Doing my part for the 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada was a real pleasure this summer.
While I understand the protests against the celebration, I think we can acknowledge the flaws in our nation’s history and systems while at the same time celebrating the beautiful aspects of Canada. I choose to celebrate Canadian beer.
Specifically, during my summer vacation July 1 to August 27 I tasted 150 new Canadian ales, lagers and lagered ales
- in and from 7 provinces: QC (45), AB (30), BC (22), ON (19), NS (16), NB (11), PE (7)
- in Montreal, Ottawa, Moncton, Charlottetown, Halifax, Calgary, Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, Jasper, Prince George, and Smithers
- brewed in 71 breweries (see list at the bottom)
- of 49 different styles
- at 13 of the breweries/brewpubs and numerous pubs, restaurants and homes
- with great chats with Amber, Kevin B, Danny, Marco, Kevin S, Robi/Sandi and NB gang, Dean/Paul/Trevor, Dallas/Jae/Andrea/Greg, April/Gabriel, Jasen/Heather, Bryan, Jordan, Kevin O, Blaise (rootbeer), Debby, astronomer Kevin, Melaney, the propane campfire crew in Smithers, the eclectic crew in the basement at Waller St. in Ottawa, the couple from Ontario travelling west in Jasper.
Top 9 beer:
- Hu Jon Hops – New England IPA from Trailways (NB)
- Livery Stable Blues – wild saison from Waller St (ON)
- Le Moine Féral – soured tripel from Le Castor (QC)
- Imperial Black Berliner Weisse – from Pit Caribou (QC)
- Dernière Volonté Refermenté Avec Brett – soured Belgian IPA from Dieu du Ciel (QC)
- Fog Lights North East IPA – New England IPA from Tatamagouche (NS)
- Prairie Pride – wheat saison from Tool Shed (AB)
- La Kombu Royale – imperial porter from Pit Caribou (QC)
- Abricot – wild fruit ale from Le Castor (QC)
So Cheers! to the brewers, servers, and to the many folks who raised glasses with me this beautiful summer! And Cheers! to Untappd which helped me both track down beer and track my discoveries.
Breweries:
- A l’Abri de la Tempête
- Alley Kat Brewing Co.
- Annex Ale Project
- Auberge Sutton Brouërie
- Barkerville Brewing Co.
- Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.
- Belgh Brasse
- Benelux Brasserie Artisanale
- Big Rock Brewery
- Blindman Brewing
- Boiling Oar Brewing
- Bore City Brewing
- Brasseurs de Petit-Sault
- Brasseurs du Monde
- Breton Brewing Co.
- Canuck Empire Brewing
- Charlevoix
- Common Crown Brewing
- Coulee Brew Co.
- Creemore Springs
- CrossRoads Brewing
- Dead Frog Brewery
- Dieu de Ciel!
- Dominion City
- Du Lac Saint-Jean
- Dunham
- Four Winds Brewing
- Granite Brewing
- Grimross Brewing Co.
- Half Hitch Brewing Co.
- Hell’s Basement Brewery
- High Line Brewing
- Hoyne Brewing
- Jasper Brewing Co.
- L’Espace Public – Brasseurs de Quartier
- Le Castor
- Le Naufrageur
- Le Temps d’une Pinte – Microbrasserie des Trois Rivières
- Le Trou de Diable
- Les Brasseurs de Montréal
- Les Trois Mousquetaires – LTM
- Maybee Brewing Co.
- McAuslan
- Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
- PEI Brewing Company (Gahan)
- Pit Caribou
- Propeller Brewing Co.
- R&B Brewing
- Ribstone Creek Brewery
- Rock Bottom Brewpub
- Roof Hound
- Russell Brewing Co.
- Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse
- Siboire
- Siding 14 Brewing Co.
- Stillwell
- Tatamagouche Brewing Co.
- The Dandy Brewing Co.
- Theoretically Brewing Co.
- Three Ranges Brewing Co.
- Tide & Boar
- Tool Shed Brewing Co.
- Trailway Brewing
- Troubled Monk Brewery
- Uncle Leo’s Brewery
- Unfiltered
- Upstreet Craft Brewing
- Village Brewery
- Waller Street
- Wheelhouse Brewing Co.
- Wood Buffalo Brewing Co.