Brew Awards Fete Craft Beers (and Coors)
It's not quite the Olympics or the Noble Prize, but when it comes to celebrating the best of Ontario's beer, the Ontario Brewing Awards certainly carry their share of bragging rights. This year, 24 breweries entered a total of 81 different beer in nine judged catagories. Yesterday, at the Esplanade Bier Markt the award winners were revealed (and more importantly, sampled).
Although the beer spanned the range of styles from clean lagers to heavy stouts (and everything in between) they were all well made, and all had a very filling, well rounded, mouthfeel. Each was distinctive and interesting, but far and away my favourite was the Niagara Eisbock (#263673 at the LCBO, $7.95 for a 750mL bottle) by the Niagara Brewing Company, winner of the potpourri Best Specialty Beer catagory. A pale copper colour, the nose was incredibly complex, including aromas of honey, coffee, milk chocolate, caramel and vanilla. In the mouth, it was medium full and rich, with distinct flavours of honeycomb, chocolate, mocha, vanilla, and nutmeg. It woudl be gorgeous with a beef stew or chocolate cake.
The only real downside to what was otherwise a fantastic event was the questionable inclusion of The Beer Store as a major sponsor. While the sponsorship may be thematically appropriate, one must remember that The Beer Store is owned almost entirely by the big three brewers - Labatt's, Molson, and Sleeman - and money buys influence. Indeed, while there were nine judged awards this year, there was also a tenth, non-judged, award: the 'Best Seller' award. That award stayed in the Beer Store's family tree, going to the insipid, sex-in-a-canoe-like liquid known as Coors Light. Remember kids, don't let McDonald's sponsor a Restaurant Awards either.
The full list of catagories and winners is as follows:
Best Lager
Cameron's Lager
Cameron's Brewing Co.
Best Pilsner
JR Brickman Founder's Series Pilsner
Brick Brewing Company Ltd.
Best Cream Ale
Niagara's Best Blonde Premium Ale
Niagara's Best Beer Ltd.
Best Pale Ale
Tankhouse Ale
Mill Street Brewery
Best Amber Beer
Millenium Buzz Beer
Cool Beer Brewing Co.
Best Dark Lager
King Brewery Dark Lager
King Brewery
Best Dark Ale
Hockley Dark Traditional English Ale
Hockley Valley Brewing Co.
Best Stout or Porter
Imperial Russian Stout
Wellington Brewery
Best Specialty Beer
Niagara Eisbock
Niagara Brewing Company
Best Seller
Coors Light
Molson Canada
Comments (10)
not being a beer drinker myself, i can't really say much for the quality of the drinks listed, but i never knew coors light was owned by molson canada. i always thought it was an american beer.
i guess you learn something new every day.
It is American. Coors (based in the U.S.) bought Molson in February 2005. "Canadian" is no longer Canadian.
Jen and Sameer:
Molson and Coors actually merged, rather than one buying out the other (to become Molson Coors). Regardless though, Coors Light (at least the stuff we get here in Toronto) has been brewed in Canada long before the merger took place, under licensing agreements and other cross-border deals.
What makes a beer of a nationality is where it was brewed, and nothing more (at least officially)
"What makes a beer of a nationality is where it was brewed, and nothing more (at least officially)"
Under this reasoning (to name but one example), Guinness consumed in Canada would be Brazilian, as this is where a majority of the North America supply is brewed. Most of the major international brands available in Canada could provide further examples.
X:
While I can't speak for the kegs, most Guinness sold retail in Ontario (ie the Guinness 'Draught' cans and bottles) are brewed in Ireland.
But yes, the internationalisation of beer is one of the biggest problems that we're facing, as beer taken away from its source of water and grain invariably tastes differently than it should.
Sameer:
There's a lot of learning about beer out there, and it's quite a fun subject. ;)
Just wait for the Fort York festival if you're interested in a crash course.
"as beer taken away from its source of water and grain invariably tastes differently than it should."
Agreed. Ironically, I do remember vaguely some stink made by Coors Light drinkers (or those who would be bold enough to identify themselves as such in public fora) that the Canadian version did not use Rocky Mountain water, and therefore did not lead to the skinny-dipping and fornicating promised in the "Tap the Rockies" line of ads.
While I can't imagine ever being on speaking terms with anybody who was proud of their Coors Light habit, a similar thing did happen with Kokanee, which until recently was brewed for the Hogtown market out in Mississauga, but has now returned to its western roots - taking it from being undrinkable swill to mildly drinkable swill.
Kudos!
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