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| Your blog author hoists a sample of the good stuff at Granville Island Brewery in Vancouver earlier this year. Photo: Greg Robinson |
Of course, expert beer drinkers — that is to say, most of the adult Canadian population — know that you cannot have just one favourite beer. There is a beer for after the ball game; a beer with chile; a beer you drink while watching Hockey Night In Canada; a beer at lunch on Saturday after your morning chores are done; a beer for fishing; a beer for poker; a beer for drinking with the boss; a beer when you're drinking one with your wife. In short: Any expert beer drinker has several favourite beers.
Mind you, on any beer drinker's list, there will be some trends: You are either a fan of craft brewers or you're happy with what the giants brew. You are with Molson or you are with Labatt. You ask for ale or you must have lager.
For the record, then, I seek out craft brewers but when I need a giant, his name is John Molson, and I'll gladly drink an ale or lager.
But today I'd rather have a stout. Which brings me to my new favourite beer. While picking up a case of Wellington Brewery's Honey Lager this afternoon, I spied what is called St. Ambroise Black in my local Brewers' Retail. A colleague of mine is a fan of the stuff brewed by McAuslan Brewing, the Montreal brewery behind the St. Ambroise brand, and I happened to be in the mood for a stout. St. Ambroise Black is actually an oatmeal stout.
Well, it was good call, if i do say so myself. It's good enough that I'm adding it to the rotation of beers I routinely purchase.
Here is my list, in no particular order. Feel free to post yours in the comment section here.:
Okay, I have been lurking for some time and enjoying every minute. But when it comes to such a serious topic as beer, I cannot remain silent.
As a bit of a beer aficionado, I would like to agree with your assessment of McAuslan Brewery. I have a particular fondness for the Peach Wheat Beer, particularly in the summer. Very nice on a hot day. The Oatmeal Stout is quite heavy. You almost want to use a knife and fork.
If ever given the chance, I would recommend beer from a small microbrewery in Campbellford, Ont., called Church Key. Yes, this is a local brewery for those of us lucky to live in Northumberland County, east of Toronto. the operation is housed in an old Methodist Church. It brews some great lager and ale, along with a few seasonal beers. The Chocolate Porter is excellent. So is the Cranberry Maple Ale.
How could you forget Quidi Vidi Brewery's 1812 traditional ale? Shame on you.
http://www.newfoundlandbeer.com/
Cheers to you,
Greg
Good list – I'd gladly join you in a glass of any of those, with the possible exception of the Kilkenny (gives me headaches).
If you've not yet checked out the Distillery District, I'd highly seeing if your local LCBO has any of their Mill St. brews in stock. They do a fantastic Coffee Porter (with a wonderful dark roast/chocolate base note) and an equally splendid Tankhouse Ale (dry and hoppy, like a fine English bitter). Great on draft at the distillery, but also damn fine from their retro stubby bottles.
Other favourites I'd add:
Fuller's London Pride
Old Speckled Hen
Fiddler's Elbow
Hacker-Pschorr
Duvel
Just about anything produced by the Unibroue beer gods
And finally…Guinness.
I know you already have Guinness on your list – but there's Guinness and then there's the pint of Guinness served on a golden autumn day at O'Flaherty's in Dingle, complete with a plate of salmon and soda bread. Transcendant.
Excellent post. What size are those beer glasses, by the way? Is that BC standard?
Alan
A Good Beer Blog.
Those are taste test size at the brewery on Granville Island. For a very reasonable sum, you get four of those, each filled with a few gulpfuls of your chosen four brews. That way you can get a good healthy sample of a variety of beers without feeling like you want lie down and have a nap!
Weihenstephaner Weissbier… has no equal in this world. Done the pilgrimmage twice. I'm sure God was sitting at the table beside me! Prosit!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihenstephan_Abbey
Adding in Trafalgar Ales’ Smoked Oatmeal Stout. Enjoying a glass of that on New Year’s Eve 2011/2012.
David, this is a good start. I need to recommend Picaroons from Fredericton, NB. I will send some if necessary.
Oh, David – no list is complete without Chimay (http://www.chimay.com/en/en.html?IDC=27, Grande Réserve especially), Boréale cuivrée (http://www.lemondedesbieres.com/bieres/boreale-cuivree.html) and Fin du monde (http://www.unibroue.com/en/beers/la_fin_du_monde/). Also: Belle Gueule Pilsner and Creemore Pilsner.