What ever happened to Beau's? I've been going through an album to update reviews an a particular app and noticed that there has been a major shift in Beau's offerings lately. Not sure when it happened, but in the stores, I only see: Countdown APA Country Vibes Lager Full Time IPA Good Time IPA Lug Tread Kolsh (a staple) Year back, Beau's was the bulk of my exploratory beers in Ontario. Their Wild Oat series came with a wide range of styles from saisons to stouts. Many classic styles with their own takes. They had a vast range of experimental beers that were always rotating in the LCBO's. I would always seek out the new beer from them. Now, it seems like they have toned things down and only offer simplistic styles that are year round. Their website seems to indicate that there are some aged beers (in wine), but nothing like their past. Does anyone have any insight or share the same feeling as I do?
Beau’s gets a bit of a bad rap. The beers are never as bad as the snobbier craft drinkers claim, and never as good as their fans would have you believe. The Bottle Imp was good last time I had it. The BBQ joint around the corner from has rotating Beau’s stuff regularly. I like to try them when the styles are out of the ordinary. The gruits are always interesting. I can’t say I pay much attention to what is on offer at LCBO. I think I’ve only shopped there for beer twice in the past two years. I’m guessing an operation like Beau’s pays pretty close attention to sales numbers and has focused on the skus that sell best.
Yeah I can see that. They were in the upper middle ground to me 3.65-4.0 I can agree with all that. I've taken them as a 3.75 ish average. I liked the experimental styles which allowed us folks to experience a broad range of beers. They have been a round for a while before craft took off in ON, or at least what it is like day, so maybe it's just that the markets have changed.
Lug Tread is sort of what Tankhouse used to be around Toronto. If a place has one craft tap its either Lug Tread or Steamwhistle. And I am fine with that. Its a decent enough beer. Its also one of the beers that I would have on hand for my dedicated non-craft drinkers in the family. I have liked some of their offerings over the years and believe it or not they have been on the cutting edge of a few things. Their gruit program was one of the first in North America nevermind Canada. And some of them were very nice.
Looking on there website over the last year the selection of styles has not been to exciting. Also I have thought for a long time their beer has crept up to high in price. Come to think about it I don't think I have drank Beau's for quite some time.
Same. They seem to be selling an almost boutique sour market now? I really did like their Night Marzen way back, but even that, you can't find on the shelves here. Maybe only local LCBO's have it.
