Brewing Master

Question:

Erik, Unibroue makes some of the best Belgian Style ales this side of the Atlantic.. Check’em out at:  http://www.unibroue.com/products/ Ciao

: Howdy all. : : My wife is heading back up to Ontario for a couple days this week and I : asked her to bring me some beer back. So of course my two questions are, how : much can legally be brought back down, and what are some recommendations? : She’s not a beer person so she wouldn’t know good from bad. : : On another note, the Taste of the Midwest in Madison WI was a hoot this past : weekend. Sadly we didn’t get to probably half of the vendors, but I suppose : that’s to be expected. There weren’t too many beers that really stood out, : however. Almost all the ones I sampled were good. A pumpkin ale was very : good, and a variety that I’ve never tried before. A Grand Cru was also quite : good. Sadly, I lost my paper that I was marking my favorites on, so I don’t : know the brewers of them. One that I do remember was a pale ale by the name : of Mad Hatter. Real good, and I’m happy to say, my recently brewed pale ale : is a spot on match, IMO. : : Already making plans for next year! : : Erik : :

Response:

A few years back you were allowed to bring 2 cases across the border. — Robin The Poconos

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howdy all. My wife is heading back up to Ontario for a couple days this week and I asked her to bring me some beer back. So of course my two questions are, how much can legally be brought back down, and what are some recommendations? She’s not a beer person so she wouldn’t know good from bad. On another note, the Taste of the Midwest in Madison WI was a hoot this past weekend. Sadly we didn’t get to probably half of the vendors, but I suppose that’s to be expected. There weren’t too many beers that really stood out, however. Almost all the ones I sampled were good. A pumpkin ale  was very good, and a variety that I’ve never tried before. A Grand Cru was also quite good. Sadly, I lost my paper that I was marking my favorites on, so I don’t know the brewers of them. One that I do remember was a pale ale by the name of Mad Hatter. Real good, and I’m happy to say, my recently brewed pale ale is a spot on match, IMO. Already making plans for next year! Erik

Response:

I live in London, Ontario and I haven’t ever had any particularly good Canadian brews.  I just got back from nearly a month in England and now I can barely stomach any of the Canadian beer (I took a two week course on brewing British real ales at Brewlab www.brewlab.co.uk – a great course!) The ones I tend to pick-up from the LCBO/ Beer Store are Upper Canada (Dark and Maple Brown ales), Lakes of Muskoka Dark Ale and Big Rock’s Traditional Ale.  I got Unibroue’s Maudite (?) a while ago but I honestly couldn’t drink more than two sips of it – *definitely not* to my taste!  Way too strong (8% abv?) / potent stuff for me

Response:

Thanks for the suggestions all, I’ll have her look for a couple of the mentioned ones, as well as try to find someone she works with up there to point her along the Good Path. Thanks again! Erik

Response:

Last I remeber, it was one liter of any type of alcohol. I remember vividly because I was told to either pour it out or go back across the border and find another way to dispose of it (burp). That was over 10 years ago though. Burp, -Dan

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howdy all. My wife is heading back up to Ontario for a couple days this week and I asked her to bring me some beer back. So of course my two questions are, how much can legally be brought back down, and what are some recommendations? She’s not a beer person so she wouldn’t know good from bad. On another note, the Taste of the Midwest in Madison WI was a hoot this past weekend. Sadly we didn’t get to probably half of the vendors, but I suppose that’s to be expected. There weren’t too many beers that really stood out, however. Almost all the ones I sampled were good. A pumpkin ale  was very good, and a variety that I’ve never tried before. A Grand Cru was also quite good. Sadly, I lost my paper that I was marking my favorites on, so I don’t know the brewers of them. One that I do remember was a pale ale by the name of Mad Hatter. Real good, and I’m happy to say, my recently brewed pale ale is a spot on match, IMO. Already making plans for next year! Erik

Response:

Well, I’m on the north side of the border.  When I go across, the amount that I can bring with me depends upon the time I spent in the US.  We must be there for more than 48 hours, then we can bring 24 – 355ml beer OR 1.5L wine OR 40oz hard booze across without paying additional duty.  As long as you’re not the driver, you can also bring as much as you can hold in your belly & bladder.  Just don’t push it too much, because the lineup at the border can get pretty long. The one liter allowance applies to beer as well?  Crap.  I suppose the original poster could look up the exact amounts on  US customs’ website. Kelvin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Last I remeber, it was one liter of any type of alcohol. I remember vividly because I was told to either pour it out or go back across the border and find another way to dispose of it (burp). That was over 10 years ago though. Burp, -Dan

Response:

Pete, Have you tried: Black Oak (out of Oakville) Pale Ale or Brown Ale Wellington Arkell, County Ale or Stout Church-Key Cameron’s Granite Brewery Dry Hopped Bitter or Peculiar (brew pub only since Hart went under) Niagara Gritstone McCauslan (available in ON but from PQ) Steam Whistle Creemore I live in London, Ontario and I haven’t ever had any particularly good Canadian brews.  I just got back from nearly a month in England and now I can barely stomach any of the Canadian beer (I took a two week course on brewing British real ales at Brewlab www.brewlab.co.uk – a great course!) The ones I tend to pick-up from the LCBO/ Beer Store are Upper Canada (Dark and Maple Brown ales), Lakes of Muskoka Dark Ale and Big Rock’s Traditional Ale.  I got Unibroue’s Maudite (?) a while ago but I honestly couldn’t drink more than two sips of it – *definitely not* to my taste!  Way too strong (8% abv?) / potent stuff for me

