Big Rock is brewed in Calgary. Some of the brews are available in the US. I even get some here in Texas. I couldn’t tell you if they are available in other provinces.
: Canadian BRANDS of beer that you buy in the US are NOT
: the same as when actually purchased IN Canada.The alcohol
: content in canadian SOLD beer is 7% (one of you SDMB
: Canucks correct me if my number is wrong).
Urban legend. The Buffalo News debunked the “Canadian beer sold in Canada has more alcohol than Canadian beer sold in the States” myth several years ago. Representatives from the "Big Three’ breweries all said the beer sold in the US is from the same batch as that sold in Canada – the labeling is a bit different; but that’s all. Some Canadian beers tend to go bad in the US because of improper storage – instead of being kept cold in the back of a Brewer’s Retail store, a case in the States may be kept warm, and stored under fluorescent light. Beer sold in green bottles tends to skunk more, too.
BTW, Stuff like Molson Golden and Labatt’s has 5% alcohol by volume. American light lagers (Budweiser, Coors) measure in at about 4.5%. American micros (excepting the majority of porters and stouts, which really don’t have much alcohol) usually have at least 5% alcohol.
Living in Denver, I’ve lost track of how many microbreweries and brewpubsare here. The vast majority of beers you’ll see on tap at any bar not patronized by those bearing mullets are brewed in Colorado. Order Coors, and odds are you’ll gey laughed at much like our intrepid Bass fan in London. Fort Collins seems to have more than its fair share of fantastic micro- and regional breweries.
Agreed. While visiting the US, I’ve seen them selling Canadian beer that is long out of date, and kept in poor conditions. The worst I’ve seen was in Schenectady NY, where a case of Old Vienna, brewed in Canada, carried a date code that stated that the case had rolled out of the brewery eight months previously. It was also in the bright, sunshiny window of the store. (I once worked for Ontario’s Brewers Retail, and had to learn to read date codes, so I could tell how old it was.) Since bottled beer is only good for about three months from date of shipment, and it hates sunlight, I gave it a pass.
Somebody was asking about alcohol content–the standard alcohol content of Canadian beer is 5% abv (alcohol by volume), though “light” or “lite” beers generally have 4% abv. Other even lighter beers are available (Molson Diamond is something like 3.2% abv, and Upper Canada Point Nine lives up to its name at 0.9% abv.) There are stronger ones too: ice beers are typically higher, and there are those that are just plain higher for those who want a bigger kick. But nothing too outrageous–the strongest are around 8% abv.
Oh, and I guess I should contribute a list of Canadian beers that are nothing like Blue, Ex, and Molson Canadian Lager; and more like good beer:
– Shaftesbury’s Cream Ale (British Columbia)
– Steamworks Brewpub IPA (Vancouver, BC)
– Big Rock Grasshopper (Alberta)
– Maudite (Quebec)
– Creemore Springs Lager (Ontario)
– Quidi Vidi 1842 (Newfoundland)
For standard bar lager and ale taps, you can never go wrong with Moosehead and Keith’s, respectively. Not sure what they do to those beers in NB and NS, but the result is terrific.
Hello, Denver! You’re right about your brewpubs–one of the best Pale Ales I’ve ever had came from the Wynkoop Brewery in LoDo. I was also so impressed by Odell’s 90 Shilling Ale from Fort Collins that I bought a case to bring home to Ontario. Now there’s a thought–bringing American beer back to Canada! Whodathunkit?
Is there really such a thing as a bad beer?
Personally, bitter and/or heavy beers really don’t agree with me. I find many Canadian beers superior to US beers in taste without being overly heavy or dry. Again, personal preference here, I’m lazy and don’t like to go chasing around for a particular “micro-brew”. Worse is the “seasonals”. Labatt Blue & Molson Golden are readily available most anywhere here in MN.
[QUOTE]
Seasonal beers?{/QUOTE]
Yeah… what’s the deal with “Bock” beers? Why do you see them less often these days?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Dr_Paprika *
**
MMmm mmmmm … some damn tasty Boch beers this Christmas here in Victoria!!
http://www.vanislandbrewery.com – Vancouver Island Brewery makes a seasonal Boch called Herminator.
A wonderfully rich and smooth beer, it ranks in at 9% and is only available at Christmas time (and only in the 700ml bottles). It is without a doubt the tastiest beer I have ever had! … it has become part of my Christmas rituals (I once traveled 500Km to have one and to bring more home).
I love beers from Big Rock, Shaftsbury, Sleemans, Nelson Brewery, Maudite and other Canadian microbreweries. The only big end brewery beer I can stand is Kokanee … and I will only drink that when nothing else is available.
As for beers like Blue, Bud, etc. … Bud is what, the King of Rice Beers?
Say it with me one time:
BARLEY, WATER, HOPS, YEAST!!!
Say it loud, say it proud!!
I like Moleson. And is it Ranier?
A good thread for Canadian Beers is The Canadian Beer Index