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.: