Ontario Craft Beers

Their websites can be informative. Singles of about 1/2 liter are common in the LCBO. Ontario is a big province. Distribution varies from store to store. Fewer brewerys' products will be sold in the Beer Store.

 

LCBO is better generally better than The Beer Store, but neither are great. They have limited selection, often old product, from mainly middling breweries. There are some specialty bottle shops around the province that are much better, but more expensive. Where are you staying?

The best option is to visit breweries directly. Depending on where and how long you are staying, most breweries ship as well.

 

Which speciality bottle shops are still around? I see that 4th and seven looks like they closed?

 

Is there a good way to see what the beer store carries other than their website? We stopped in Kenora on our way up north and the crappy touch screens in the beer store were unusable. Too many people to ask, so I just picked up a couple of lowenbrau.

The LCBO did look to have a decent selection, but were very picked over for a Thursday morning. I assume each store has a best time/day of week when they’ll be restocked….

I was able to pick up some innis&gunn and a DIPA from lake in the woods brewing that was pretty good. I had to get some Puppers to drink with my son since he was of legal drinking age in Ontario!

For future consideration, does anyone know of a bottle shop in that area?

 

Regardless of where you are in the province, the beer store has very limited selection of good beer. You’ll find some good imports depending on location (Jever from time to time), but I’d imagine up that way, the selection would be more limited than Southern Ontario.

You can search a particular store’s inventory if you know what you are looking for on the website. I’m not sure that you can browse by store anymore.

LCBO isn’t much better generally. Lots of old product. I’m surprised that the shelves were bare there, but the North might be different. You are likely going to be limited to craft options from the area breweries like Lake of The Woods, Sleeping Giant, etc. all of which are sort of middling in quality.

I don’t know what makes it out there that has wide distribution in the southern part of the province. If you see Lone Pine IPA from Sawdust City, that’s a pretty good WIPA that is broadly available. Anything from Great Lakes (not the same as the Cleveland brewery) is worth a try if you see it.

I wish I could suggest a bottle shop (if there are any up there). Private shops are in a tight spot though as they have to buy their product at retail to resell. So you are looking at $7-10 cans mostly.

Sorry I can’t be more help. Have a great time!