Canada’s stoic brewing history can be traced back to one year: 1982. It took the dream of three Canadian bar hoppers who grew sick of the lack of variety when it came to their beer choices. Three years later, after the rise and fall of their pub, the Horseshoe Bay Brewpub, something else rose from its ashes: micro brewing.
In 1984 the first micro brewery was opened and several months later there were breweries shooting up all over the country, marking a renaissance in micro brewing. These breweries would give birth to the start of craft movement in Canada. Although it wasn’t universally loved at first, the crafts would slowly gain a following, culminating with many of these micro breweries merging with the big name brewers in the country.
It wasn’t until the 90s that crafts would gain its second wind. One after another, new breweries were opening their doors, and what made them different from their 80s counterparts was the addition of pale ales, IPAS, and porters. These choices were completely foreign to the traditional beer drinker in Canada.
Currently the craft scene seems to be going for the hat trick. Recently Canada has seen the opening of more breweries. What they will put on the table that their previous incarnations didn’t is anyone’s guess, but judging by their past experiences, the next few years are going to be great for any Canadian craft fan ready to get a taste of what micro brewing has in store.
Our annual BeerFest in Edmonton offers some of the best selections from the micro brewing community. Those interested in attending the event in 2018 can keep up to date by liking our Facebook page.
In the last decade the craft beer industry has boomed. Today, this industry makes up about 22 percent of all beer sales. The most popular of the craft beers, the Indian Pale Ale, have evolved from their traditional aggressive bitter flavours. In an interview with legendary brewer, Josh Bernstein, the writer of the Complete IPA: The Guide to your favourite Craft Beer, he discusses the surge in the craft beer industry and the evolution of the IPA. Bernstein explained, brewers have begun to utilise new hop varieties like Mosiac and Citra hops that emphasize tropical, fruity, and citrusy flavours.
Experimentation with new hop strains, brewers have spun IPAs in many different directions transforming the beer. With all these emerging new beers, it leaves one to wonder, where the industry is heading. Quick changes in trends, and the rise of the international economy, beer styles are adapting. New pale ales are adapting to geographical areas and using new creative, crazy, flavorful breeds of hops.
With brewer intellect, we may only be in the infancy of what is possible. The IPA has been the dominant player in the craft industry for quite some time and that shows little evidence of changing. The biggest challenge for a brewer is staying current in an innovative market, one that has over 5000 craft breweries in the United States alone.
Our annual BeerFest in Edmonton offers some of the best selections from the micro brewing community. Those interested in attending the event in 2018 can keep up to date by liking our Facebook page.
Photo by CKGolf 
Beer has become an integral part of Canada’s national identity. For decades, large brand names such as Labatt Blue and Molson Canadian have been at the forefront of this national image. However, there has been a shift within the brew culture of Canada. In recent years, there has been a rising popularity in the micro brewing industry. In fact, there were a reported 640 micro-breweries in the country in 2015.
The renaissance that Canada is experiencing now with the micro brewery parallels the transition that smaller brewers experienced in the 19th century. With an ever-growing population and more means of transportation, small companies needed to modernize in order to meet a growing demand. Decades ago, there were only a small number of breweries in Canada that had a monopoly over the system. With no competition, these breweries only focused on cutting costs. The inevitable result was a small selection of beers.
Some people theorize that the recent boom in the craft beer culture in Canada is in part a response to this monopoly and lack of choices. It is more appealing to see a small, local brewer with passion than it is to see a money-mongering corporation. Furthermore, craft beer brewery is not subject to the limitations and expectations that are forced upon major businesses. Instead, micro brewing has the freedom to produce a wide range of interesting flavors and concoctions.
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!
Patrons no longer walk into a bar and order a bottle of lager. Beer drinkers have evolved into connoisseurs of craft beers and specialty brews. If you’ve ever attended the Edmonton Beerfest, you know that the flavor possibilities are endless. We’ve compiled a list of the weird and wonderful ingredients used to create some of these crazy concoctions.
