I always encourage people to guest blog on this site if they have something that the masses need to hear. My good friend and roommate Mike has some important words for beer drinkers out there…
I would like to thank Palmer’s World for allowing me a guest entry on his blog. Let me start off this entry by saying if you live near Quebec; NEVER BUY BEER IN ONTARIO AGAIN. For those of you that are nowhere near the Quebec or the US border keep reading but I warn you that this may be disappointing to read.
My good friend André and his wonderful fiancée Annique will be tying the knot this August in southern Ontario. Wishing to send André off in a manner befitting of a person who loves the outdoors and who grew up in Elliot Lake, the groomsmen thought it would be best to surprise him buy taking him camping for the long weekend. My role in the organization of this weekend was to take care of the beer.
Having never been personally, but remembering his co-workers talking about it, Palmer suggested I look into this place called “Le Roi des Bières”. (Insert lights shining down from the heavens and the sounds of a chorus singing in the distance). After a bit of digging, I find out that this place is located across the bridge in Aylmer. For those of you not familiar with the Quebec system, you buy beer from convenient stores or “Dépanneur” in French. As I walked in right next to cash register and the rack of chips was a wall of beer. As I kept walking towards the back of the store, I found a door to their awesome walk-in cooler. The cooler was about the size of my living room and chalk full of pallets and shelves of beer which naturally brought a smile to my face.
The most AMAZING thing about all of this experience was the price. Cases of premium beer were going for the same price as buck a bottle beer. A case of Heineken which normally retails for $45.45 was selling for $33. The top 10 brands found in Ontario which retail on average for $36.50 were selling for $22.50 plus deposit. In the end I bought 25 cases of beer for $670. To buy the exact same order in Ontario would have cost us and additional $240.
I don’t know that I will ever be able to buy a $36 case of beer again. For anyone that lives near Aylmer I urge you to check this place out.
Editor’s Note: Let it be known that in order to save money this summer, I am starting a beer fund so that we can buy a few cases in bulk and keep them in the basement to keep cool. However, this may be a re occurrence of what happened when Carrie and I bottled our own wine and instead of having one bottle at dinner, we would have three. It was a bad scene. But oh so fun. Thanks to Mike for giving some good tips and great story for the site today. Come back soon Mike! You are full of great commentary.
