New Ownership at Premier

[chicanuck]

I am new to Premier within the last year or so, I love the IPA selection but have they ever stocked any IPA's from Stone Brewery or maybe Bell's Hopslam....pretty common craft IPA selections at specialty beer stores down in the US.

This request may be more difficult, any chance at importing anything from 3 Floyd's Brewery out of Munster, IN. I have never see this beer outside the mid-west, perhaps their production is too small.

[chalmers]

Sorry chi-man, those awesome breweries' beers have never been at Premier.

[LiverDance]

They bring in Lagunitas from the west coast so you would figure they have the capabilities to do it. Hey Johnathan, what say you about getting some more west coast beers like Stone or some more east coast stuff like Founders?

[jonathanwil]

Will look into it!
JW

[LiverDance]

They bring in Lagunitas from the west coast so you would figure they have the capabilities to do it. Hey Johnathan, what say you about getting some more west coast beers like Stone or some more east coast stuff like Founders?

Another one to mention is Bell's as mentioned above; thanks for checking into these

[chicanuck]

Good call on the Founders, during a New England trip last month I had the All Day IPA and Breakfast Stout. They were on the opposite ends of the spectrum but both were very good, I would love to see them at Premier.

[BobbyOK]

Biggest issue with the larger, more well know craft outfits in the US is they can't meet demand in the US, so won't ship to Canada. Stone, Dogfish Head, 3 Floyd's, and I suspect Bell's would fall in that category too. Some, like Sierra Nevada, won't ship without guarantees on refrigeration throughout the distribution chain. So unfortunately beyond the control of the retailer in those cases. Founders may be an option where they recently started shipping to Ontario, though.

[mr x]

Definitely. They do have some neat stuff though. Anderson Valley ipa and barrel stout were excellent.

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[chalmers]

Definitely. They do have some neat stuff though. Anderson Valley ipa and barrel stout were excellent.

(Which are back now, in case you haven't been in lately)

[Jimmy]

Definitely. They do have some neat stuff though. Anderson Valley ipa and barrel stout were excellent.

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Indeed they were!

Are there any other Anderson Valley beers in stock?

[chalmers]

Indeed they were!

Are there any other Anderson Valley beers in stock?

In addition to those two, I believe the Amber and Stout are also back (based on my memory, and the website tonight).

[mumblecrunch]

Not sure if anyone has heard anything along these lines, but I was at a private wine tasting a couple weeks back where Bishop's Cellar was the purveyor. I mentioned craft beer and the rep doing the tasting said that Bishop's is planning to start bringing in some more craft beer, specifically some either not or no longer available at Premier.

Thought it was good to hear that another vendor is planning on expanding selection.


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[Elm City Hobbies]

Biggest issue with the larger, more well know craft outfits in the US is they can't meet demand in the US, so won't ship to Canada. Stone, Dogfish Head, 3 Floyd's, and I suspect Bell's would fall in that category too. Some, like Sierra Nevada, won't ship without guarantees on refrigeration throughout the distribution chain. So unfortunately beyond the control of the retailer in those cases. Founders may be an option where they recently started shipping to Ontario, though.

What difference would it make if it was refrigerated throughout the distribution chain, when most beer stores don't have them refrigerated. Been to many different stores all down through New England, and while they do keep some cold so you can walk in, pick up a 6 and take it home to drink cold, most of it is on the shelf at room temp. So the refrigeration thing would make no difference.

[Elm City Hobbies]

Not sure if anyone has heard anything along these lines, but I was at a private wine tasting a couple weeks back where Bishop's Cellar was the purveyor. I mentioned craft beer and the rep doing the tasting said that Bishop's is planning to start bringing in some more craft beer, specifically some either not or no longer available at Premier.

Thought it was good to hear that another vendor is planning on expanding selection.


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I was into Premier last weekend when I was in Halifax for the day. Seems like their selection was down compared to last April when I was down. Anyone else notice that? When I was down a year ago all the beer was on the main level, and they seemed to have more and better selection. This year all of the beer (with the exception of the table out front) was on the upper level, and selection seemed to be down. Still had a decent selection, and lots of stuff that ANBL wouldn't even think of trying to bring in, and I still managed to drop about $200 there, but just seemed to be less selection than a year ago.

[Jayme]

Yup they have significantly less selection since the change of ownership. Staff is less knowledgeable about the products too it seems - at least the ones I've dealt with. Jonathan from the store was posting in this thread a while back essentially saying the selection will be back to what it was and more, but as of yet this has not happened. Around this time last year, I was going in weekly for new offerings posted on the facebook page, and now it's more like less than once a month. They certainly have been taking far fewer of my dollars and I would imagine many others, but maybe that is a much smaller number than I think and it's actually more profitable to stock less offerings and cater to the masses rather than the beer geeks.

Anyway, as you said, still lots of good beer. Just not the constantly changing or overall selection there once was.

[BobbyOK]

Biggest issue with the larger, more well know craft outfits in the US is they can't meet demand in the US, so won't ship to Canada. Stone, Dogfish Head, 3 Floyd's, and I suspect Bell's would fall in that category too. Some, like Sierra Nevada, won't ship without guarantees on refrigeration throughout the distribution chain. So unfortunately beyond the control of the retailer in those cases. Founders may be an option where they recently started shipping to Ontario, though.

What difference would it make if it was refrigerated throughout the distribution chain, when most beer stores don't have them refrigerated. Been to many different stores all down through New England, and while they do keep some cold so you can walk in, pick up a 6 and take it home to drink cold, most of it is on the shelf at room temp. So the refrigeration thing would make no difference.

I agree it shouldn't, but in the US system where they sell to distributors rather than to retailers directly (the rigidly enforced 3 tier system) they'd have less of a choice.

[BobbyOK]

As for selection, I popped in today and felt the same as the recent posters. Smaller selection and the only thing new to me was the Ladies Beer League collaboration. I realize transitions take time, but my reservations about the new ownership remain.