
Edmonton International BeerFest
If you are a beer lover, chances are you have heard stories about your favorite beverage. What you may not know is that some of the stories that you have been hearing are falsehoods, not facts. The next time you reach into your refrigerator to grab a brewski, there you should be able to tell the difference between the facts and fiction.
1. Temperature Can Skunk the Beer
Many brewski drinkers believe that if the temperature of the liquid fluctuates, it will have a negative effect on the taste. This is not true. When the beverage is brewed, the breweries fill the bottles and cans with a cold ale. It usually stays cold when it is delivered to the store. There are many stores who will put the product on the store floor until it is purchased. Finally, when you get your drinks home, you put it in the refrigerator. Through all of these temperature changes, the beverage won’t lose its taste. One thing that will skunk the brewski is sunlight. This is why many breweries use brown bottles. Clear bottles and green bottles allow the contents to be exposed to light and making them taste like skunk. This is why many breweries don’t use these color bottles.
2. Bottles Are Better Than Cans
There are many people who think that bottled brewskies are better than cans. Part of the reason for this myth is that most craft beers are usually in a bottle. What you may not know is that craft beers brewers are using cans more often. Some people say that canned brewskis have a metallic taste. While this was true years ago, breweries now use a chemical liner in the can. This will prevent the contents from tasting like metal. The truth is that cans are better. They are lighter which saves on shipping costs which is why cans are cheaper than bottles. Cans are also more recyclable. In addition, cans are often sold at sporting events and establishments where glass bottles are not allowed. Finally, cans are not transparent, therefore, the contents cannot be exposed to the sunlight which can have a negative effect on the taste.
3. Dark Beers Are Stronger and More Bitter
All dark brewskis are not stronger and more bitter than light ones. While some dark beers are, there are some dark beers that are just dark in color as a result of the malt that is used and it won’t affect the taste. When it comes to the strength of your favorite brand, color has nothing to do with it. Stronger beers will have more sugar in the initial wort. This can occur in both dark and light beers and it all depends on how it is fermented.
4. Beer Needs To Be Served Ice Cold
There are many people who won’t drink a brewski unless it is ice cold because they believe that it should be. The truth is that this beverage can be cold, but if it is too cold, it can mask the flavor. There is a certain formula that you should follow based on the type that you are drinking.
- American Larger: Serving temperature- 34 degrees
- Stout: Serving temperature- 55 degrees also known a cellar temperature
- Craft Beers: Serving temperature 40 to 55 degrees
5. A Beer’s Foam Is Your Enemy
Most people believe that a perfectly poured brewski won’t have any foam at the top. These people hate the thought of sifting through the foam to get to the actual drink. This is actually a myth. A good glass of suds will have a finger and a half of head on the top. This foam will actually trap the flavor and the aroma of the beverage in the glass. While some head is good, too much is bad. If you have too much head in your glass, it will release too much carbonation, resulting in a flat drink. The foam in a brewski is just 25 percent beer. If your glass is half foam, you won’t be getting as much brewski as you are paying for.
6. Wine Is More Complex Than Most Beers
Most brewski drinkers have at least one friend who says they won’t drink a few beers because it is too simple. This is not true. Brewskis has over 700 different flavor profiles while wine has only half that amount. Therefore, a brewski is more complex than wine.
7. ”Beers Before Liquor, Never Been Sicker”
There is a drinking saying that many people abide by. It says, “Beers before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beers, in the clear.” This saying is right and it is wrong. There are no components in liquor and a few beers that make it better to drink one first. However, if you are at home sipping on a few beers, you will get a small buzz. When you get to the bar and you start drinking shots, you get drunk after the fact. If you are at home drinking shots, you will be drunk when you get to the bar and you are more likely to sip your brewski.
If you love to have a few cold beers on a night out, you should know the facts and the fiction regarding your favorite alcoholic beverage.
Our annual BeerFest in Edmonton offers some of the best selections from the micro brewing community. Tickets for the 2018 International Beerfest are on sale now! Buy tickets today before the event sells out!
Brewing is an ancient art that can be traced back to the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, mankind’s oldest civilization. When humans were first beginning their transition from hunters to an agricultural sedentary lifestyle approximately 10,000 years ago, the Sumerians started brewing. The first Europeans to make beer were the Germanic tribes of the Bronze Age, around 2,000-700 B.C. Much has changed since then but the basics of the brewing craft have remained the same.
