The Bar Towel

Malcolm wrote:The tripel is on tap at The Rhino as well.

Giving it an extra boost of unintended and unwanted funkiness, I'm sure. Running beer through the Rhino's taps is the bar equivalent of making geuze.

In all my time in Toronto, I rarely had a bad pint at the Rhino. I guess I was lucky.

tupalev wrote:In all my time in Toronto, I rarely had a bad pint at the Rhino. I guess I was lucky.

OK, there was a bit of hyperbole in there, but it's been about 50/50 for me. It's a shame, because they often have a really solid tap lineup, and maybe the best prices in the city (for the quality). I only wish they'd clean their lines more often, and I would be a much more frequent customer...

Then mention it to them.

Oh, I have and nothing happens. The only beer that I've had there recently that tastes like it's supposed to is Stonehammer Dark. I've sent back pints there more than any other bar because the beer tastes off, or like the beer that used to be there.

According to a staff member, "nobody cleans the lines."

50\50 is being generous, I'd say.

Here's a thought guys: go start a Rhino bashing thread (or whatever establishment you feel the need to slam on here) and leave this thread to chat about Mill St Tripel. I'll be happy to detail my good experiences there while you post your bad ones and we'll all feel better.

Um, wasn't that you responding quite quickly to Velo's comment earlier? And now you're telling us to leave this thread? Topics on here often veer off on tangents and I don't have a problem with it, but I guess you do.

Yes that was me responding to a cheap shot at a place I like go to. I was kind of hoping that would be the end of it, and then I mistakenly thought we might go chat about the Rhino in a Pub Review thread or something.

But since you want to continue can I ask you a question: Why do you still go? (I am making the assumption you do since you know that the beer in question is on tap there now). You have mentioned before on here that you have had bad experiences at the Rhino - do you go so you can keep bitching about it? Or maybe you hope something will change for you? I am genuinely curious. If I have repeated bad experiences somewhere, I stop going; Toronto has a ton of choices, even out in Parkdale - I do not understand why one would keep going.

Example: I had a few terrible, terrible experiences at C'Est What 3 years ago and they lost my business forever - no beer fests, no dinners, no 20+ group functions at a place I used to absolutely love (and practically live beside). I even managed to stop bitching about them on here (until now, but I am blaming you for that ).

All I can say is that as a TFC Season ticket holder, I probably go to the Rhino about 25 times/year before and after games (and usually both). I've rarely had a bad pint. Service can be slow when understaffed, but IMHO, there is no better bang for your buck in the city. Decent pub food, very good cask, and amazing bottle prices.

Hold on. I didn't start the Rhino bashing. I merely pointed out that the Tripel was being served there, and later to Viggo's post.

I've been drinking there for over 10 years, 2-3 days\nights a week. It's walking distance from my house, my hockey league convenes there Saturday nights and it's a comfortable place for solo drinking. I was a regular. But, it has really gone downhill in the past year in terms of the beer and upkeep of the place, so I don't go there very often anymore. I got sick of supporting a place that clearly doesn't give a rat's ass about upkeep or improvement.

Believe me, I want to like The Rhino again and I'm disappointed that it has gone downhill so much. I think the staff are great, they work hard to bring in new beers but now I fill my time at places that pour good pints on a consistent basis.

We all have good experiences at places, and we all have bad experiences respectively. It hurts when you read a bad review of a place you like....especially if it is your local. But these are open fourms, and we have to expect to hear the good and the bad.

If I have a bad experience somewhere, I usually chalk it up to a once in a while kind of thing, and I will return. If I have repeat bad experiences, I will stop patronizing said place.

We need to share both good and bad experiences (as we all have), that way we have a better understanding of how to constructively criticize and make suggestions on how to improve.

I just tried this at beerbistro. An excellent beer, with that strong Belgian yeasty note that does characterise certain tripels and also some golden ales (Duvel kept coming to mind, also Affligem). I don't get any connection to a gueuze style though. By the way, the English beer Speckled Hen has to my taste a similar yeastiness, it must be one of the old yeast types (or multi-strains) that at one time were common in Belgium and England. Some biere de gardes have it too.

Gary