Hack&Lube opens CP's new unofficial official beer store - Page 6 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Mazrim · 05-07-2017, 05:03 PM

Great to meet you today Hack&Lube! Thanks for the guided tour of the store and all the beers. I'm currently drinking that Green Tea & Wasabi beer and well...it's basically the Lobster Ale thing. If it's there, it's not too noticeable.

I bought a variety of singles to try out and a growler of the porter. Love the store and love how easy it is to get there! I'll definitely come back again.

zukes · 05-07-2017, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csnarpy

Hack&Lube you've got a great store, I met your partner and he knew who I was as soon as I asked for all 18 of your Alahambra's, Lol.

He also asked if I had any suggestions for other brands, you would do your best. Couldn't think of one then but now I remember a favourite of mine when I was posted in Germany.

Our favourite, back then, was Budweiser Budvar also known as Czechvar. This is really good Czech beer. I havn't had it since the late 90s.

If you manage this one... Oh my..

Thanks again for the beer! I'm literally sipping a bottle of it on my deck as I type this.

If you get Czechvar make sure it's the B: original and not the 120 B Story. My local LCBO didn't seem to know that there was a difference, but the Original is awesome, the 120 B Story is dry, over carbonated crap.

Czechvar is good, but the best Czech beer in my opinion is Pilsner Urquell.

If I'm ever back in Calgary, I will make a trip there for sure!

Hack&Lube · 05-07-2017, 05:57 PM

I just realized I accidentally filled someone's double IPA growler from the wrong tap. If it was one of you, just come back in an I'll get you another fill!

Thanks to everyone who dropped by this weekend and sorry to Ben_in_Canada to not recognizing "FATAING BEER" in his Aussie accent!

Flabbibulin · 05-07-2017, 06:08 PM

Hey Hack & lube- thought I asked this earlier in the thread, but I guess not. Do you know if Stone brewing is completely out of Alberta now? I know it was a big deal when they started distributing here a few years ago, but guessing the prices have made it unsustainable. Sucks that we are down to so few southern California breweries being distributed in Alberta given they are (fighting words) masters of the IPA.

Puppet Guy · 05-07-2017, 06:58 PM

Just found out that my oldest has a party in that area next Sunday, so me and Mrs Puppet will come by and buy beer. Looking forward to it!

Hack&Lube · 05-07-2017, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

Hey Hack & lube- thought I asked this earlier in the thread, but I guess not. Do you know if Stone brewing is completely out of Alberta now? I know it was a big deal when they started distributing here a few years ago, but guessing the prices have made it unsustainable. Sucks that we are down to so few southern California breweries being distributed in Alberta given they are (fighting words) masters of the IPA.

The prices and tariffs have made some imported beers expensive.

I checked and some of their range seems like it could still be available through the importer that was doing it but it seems limited. Which one are you looking for?

Locke · 05-08-2017, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aeneas

That was a fun visit.

Bought a six pack of Fruh Kolsch.

I like German Weisse Biers, so decided to stray from Erdinger and Konig Ludwig and will try out:
Schoffehofer hefeweizen
Rieder Weisse
Maisel's Weisse
Hacker-Pschorr Weisse

Took almost all the Slovak options. They had Golden Pheasant and Urpiner.

A couple Czech beers: Lech and Staropramen.

The real wild card of my visit is a beer from Montenegro: Niksick (or something) Pivo.

Looking forward to all of them. I also love the make your own six pack option.

Good luck, and nice to meet you and your partner.

Party at Aeneas' house!

WhiteTiger · 05-08-2017, 10:17 AM

I don't drink, but my wife is sure a fan of small batch local brews. Gonna bring her by later today, and see what she thinks of the place.

Flabbibulin · 05-08-2017, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

The prices and tariffs have made some imported beers expensive.

I checked and some of their range seems like it could still be available through the importer that was doing it but it seems limited. Which one are you looking for?