Collagen
Collagen is the protein that holds the human body together. Precious, a light lager beer crafted by Suntory Holdings Limited, is infused with collagen. The intoxicant allows you imbibe while getting a beauty boost.
Pizza
Who doesn’t love pizza? There’s no denying that pizza and beer taste great together. The Seefurth family decided to wrap a cooked margarita pizza in cheesecloth and soak it in mash, like a tea bag. Mamma Mia’s pizza beer was born.
Animal Testicles
Rocky Mountain oysters is a more polite way to say animal testicles. It may seem like a weird ingredient to add to beer, but Denver’s Wynkoop Brewing Company created Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout, a savory beer that pairs well with red meat.
Goat Brains
Walking Dead fans visiting the Edmonton Beerfest may be seeking brains. Luckily, goat brains are an ingredient in Dock Street Brewing Company’s Walker beer.
Feces
Mikkeller, a Denmark Microbrewery, has created an oatmeal stout called Beer Geek Brunch Weasel. The brew gets its coffee flavor from the excrement of weasel-like civets.
Photo by Bernt Rostad
A local brewery of Chilliwack River Valley, British Columbia has launched a new brew. The company, Old Yale Brewing is known for their quality beer that captures the outdoor vibes of BC. It was founded in 1999, and has been working since to come up with innovative new beers that have a local flavor. Old Yale Brewing just launched a new year-round brand called Old Paddle Pilsner, which is named after the equipment that is used at the brewery. The beer has a clean malt profile with a hopped finish. This golden lager has a 5% above and 20 IBU, and is best served with with a nice round of appetizers. Old Yale Brewing will be found all over stores across British Columbia in 650 ml bottles and 335 ml cans. Currently, the beer is sold at the Old Yale retail store. Old Yale is known for their creativity and innovation when it comes to creating new brands, and Old Paddle Pilsner is no exception. Their trailblazing efforts to establish fresh, new brew has been noted with many brewing awards over the years, and the brand is becoming a household name. Be sure to check your local store today to taste Old Paddle Pilsner today, and be a part of the brewing revolution.
Photo by Pretty/Ugly Design
Canada has a well-established brewing scene. Apart from a few old beers, the country has a booming craft beer industry. Among the many beers available, here are five top-rated beers in Canada.
Péché Mortel– Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!
Péché Mortel is a black and dense beer with distinctive roasted flavors. Its brewers infuse fair trade coffee in the brewing process to intensify the beer’s bitterness and give the brew a robust coffee taste.
The beer was historically brewed in England mainly for the Russian tsar’s court. It’s stout style, bitterness, and high alcohol content helped to preserve the drink during the long export journey.
La Fin Du Monde-Unibroue
Unibroue has brewed this Triple-style Golden Ale since February 1994. This top-rated beer has a blonde with a golden hue color. It forms a white, creamy and generous head and Champaign-like bubbles. It has a mildly yeasty flavor that combines a complex taste of malt, fruit, and spice with a smooth dry finish. It has a complex aroma of flowers, honey, coriander, spice, malt, and honey. Unibroue recommends serving this beer at a temperature of 12ºC–14ºC / 54ºF- 57ºF. Serve your La Fin Du Monde in a tulip.
Fat Tug IPA- Driftwood Brewery
This northwest style India Pale Ale is the beer for a hop aficionado. Fat Tug has an intense hop profile featuring melon, grapefruit, mango and restrained malt notes.
Red Racer IPA- Central City Brewers + Distillers
This style of ale was designed to withstand the shipping from England to India during the British colonization. This hoppy brew has an intense aroma and a lingering finish that make it a beer for the connoisseur. Red Racer IPA is known as Red Betty IPA in the USA.
Sartori Harvest IPA – Driftwood Brewery
This fresh, wet-hopped IPA is a special release beer. It’s brewed once a year, in the middle of the hop harvest. The beer uses fresh Centennial hops that make it singular and remarkable.
You can sample top-rated Canadian beers at the upcoming Edmonton’s International Beerfest. In the festival’s tradition, there will be many beer exhibitors and music bands. The event is on April 1-2, 2016 at the Shaw Conference Centre. You can buy your tickets online.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com
