Beer!

It’s not what I’m used to... if I want a beer in Melbourne I just go to the liquor department of the local supermarket, or a local bottleshop or pub. In Ontario there are only two places I can buy beer, and really there’s only one unless I want to pay an arm and a leg. All booze is sold through a government owned and operated chain of stores called the LCBO... Liquor Control Board of Ontario. If you want wine, spirits or anything alcoholic you have to go here (no competition does make the prices a little higher than I might have expected). They do sell beer at the LCBO but your can only buy in six-packs, if you want a slab you buy 4 six-packs and pay 4 time the price, no discount. If you want beer you do have another choice, you go to The Beer Store, another chain of stores, this time owned by the Canadian breweries. Here all you can buy is beer (nothing else, hence the name), and lots of different types, well over 100 brews. The LCBO buys their beer from the Beer Store... so the higher prices at the LCBO.

So far I’ve bought and enjoyed Steam Whistle, a nice pilsener, Sleeman Honey Brown, a dark golden lager, and Moosehead. The local staples, Lablatt and Molson haven’t had a go yet but they’re next on the list. Some other interesting local customs are -

1. Calling a slab ‘24’. As in ‘$24 for 24, plus deposit’.
2. ‘Deposit?’ I hear you ask... you remember when we were kids that you got money for returning softdrink bottles... they still do in SA right? (Remember that Seinfeld episode with Kramer and Newman crossing the border with a mailtruck full of empties?) Well empty stubbies have a bounty attached, you pay upfront a deposit per bottle and get it back for returns... I’m considering getting a ute :-).

Matter a fact I’ve got it now....