Cans or bottles? It’s the age old question, and the debate rages hotly to this day. Most discerning beer drinkers will tell you that of the two, they prefer bottles, but cans are nearly as popular. There are pros and cons for both, and we’ll take a look at each just below.
The Argument In Favor Of Bottled Beer
Bottled beer drinkers will tell you that the beer stays colder longer, and thus holds its flavor longer. There are specific reasons why beer bottles are brown or green, having to do with filtering light to keep the beer fresher longer. Those beer drinkers who are also environmentally conscious will be quick to point out that the energy required to produce a bottle to put beer in is far less than the energy required to create an aluminum can, and they’re absolutely correct there.
They’ll also point out that beer from a can tends to have a metallic taste. However brewers have been lining the interiors of their cans with a thin coating of plastic since the thirties, which makes this complaint less likely, unless those doing the complaining are having a few too many and licking the exterior of the can between sips. Of course, if you drink out of the can you are going to be in onctact with metal which many people just don’t enjoy.
The Argument In Favor Of Canned Beer
Proponents of canned beer point out that despite the tricks of tinting the beer bottles, canned beer stays fresher longer, and the beer remains completely airtight, which also contributes to longevity. Perhaps the biggest benefit of beer in a can is ease of transport and that nothing is required to open the can. Granted, a bottle opener isn’t a big expense, but it’s still a tool you have to use to get to your beloved beer, unless you’re exceptionally talented at opening bottles with your teeth, or on the sides of a sturdy table. (So that’s all of you then….)
Huffington Post recently did an extensive taste test spanning twenty-five beer brands that were sold in both cans and bottles. Surprisingly, in a blind taste test, canned beer edged out bottled beer in nearly every case in terms of flavor, though it should be said that it was close, with canned beer coming out ahead 51 to 54 percent, so the margins are extremely tight. It should also be said that during the blind test, barely fifty percent of drinkers were able to correctly identify whether the beer they were drinking originally came from a can or a bottle.
Beer has been sold by the bottle for as long as it has been a commercial product, so there’s no chance that beer bottles will be disappearing from store shelves anytime soon. The brewers know that if they did that, they’d face open rebellion from legions of beer bottle aficionados. Nonetheless, as the recent Huffington Post survey revealed, canned beer is beginning to edge out the bottled variety, and that trend will probably continue over time. Craft brewers have taken note, and are increasingly offering their product in cans.
Bottled or canned, you’ll find the choice of beers outstanding at the 2015 Edmonton International Beer Festival.
In a way, beer mats are the unsung heroes of the beer world. They’re not something that people think too much about, which is a real pity, because if you stop to take a look at them, you’ll find some true gems. Some beer mats are simple advertisements; those typically aren’t all that interesting, but there are a wealth of others. Some of the most interesting and colorful ones we’ve come across are presented below. The hope is that once your attention has been drawn to them, you’ll keep a watchful eye out the next time you pull into your local pub for a libation. Read on and enjoy!
“I’m Not Getting Drunk, I’m Getting Awesome”
This one kind of says it all, doesn’t it? It’s quite possibly the perfect beer mat.
“Dear Karma: I have a list of people you missed…”
A wonderful beer mat with a philosophic bent, or at least, as philosophic as one can rightly expect a beer mat to get.
“You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning!”
This beer mat is white with green lettering, and comes complete with a Shamrock, revealing its Irish roots.
“Trust me, you can dance.”
A great beer mat, recently seen on display at a bar that featured a fair sized dance floor. If you’ve ever seen people ‘beer dancing,’ you’ll know how often people who have been drinking are convinced that this is true.
“I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.”
Wise words indeed. Any beer drinker would be proud to display this beer mat at his or her table.
And we’ll end our list on a historic note with,
“It takes a Viking to raze a village.”
A truly fabulous beer mat, no matter how you slice it.
Keep an eye peeled on the beer mats in your favorite watering hole. Some of them will surprise, and often amuse you. You might even think about starting a collection. Drink up and enjoy.
To start you beer mat collection, visit the Edomonton International Beer Festival, where you’ll find lots of great examples being given away to visitors.
If you’ve got a beer lover in your life, why not get something for him on his birthday or for Christmas this year that really speaks to his passion? Below, you’ll find five exquisite gift ideas for your beer loving family and friends. A little something for every taste and budget.
Let’s start with the basics. This key-shaped bottle opener is engraved with the message ‘You’re Intoxicating’ and is the perfect tool to keep around for those backyard barbecues. If you’re on a budget, this is an excellent choice.
