Today the Summerhill store launched its model beer store with much fanfare. There were politicians and hard to reach LCBO bureaucrats on hand for me to pester more than the news cheerers were going to do. None who spoke to me, outside of the OCB, knew the population of Ontario (approaching 14 million) for example; nor that craft beer is growing much faster where there is less red tape, and south of the border. The LCBO is taking a step in the right direction, but only 3 steps for every 4 taken by the US, and how big that 4th step is. A main LCBO employee seemed to take credit for the 60% increase in craft beer consumption in the province. I think I would attribute it to the breweries themselves, and that increase is higher among us nerds aware of and going to the USA. I got a nod of the head at least on that. The location itself is clean and bright, but the growler fills will be logistically an issue. There were 3 taps on today, and while they served beers harder to find in the LCBO, they were beers found in 50 craft brew establishments from time-to-time. I could go on, but what are your thoughts seeing this new model that will be duplicated in a couple of TBD locations in Toronto, and I understand Bank Street in Ottawa.
I think that Sunoco's gas stations in New York usually have 10 craft beer/ 2 craft cider taps... 3 taps at hard to find locations is pathetic.
stories the same out west. None of our government liquor stores in BC have growler fills. Drive over the border and theres a gas station with 25 taps on... currently serving fills of 90 minute and grapefruit scuplin no less!
