be favourites of mine many years ago. I also haven't had or even seen either of them for years.
The Pale Ale and Griffin Red are both still available at some Beer Stores. Griffin Blonde is not longer around I believe.
untappd/instacrap/facebitch/snapitychat/etc: @matttthewgeorge

User avatar
Cass
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3828
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by Cass »

I've picked up the St. Ambroise mix pack a few times over the pandemic times.

https://www.thebeerstore.ca/beers/st-am ... ster-pack/

Lunardr0ne
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 11:30 am
Location: Waterloo

Post by Lunardr0ne »

I generally only go to the TBS to return empties. The one I normally go to has Great Lakes Octopus and Unibroue mixed 12-packs and Blanche de Chambly cans.
Those are all pretty damn good value for me

Post Reply