A little more upscale, a little more unusual, these are hand crafted by Potter Stephanie Theado. Each one unique, this is idea for any beer enthusiast with a sense of refinement and a taste for history that rivals his taste for beer.
You have to admit, whoever dreamed up this idea was either a genius or a madman. Either way, it works, because you just never know when you might need to crack open a cold one, and with these clever, stealthy cufflinks, you’ll never be without a trusty opener. Quite possibly the best, most functional clothing accessory ever invented.
Comes complete with handy places to put bottle caps from your US road trip come beer tasting extravaganza. Say goodbye to boring vacations, and say hello to coast to coast beer tasting Nirvana.
Because let’s face it, drinking beer often puts you in a playful mood. Now, you can satisfy your game craving and enjoy a cold one with this fabulous mini beer pong set. What could be better?
Of course, these five are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a whole world of clever beer-related products out there, but this should get your mind turning on the subject. Do something special for the beer lover in your life next holiday season or for his (or her) birthday, and by the way, here’s a great sixth bonus gift idea. How about giving them a ticket to next year’s Edmonton International Beer Festival?
It’s time to dust off the grill and break out the tongs again, barbecue season is here! In celebration, here’s a hand selected list of some of the finest brews ever to be paired with outdoor cooking. Drink up, read on, and enjoy.
Full Sail Session Black
A dark beer that’s surprisingly light. Toasty malts combine with a hint of chocolate to give this brew a full bodied taste without sitting too heavily on your stomach. The flavors are strong enough though to ensure that it stands up well next to a big juicy steak fresh from the grill.
Sprecher Black
A bit bolder and fuller than the black mentioned above, this beer is stout enough to stand up to anything you can throw at it. Don’t serve this with mild foods like grilled chicken and fish, or the beer may run away with your taste buds, but if you’re serving up sharp, bold flavors on the barbecue, then this is an excellent addition to the menu.
Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen
If you’re doing seafood on the grill, then you want something lighter than the beers above. In that case, this is our recommendation. It’s a wheat ale, light in color and filled with zesty lemon tones that will pair perfectly with your seafood entrees.
Sierra Nevada Summerfest
Crisp, clean and refreshing, this tasty pilsner has just the right amount of zip to go with most anything, but really stands out among lighter fare, in particular chicken dishes and halumi (our vegetarian friends just love barbecues halumi cheese.)
Angry Orchard Apple Ginger Hard Cider
If you like your barbecue Southern Style, then you need a drink that can pair well with that. If that’s where your tastes run, then you’d be hard pressed to find a better match than this hard cider by Angry Orchard. Sweet, tart with a ginger bite that will leave your taste buds begging for more.
Ommegang Abbey Ale
Sometimes, lamb can be a hard meat to pair properly with a beer, but in this case, it’s about as close to a perfect match as you can get. Ruby in hue and Belgian inspired, this beer is great by itself, but it’s even better with some freshly seared lamb flavoured with rosemary.
Try these, and many other great barbecue beers at the Edmonton International Beer Fest next April. now!
It might surprise the casual beer drinker to know it, but there are actually a rather staggering number of different types of beer glasses, each designed with a particular style of beer in mind. For the uninitiated, here are some of the more common ones, and ideas about which beers should go in what glass.
The Pilsner Glass
An evenly tapered glass, with no curvature, the Pilsner glass is used for drinking light beers. Generally smaller than pint glasses, they’re tall, slender and tapered, shaped to reveal the color and carbonation of the beer you are drinking from it.
The Weizen Glass
Used to serve wheat beer, these glasses are narrow at the bottom and slightly wider at the top to better release the beer’s aroma. This shape also allows room for the thick, fluffy heads that this type of beer produces.
The Beer Stein
Traditional beer mugs that may or may not come with hinged lids sporting a thumb lever. Steins typically come in sizes half liter to full liter in size. These were believed to have originated in the Germanic provinces, and as such, it’s acceptable to drink pretty much any German beer from them.
The Tankard
Originating in England, these glasses share most of the features in common with the Germanic Stein, minus the lid and thumb lever. Owing to their English heritage, it is perfectly acceptable to drink any English beer from a Tankard, which in an English pub is often referred to as a jug.
The Pint Glass
These come in a variety of shapes, from straight or slightly tapered sided to conical and nonic pint glasses. Guinness is most commonly consumed from a pint glass, and in fact, they’ve got their very own Pint design for that purpose, but most any beer can be consumed and enjoyed by the Pint.
If all this talk of beer and beer glasses has got you thirsty, you should know that it’s drawing closer to the time of the annual Edmonton International Beer Festival. We will let you know when it’s time to get your tickets though, so come join us and have a pint, or several. Contact us today!