Local brewers are keeping this ancient art alive. Their beer is the product of refinement over millenia of experimentation, tradition, and knowledge transmitted from generation to generation. Their beer has the true taste of the ages.
What is a craft brewery? A brewery must be independent, traditional, and small to be called craft. Small means a production of less than two million barrels of beer per year. Independent means that no more than 25 percent is controlled or owned by another company.
Brewing beer is an art form and it is the local brewers that help maintain this art. The real art of making beer is mastered by the local handmade breweries that make smaller batches of beer in a more traditional way.
These locally owned breweries deliver better social value than the global companies. From an economic point of view the local breweries have impact on the local communities contributing with wages, taxes, and expenditures to the economic well being of the communities. Local brewery ownership is a mean of community building.
From a social and cultural point of view the local breweries keep alive a tradition and an ancient craft. Local breweries are our neighbors. Some of them are also brewpubs, places where beer lovers can enjoy the beverage in their own neighborhood. A brewpub is not only locally owned but actually make the beers that it
sells.
The ownership of breweries by faraway global corporations is alienating. People would rather seek out the intimate experience provided by brewpubs. The majority of the patrons of those brewpubs appreciate the social interaction combined with the alcohol consumption.
Going local is a trendy concept and it applies to beer as well. You can help support your local breweries by buying local crafted beer at your local store or visiting one of their establishments.
Edmonton’s International BeerFest, TravelGurus.ca and Contiki.com are giving away an INCREDIBLE trip for two to Oktoberfest 2014. We are accepting entries online via our Facebook page but will also be taking entries at the show if you arrive before 7pm!
This amazing trip is valued at over $3000 and includes:
Exclusive Accommodations for 2
- 4 nights twin or triple-share hotel accommodation
- Regular free coach transfers from accommodation to festival site
- Return coach transfer from London to Munich including ferry crossings
- Contiki Oktoberfest t-shirt
Exclusive Team
- Experienced & professional Contiki Oktoberfest Team & Tour Drivers
- Day trip to the moving Dachau concentration camp memorial
- Guided walking tour of Munich: See Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel, the Rathaus, Munich Residenz, Frauenkirche & Viktulienmarkt
Exclusive Food for 2
Exclusive Inclusions for 2
- See the White Cliffs of Dover
- Guided walking tour of Munich: See Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel, the Rathaus, Munich Residenz, Frauenkirche & Viktualienmarkt
Day 1 LONDON TO MUNICH
Meet up with your Contiki team before we hit the road & get ready for a week of fun at one of the world’s most famous festivals, Oktoberfest. We’ll make our way through the English countryside past the White Cliffs of Dover to catch our ferry across the channel. Chat to your new travel buddies and catch up on some sleep as we journey overnight towards Munich, the home of Oktoberfest.
Overnight Coach
- See the White Cliffs of Dover
Day 2 ARRIVE MUNICH
Wake up in the pumping city of Munich, home to Oktoberfest. On arrival, we make a stop at the hotel, where we’ll stay for the tour. Later, if you’re feeling up to it, check out Munich & get the party started!
Hotel
Days 3-5 MUNICH
There’s so much to see & do in this city, so make the most of your time here. Oktoberfest has been an annual event in the Bavarian calendar for more than 200 years, so make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action.
Take your place at one of the festival tents & get into all that is Oktoberfest. If you’re feeling like going local then girls don a Dirndl & guys get into your Lederhosen (traditional costume) to really get into the spirit. Food is also a central part of the festival & not to be missed. Try some German treats like Pretzels, Wurst, Sauerkraut or pork knuckle, there really is something to tantalise any taste buds here. If you feel like a bit of time out from the buzzing beer halls, head to the market stalls for some other German treats. A huge amusement park is also a feature of the festival so don’t forget to jump on some rides while you’re here.
From the central Marienplatz (market square) there’s heaps of other things to do & see while you’re here. Located right in the heart of the city, it’s a hub for shopping, has a variety of places to eat & many historic sights within easy reach. Marienplatz is also home to the Old & New Town Halls, once the centre of the political heart of Munich. There’s also the spectacular Hirschgarten nearby, with its amazing 8000 seat beer garden. Don’t miss out on a visit to Olympic Park, home to the 1972 Olympic Games, where you can climb the Olympic Tower for awesome city views. There’s also the option to join a guided bike tour and see the famous sights as you learn the fascinating history of the city.
