The Bar Towel

MatttthewGeorge wrote:I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that Rickard's IPA and Rickard's Pale Ale are the same beer. Didn't they just ditch the "India" from the bottles?

I had it on tap @ the ACC a few weeks back and the tap handle definitely said "India Pale Ale"... it was the only reason I ordered it.

MatttthewGeorge wrote:I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that Rickard's IPA and Rickard's Pale Ale are the same beer. Didn't they just ditch the "India" from the bottles?

I don't remember it ever being called "IPA" myself, but I don't remember a lot of things - so it's possible, yeah.

GregClow wrote:

MatttthewGeorge wrote:I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that Rickard's IPA and Rickard's Pale Ale are the same beer. Didn't they just ditch the "India" from the bottles?

I don't remember it ever being called "IPA" myself, but I don't remember a lot of things - so it's possible, yeah.

Neither Rickard's nor Keith's comes close to a Pale Ale...India, American, English or otherwise!

As a quick rant, that pisses me off because it gives your average, unedu-ma-cated beer drinker a false impression of styles.

TheSevenDuffs wrote:I had it on tap @ the ACC a few weeks back and the tap handle definitely said "India Pale Ale"... it was the only reason I ordered it.

yes, however I think that might be the original tap handle, and that it's just the Pale Ale. Look at the dates of reviews on beeradvocate. Also on ratebeer there is no IPA yet the picture of the Pale Ale says India Pale Ale on the bottle.

Rickard's website mentions neither the pale nor the IPA on it... strange.

MatttthewGeorge wrote:
yes, however I think that might be the original tap handle, and that it's just the Pale Ale. Look at the dates of reviews on beeradvocate. Also on ratebeer there is no IPA yet the picture of the Pale Ale says India Pale Ale on the bottle.

Rickard's website mentions neither the pale nor the IPA on it... strange.

There was a richards "Pale". not pa or ipa, just pale a la white, red, etc.
I think it is now dead in place of their pilsner which they call "blonde".

Droogy wrote:in place of their pilsner which they call "blonde".

Blonde is a pilsner? bah ha ha ha ha!

Our TBS here in Tilbury has 12's of Waterloo Amber and IPA coming in this week......not to mention Great Lakes Crazy Canuck 473's......wonder which I will end up purchasing more of??

Interesting to see what comes of this. Brick's current CEO (George Croft) was president of OSBC (Oland Specialty Beer Company), a division of Labatt back when they were trying to keep their so called premium brands like Keiths separate.

Labatt killed this division after the Interbrew/Ambev merger to form Inbev, and George left the company (or was pushed out). The funny thing is George went to Lakeport which was bought out by Labatt a few years later, so he was out of a job again.

From what I know about George he is a Sales/Marketing guy and is likely trying to capitalize on the current craft beer trend. Not sure if he or his brew master are passionate about doing real craft beer so I wouldn't expect too much from these guys. I could be wrong.

Paul

There's really nothing wrong with a well made, but uninteresting beer. That's a craft too and there are beer drinkers who like a basic beer. I'm not on board with misleading labels, but I wouldn't criticize a brewery for chasing that customer. Look at Steamwhistle or even some of Mill Street's portfolio, for instance.

MasterChiefP wrote:From what I know about George he is a Sales/Marketing guy and is likely trying to capitalize on the current craft beer trend. Not sure if he or his brew master are passionate about doing real craft beer so I wouldn't expect too much from these guys.

You're likely right about this, given the following excerpt from the company strategies listed in the latest annual financial report:

"Re-establish craft brewing leadership - Brick Brewing was the original Ontario craft brewer. A renewed focus on our premium Waterloo Brewing Co. family of craft beers will take advantage of shifting consumer preferences and strengthen our company's overall profit position."

Tapsucker wrote:There's really nothing wrong with a well made, but uninteresting beer. That's a craft too and there are beer drinkers who like a basic beer. I'm not on board with misleading labels, but I wouldn't criticize a brewery for chasing that customer. Look at Steamwhistle or even some of Mill Street's portfolio, for instance.

I don't think anyone is criticizing them, just pointing out this is not the type of brewery most people on this forum would get excited about. I personally come here for this very information, so instead of buying a "basic beer" that is just okay I get something I will really enjoy.

GregClow wrote:[strategies listed in the latest annual financial report:

"Re-establish craft brewing leadership - Brick Brewing was the original Ontario craft brewer. A renewed focus on our premium Waterloo Brewing Co. family of craft beers will take advantage of shifting consumer preferences and strengthen our company's overall profit position."

That sounds like "Tell people we are a craft brew leader through advertising, rather than prove it through product". They may have been a leader back when they were nearly the only game in town (province), but I think it's safe to say they've been left behind. I do buy Waterloo Dark a couple times a year, because it's a decent compromise with a friend of mine.

Speaking of the re-branding, I accidentally bought their amber a couple weeks ago. I remembered (incorrectly?) it was initially called "Rye" upon it's release and the new label just says "amber", so I mistook it for a new product. Still the same stuff, ugh.

ErkLR wrote:Speaking of the re-branding, I accidentally bought their amber a couple weeks ago. I remembered (incorrectly?) it was initially called "Rye" upon it's release and the new label just says "amber", so I mistook it for a new product. Still the same stuff, ugh.

I think you're misremembering or confusing it with another beer - it's been called Waterloo Amber since it was first released:

http://www.canadianbeernews.com/2011/08 ... -seasonal/
http://www.canadianbeernews.com/2011/09 ... loo-amber/

I tried it a few weeks ago and thought it was OK, but certainly nothing I'd bother with drinking again.

GregClow wrote:

MasterChiefP wrote: George is a Sales/Marketing guy and (he) is likely trying to capitalize on the current craft beer trend.

"...Take advantage of shifting consumer preferences and strengthen our company's overall profit position."

Well that couldn't be much clearer, could it?

Only positive thing I can say about Brick is that the Dark was a gateway for me when I was first getting into good beer. If the revamped Waterloo lineup can put a few more people onto craft by slowly weaning them off mega lagers and exposing them to beer with a modicum of flavour (in the same way that Guinness, Rickard's, and Leinenkugel sometimes do), then I'm all for it. Their products no longer interest me, but they can serve a useful role.

Anybody know if these will be quality craft all-malt or will they be adjunct beers?