Probably just their main IPA. I liked their Delicious IPA and Go to IPA as well, but their standard IPA is about as classic a west coast IPA as you can get- very hop forward with little to no malt. Pretty similar to Ballast Point Sculpin though, which is found just about everywhere, so Im not fretting the loss of the Stone IPA too much. Their "enjoy by" series is amazing, as it insures you are getting a fresh IPA, something that rarely happens with the imported IPAs it seems. Understandable though- bringing in all these expensive IPAs, which have an ideal shelf life of six months, and hoping to get them sold asap would be tricky. Easier to import the styles that have a long shelf life and can sit around indefinitely. I recall buying an six of an imported IPA, from a fairly well known liquor chain, only to get home and see that the drink by date was over 2 years past.

Anyway, no big deal. Happy to come pay a visit and see what you guys already have. Im a fan of all styles.

WhiteTiger · 05-08-2017, 01:54 PM

Took my wife there, and she loved it. Your partner was knowledgeable and friendly, and she's quite impressed and will be going back for sure. Loves having "a much needed store like this" in the NE. She got a couple local brews, but some of the international stuff was catching her eye.

SportsJunky · 05-09-2017, 01:54 PM

Bump.

I have a friend who was in and raved about the Beer Vault's selection. Very impressive.

Now that you have some time on your hands Hack&Lube, I hope you can get the ecommerce side of the business up and running. I'll support you from outside of the province.

Locke · 05-09-2017, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

Bump.

I have a friend who was in and raved about the Beer Vault's selection. Very impressive.

Now that you have some time on your hands Hack&Lube, I hope you can get the ecommerce side of the business up and running. I'll support you from outside of the province.

Where are you now?

FLAMESRULE · 05-09-2017, 02:09 PM

Awesome shop Hack&Lube...bit of an oddball but do you happen to have any non-alcoholics other than the standard crap of Odouls/Prohibition etc??

wookster · 05-09-2017, 03:40 PM

Why am I just seeing this now??? I live in the south but am planning to make the trip up to check this out on the weekend and get me some good beer. Would you happen to have any beer from the Bad Tattoo Brewery in Penticton? Their beer is fantastic.

Even if you don't I'm still probably gonna show up

Bill Bumface · 05-09-2017, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kybosh

I had Niksicko in Montenegro. All the main stream beers (pivo) in that region tasted the same to me (Ozujsko, Karlovacko etc.). All are pretty good though.

Plus they're WAY better sold the local way... In a giant plastic bottle

KTrain · 05-09-2017, 04:15 PM

Google and Facebook reviews really help new businesses so if you've been to the store, take a couple minutes to write a review.

FanIn80 · 05-09-2017, 05:01 PM

What about offerings of the non-alcoholic variety?

The best I've been able to find anywhere so far is this stuff: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32/11093

It's night and day better than the Budweiser Prohibition stuff, but that's not really saying much.

Canehdianman · 05-11-2017, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

What about offerings of the non-alcoholic variety?

The best I've been able to find anywhere so far is this stuff: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32/11093

It's night and day better than the Budweiser Prohibition stuff, but that's not really saying much.

when my wife was pregnant she was drinking Erdinger Alkoholfrei. I tried some, it was the closest to actual beer that I've ever tried.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/703/7211/

Hockeyguy15 · 05-11-2017, 08:48 PM

Finished my beer from last visit, which works perfectly since I'm off tomorrow and I'll swing by.

Ducay · 05-11-2017, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

when my wife was pregnant she was drinking Erdinger Alkoholfrei. I tried some, it was the closest to actual beer that I've ever tried.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/703/7211/

Its pretty good - my wife did the same, but a caveat its not fully alcohol "free", so some caution should still be exercised at certain key points in pregnancy with the volume going down.

Definitely miles better than Odouls/Prohibition if you want real beer flavor. If you're just jonesing for a "cheap lager" taste, stick to Odouls.