Looking at the BA ranking of the top 250 beers it is frustrating to see that I can only get three of those beers in Alberta. There may be a few more available here that I don't know of but not many. So a list of beers that I can never get is somewhat unhelpful. So it got me thinking... What would the ranking look like for the best beers that are available in Canada? Not that the beers have to be brewed here - but they are available here. Regional differences will play a factor. I have not been able to try any Driftwood brewery stuff from BC as it's not available in Alberta that I have found. Or Bellwoods from ON that I keep hearing is so good. There are US breweries that are available here in AB that are not in other provinces (I.e Stone). I don't know how widely Lagunitas is distributed in Canada - but I'm sure glad it is here in AB! So there will be regional issues to contend with. However, what would you suggest such a list might look like?
You've got to hunt a little harder I think, the liquor connect website is a great resource in AB. Here's 20 beers in the top 250 that I've bought from liquor stores in Alberta within the last year. Probably at least 5 of those are readily available. I've found in AB: 16. Westy 12 52. Rochefort 10 53. St. Lam 56. LPF 70. Bomb! 80. St. Bernardus 12 117. Enjoy By 138. Weihenstephaner Hefe 151. Peche Mortel 153. MBC Lunch 165. Ten Fidy 178. 3F Oude Gueuze 188. Vigneronne 200. Sucks 218. Celebrator 219. Quetsche Tilquin 224. Iris 228. Cuvee St. Gilloise 239. Cantillon Kriek 241. Gueuze Tilquin EDIT: And if you really want to try some Driftwood stuff, BM me and I could easily send some out your way
Wow. I'm outside of Edmonton so I only get to Sherbrooke, Keg and Cork, or Wine and Beyond on occasion. I've not seen Westy 12. I heard Enjoy By was around for a brief time. I missed it. I buy Sucks whenever I see it. I'll definitely keep your list and keep my eyes open!
16. Westy 12 (only know one store in Calgary Zyn that still has it to my knowledge) 52. Rochefort 10 (any great store) 53. St. Lam (nope) 56. LPF (nope) 70. Bomb! (few stores) 80. St. Bernardus 12 (any great store) 117. Enjoy By (any great store) 138. Weihenstephaner Hefe (any great store) 151. Peche Mortel (any great store) 153. MBC Lunch (any great store) 165. Ten Fidy (not very often) 178. 3F Oude Gueuze (not sure about Edmonton) 188. Vigneronne (nope) 200. Sucks (yes shared three bottles tonight) 218. Celebrator (any great store) 219. Quetsche Tilquin (nope) 224. Iris (nope) 228. Cuvee St. Gilloise (nope) 239. Cantillon Kriek (nope) 241. Gueuze Tilquin (yes)
Yeah, the Cantillon doesn't come around very often but it does pop up on occasion. I don't know if this is updated at all but the online bottle list for The Sugarbowl in Edmonton does have Lou Pepe Kriek on it. One other I forgot from the top 250 that's available in AB is Fiftyfifty Eclipse Elijah Craig at #94.
If ever you plan on travelling to the U.S., this is a great ressource for distribution: http://www.seekabrew.com/distro/index.html
EDIT: And if you really want to try some Driftwood stuff, BM me and I could easily send some out your way[/QUOTE] Driftwood will be on shelves in Alberta in the near future, very near from my understanding
Enjoy By was just released, should be hitting stores any day, Enjoy by Feb, 14, 2015 if I`m not mistaken, keep you eyes out.
I happened to be in the Sherbrooke area this afternoon. I picked up a Trappistes Rochefort 10. Prairie Bomb was there - I will get it another time. Ten Fiddy was there - but it was 21.00 for a 4 pack. Lagunitas Brown Shugga was on the growler station but I didn't have any of my growlers with me. I picked up a single of Old Rasputin instead - another beer I've been meaning to try for some time. No Sucks.
Driftwood will be on shelves in Alberta in the near future, very near from my understanding[/QUOTE] Wouldn't count on the Prairie Bomb being there the next time you go.
That is not the free market that is the American dollar. There is not enough room in beer for margins for an agent to absorb that price change. Deschutes 6 packs just went up $3 a 6 pack and prices are going to go again.
Well here in Ontario, the Beer Store monopoly really hamstrings us. However that's not to say the LCBO does a poor job. I mean, I've managed to get some top beers and beers of fame there. Specifically Peche Mortel, Rochefort 10, St. B's Abt 12, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier The Beers of fame, I've managed to get about 35 of them from the LCBO at some point, including Rochefort, Chimay, Westmalle, Duvel, various Samuel Smith's, Fullers LP (both) to name a few.
Basically, my experience mirrors the comment above. I'm also hamstrung by The Beer Store and LCBO "arrangement" as I've been able to try only 5 of the top 250 from purchase at the LCBO. Those were Rochefort 10, St Bernardus Abt12, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissebier, Schneider Weisse Aventinus and Ayinger Celebrator. However, I look back about a year and I had 14 of the top 250 then, so a lot of amazing and reasonably accessible beers have been bumped off by very regional offerings. Many of the top 250 aren't available anywhere outside of a small distribution area. I'd look to the beers of fame as mentioned above for a better representation of the availability of the top shelf beers in Canada.
Good point about the beers of fame. I took a look through the list and I have tried 24. I have a couple in my fridge right now waiting to be tried! There are several on the list that I have yet to try and I believe are readily available in my area.
