Samichlaus: keep out of reach of children
Yet another alcoholic beverage has been banned in Ontario for its apparent appeal to youngsters. This time, it’s an Austrian beer called Samichlaus, which means St. Nicholas in Swiss-German. Like Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Head Vodka and a string of other alcoholic beverages, Samichlaus was found to have breached advertising guidelines that prevent liquor packaging aimed at children. We would take this as a sign that anyone planning to sell alcohol in Ontario probably shouldn’t make their packaging look cool, but Samichlaus is actually pretty boring. The portrait of St. Nicholas looks less like a benevolent gift-bearer and more like the Player’s cigarette guy .
While even Aykroyd sympathized with the rationale behind the banning of his vodka in Ontario, the last time we checked the people who cared most about Santa Claus were toddlers—likely not consumers with a palate for the self-proclaimed “strongest lager beer in the world” (it clocks in at a potent 14 per cent). Besides, the six-year-old market has already been taken up by Hobgoblin, readily available at the LCBO.
• ‘Santa’ beer on Ontario’s naughty list [National Post]
The LCBO are morons. This is an old classic beer. Stay off the crack, LCBO. Or grow up.
May 28, 2010 at 4:24 pm | by RicoYet another reason we don’t need the LCBO….this Provincial Gov’t supported rip-off steals from the middle-class and gives to the to the overpaid management,double-dippers and politicians….all in the name of ‘Social Responsibility’ – I guess too many stupid people in this province that need to be governed by McGuinty’s merry band of idiots!
SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!
June 1, 2010 at 8:17 am | by Brian B. WolfHow imbecilic can you get? I can see it now…thousands of thirsty 6 year olds abandoning their cravings for chocolate milk and mysteriously finding themselves drawn to local beer stores begging to have 14% alcohol beer instead…because it’s got a 20 year old picture of Santa Claus on it. Yeah really big risk! Goodness me, can’t we get our frickin priorities straight in this province!
June 1, 2010 at 8:19 am | by PeteTime for the LCBO to get some competition and open up alcohol sales to the Supermarkets. It would be simple to police by only having designated checkouts for sales and staffed by somebody over 18.
June 1, 2010 at 11:10 am | by Victor WardLCBO is out of touch with reality. Whoever at LCBO make those decision need to get a life.
June 1, 2010 at 12:15 pm | by DCI thought the whole point of the LCBO is that it’s good at carding minors. Are they now admitting they can’t keep children from buying beer? The whole thing is absurd.
June 3, 2010 at 11:06 am | by Adam