I'll be in Barrie to visit family the first weekend in February. I'll be driving from Buffalo boarder crossing to get there. I haven't been to Ontario since the new rule changes. Is it worth stopping a a beer store to fry and find ON craft or is it still better to try and fit up lager LCBO locations for bottle selection? Also, if there are any BAs in Barrie that would like to meet for a beer at Barnstormer or Flying Monkeys or trade a few beers BM me.
Generally speaking, no. The Beer Store (TBS) does carry some craft beer, but the selection tends to be underwhelming, and you can't count on it being very fresh. Most (~98%) of what is sold there is also available at the LCBO, anyhow - however, a good LCBO will carry plenty of brands that you will never see stocked at TBS. It's worth noting that the beer selection at different LCBOs can vary greatly, depending on the size of the store and the attitude of its management. A city the size of Barrie probably has at least 1-2 LCBO outlets that qualify as "good for beer shopping", but you'd need to ask a local to identify which store(s) is/are worth stopping at. I haven't been to Barrie in a few years now but IIRC the LCBO on Big Bay Point Rd had a decent selection last time I was there.
One thing that has changed is if you are closer to a loblaws, farmboy, or walmart, or metro they now carry the best selections you'll find at the lcbos too, It may beo worth calling these places to see if they have a craft beer section as some of them have all the beers you would buy at an lcbo anyways but are a bit easier to get too. As for things changing, The beer store is owned by anhuser-busch inbev, molson-coors, labatt, and sapporo... For this reason the beer store will always try to sell more of their brands than anything else. It is a monopoly that should be shut down but probably never will.
LCBO will be superior to the Beer store, I'd do some searches via there website and see if anything stands out and if any stores got what you are looking for. Beer store is generally more the bulk lager place to by beer. Individual bottles of craft, the LCBO is to way to go. I know the LCBO at Trafalgar Rd in Oakville and at Centre Mall in Hamilton would be small detours that are generally fairly good stores.