Just some suggestions, Geoff http://www3.sympatico.ca/harropscott/home.html

Response:

no, haven’t seen any of those around but if they’re any good than I’ll try too – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Pete, Have you tried: Black Oak (out of Oakville) Pale Ale or Brown Ale Wellington Arkell, County Ale or Stout Church-Key Cameron’s Granite Brewery Dry Hopped Bitter or Peculiar (brew pub only since Hart went under) Niagara Gritstone McCauslan (available in ON but from PQ) Steam Whistle Creemore

Response:

I am partial to Maudite and Le Fin du Monde.  Both are from Quebec and strong (~7%.)  I don’t live in Ontario, and I’m not familiar withtheir micro breweries.  Previous comments about Molson and Labatts are true.  Megaswill.  Better than most american megaswill, but stil in the same category. Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howdy all. My wife is heading back up to Ontario for a couple days this week and I asked her to bring me some beer back. So of course my two questions are, how much can legally be brought back down, and what are some recommendations? She’s not a beer person so she wouldn’t know good from bad. On another note, the Taste of the Midwest in Madison WI was a hoot this past weekend. Sadly we didn’t get to probably half of the vendors, but I suppose that’s to be expected. There weren’t too many beers that really stood out, however. Almost all the ones I sampled were good. A pumpkin ale  was very good, and a variety that I’ve never tried before. A Grand Cru was also quite good. Sadly, I lost my paper that I was marking my favorites on, so I don’t know the brewers of them. One that I do remember was a pale ale by the name of Mad Hatter. Real good, and I’m happy to say, my recently brewed pale ale is a spot on match, IMO. Already making plans for next year! Erik

Response:

Well, I live in Alberta & don’t know much about Ontario micros, but I can state the obvious:  don’t bother with Molson or Labatt products unless you like megaswill.  Sleeman brewery puts out a so-so product – they are a microbrewery that got too large, imho.  The cream ale & honey brown are ok general quaffing beers & they make a steam beer, a regular lager (megaswill) & a "dark" ale. I’d pick up anything that is not one of the above three brands, with preference on the ones that are not easily available in your area.  If you can’t readily find Unibroue’s products (from Quebec), grab those (unless you are not fond of the Belgian styles of beer).  I’ve had a few others, but many years ago, so I can’t comment as to the current quality of Ontario’s beers.  The Niagara Brewing co. beers were pretty good. Kelvin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howdy all. My wife is heading back up to Ontario for a couple days this week and I asked her to bring me some beer back. So of course my two questions are, how much can legally be brought back down, and what are some recommendations? She’s not a beer person so she wouldn’t know good from bad. On another note, the Taste of the Midwest in Madison WI was a hoot this past weekend. Sadly we didn’t get to probably half of the vendors, but I suppose that’s to be expected. There weren’t too many beers that really stood out, however. Almost all the ones I sampled were good. A pumpkin ale  was very good, and a variety that I’ve never tried before. A Grand Cru was also quite good. Sadly, I lost my paper that I was marking my favorites on, so I don’t know the brewers of them. One that I do remember was a pale ale by the name of Mad Hatter. Real good, and I’m happy to say, my recently brewed pale ale is a spot on match, IMO. Already making plans for next year! Erik

Response:

Howdy all. My wife is heading back up to Ontario for a couple days this week and I asked her to bring me some beer back. So of course my two questions are, how much can legally be brought back down, and what are some recommendations? She’s not a beer person so she wouldn’t know good from bad.

To which area is your wife heading? We have some strange beer distribution laws here in Ontario. The Beer Store is basically a beer selling monopoly owned by Ontario’s three biggest brewers, Labatt, Molson and Sleeman. If a small brewer wants their beer(s) sold through The Beer Store they must pay a fee of $n per brand, per package size, per store they want it sold in which can add up to many thousands of dollars. The only other option for them is to sell it through the LCBO outlets or right at the brewery. The LCBO outlets either don’t realize the perishable nature of beer or else they don’t care because it is very poorly handled and stored. However, there are a few good micros that do have their beer in some of The Beer Store outlets. If you go to http://www.thebeerstore.ca/about/the_beer_store.asp click on <Stores & Products then <Brands at The Beer Store, then search on <All Types & <Regional category you’ll get a list. Just be aware that many of those listed are faux-micros, brewed by the big three. There are some great beers brewed in Ontario, it’s just sometimes pretty hard to find them ;-(. Good luck, Ross.

Response:

Howdy all. My wife is heading back up to Ontario for a couple days this week and I asked her to bring me some beer back. So of course my two questions are, how much can legally be brought back down, and what are some recommendations? She’s not a beer person so she wouldn’t know good from bad. On another note, the Taste of the Midwest in Madison WI was a hoot this past weekend. Sadly we didn’t get to probably half of the vendors, but I suppose that’s to be expected. There weren’t too many beers that really stood out, however. Almost all the ones I sampled were good. A pumpkin ale  was very good, and a variety that I’ve never tried before. A Grand Cru was also quite good. Sadly, I lost my paper that I was marking my favorites on, so I don’t know the brewers of them. One that I do remember was a pale ale by the name of Mad Hatter. Real good, and I’m happy to say, my recently brewed pale ale is a spot on match, IMO. Already making plans for next year! Erik

Response: