Hi guys, In a couple weeks, I'll be driving from the UP to Wawa. Is there a good beer store along the way? (Highway 17, Canadian side of the Soo, etc.) Or, does anybody know if the Beer Store in Wawa has a decent selection? Looking to stock up for a fishing trip. Thank you in advance for the advice!
Wawa has 1500 people if that, and Bud or Buck a Beer is king up there. Soo Ontario has a remarkably shitty selection for a city it's size. Best bet is to grab something is Sault Ste Marie Michigan at the Corner Store or bring your own beer. http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/21710/ At least the Fishing should be good!
The Beer Store's website actually has a pretty decent store search function. Unfortunately, a cursory search (link) reveals that the Wawa outlet has almost nothing outside the realm of macro beer. The Soo outlets don't look much better. You can probably find some decent Ontario craft beers at an LCBO in the Soo, although the selection will probably be poor for a city of its size. The LCBO search function is less robust than the beer store's, but I can confirm that stores in the Soo have a few good beers from Flying Monkeys (Hoptical Illusion, Smashbomb, Netherworld), Cameron's (RPA), Muskoka (Mad Tom), Collective Arts (Saint of Circumstance, Rhyme & Reason), and Black Oak (10 Bitter Years, Saison). Red Racer IPA is one to keep an eye out for too. I've never beer shopped in the Soo, but just from making these queries, the LCBO with the best selection in town seems to be the one at Great Northern & Second Line. A local may be able to give you better information, though.
There is an LCBO on Great Northern Road heading to Wawa from Southern Ontario. If you are coming from Sudbury take the bypass and you will turn right on Great Northern Road at 2nd Line. Look for the LCBO on your right hand side around 500m down the road. Best selection in town. Anything north of that is basic beers and liquors only. Enjoy