If seeing some history is on your agenda, then don’t miss the Alter Hof, Munich’s medieval castle, one of the most beautiful locations in the city, or you could Or ask your Contiki team for some other tips on things to do in the quaint nearby towns & villages.
If you’re feeling like a day out & about, explore even more of Europe while you’re here. A day trip to the Dachau Memorial Concentration camp is just one of the options Contiki offer if you feel like something different.
Hotel Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast
- Guided walking tour of Munich: See Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel, the Rathaus, Munich Residenz, Frauenkirche & Viktualienmarkt
- Optional trip to the moving Dachau concentration camp memorial
- Munich Bike Tour
Euro 20.00
- Munich Bike Tour
Euro 20.00
Day 6 MUNICH TO LONDON
Say farewell to the fun times had in Germany as we head back to Calais to board the ferry back to England. Your tour ends upon arrival in London where its time to say farewell to your new friends.
Breakfast
For more details check out the package on Contiki.com:
** Airfare to London is not included, $250 airfare credit is provided for each person.
Our friends at Gadventures and Travel Gurus are giving away a trip for 2 to Thailand! Visit the Gadventures & Travel Gurus Booth at the 2018 Edmonton International Beerfest or fill out the entry form below for your chance to win an exciting 10-day Thai adventure for you and a friend!
Read below for an overview of the trip, or check out the full details here.
Enter to Win
The Trip – Northern Thailand Adventure
Don’t just visit Thailand; find yourself on a once-in-a-lifetime, genuine cultural experience you’ll talk about forever. This 10-day adventure throughout Northern Thailand will give you amazing stories to share. Explore the ruins of the former Thai capital city of Ayutthaya, spend a night in a floating rafthouse, and take a local train up to vibrant and unforgettable Chiang Mai to trek into the hills surrounding the city. Get to know the people of the hilltribes who live there who don’t often get to meet travellers. This immersive experience will take you back to a simpler time that you might not want to leave.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Bangkok
Arrive at any time.
Day 2 – Bangkok/Kanchanaburi
Enjoy a klong boat tour of Bangkok including a visit to Wat Po. Travel to Kanchanaburi and head to your floating rafthouse accommodation. Enjoy free time to explore.
Exclusive Inclusions:Local Living Overnight Rafthouse Excursion
Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner
Day 3 – Kanchanaburi
Enjoy a day of sightseeing at Erawan Falls and the Bridge on the River Kwai. Explore the Allied War Cemetery, the Thai-Burmese Railway Centre and the JEATH War Museum to learn more about the area’s history.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4 – Kanchanaburi/Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Travel to Ayutthaya and visit the historical sites of the old capital city. Opt to visit Chan Kasem National Museum and Chao Sam Phraya Museum.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5 – Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya/Chiang Mai
Spend a full day exploring Ayutthaya before boarding an overnight train to Chiang Mai.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 6 – Chiang Mai
Arrive in Chiang Mai and explore the city. Visit Doi Suthep in the afternoon.
Day 7 – Chiang Mai/Ban Pha Mon
Drive from Chiang Mai to the trailhead. Trek through farmland and bamboo and teak forests. Learn about bush food and medicinal plants. Enjoy lunch en route before continuing through rice fields and valleys to reach the first village of a Lahu tribe. Assist with food prep and cooking, learn about weaving and embroidery or check out a local Lahu massage.
Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 8 – Ban Pha Mon/Ban Muang Pam
Trek between villages, over farmlands and grasslands, and ascend to the ridge line. Learn about bush medicine and seasonal fruits as you make your way to the lunch stop. Go for a swim and help the local guides prepare lunch. Continue on to the Karen village and spend the night. Opt to learn about medicine from a shaman or play football with the locals.
Exclusive Inclusions: Get Active Hilltribe Trek Day 2
Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 9 – Ban Muang Pam/Chiang Mai
After breakfast, leave the village and continue on, trekking beside the Pam River through lush jungle. Arrive at Tham Lod, a 1666m deep cave. Enter by bamboo raft and move to different chambers – a truly unique experience. After lunch, drive back to Chiang Mai for some free time to explore.
Exclusive Inclusions: Get Active Hilltribe Trek Day 3
Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch
Day 10 – Chiang Mai
Depart at any time.
Meals included: Breakfast
View more details about this trip here