It's a funny thing about beer and Canada. Canadians have this relationship to beer that is based entirely around the idea - largely erroneous - that our beer is better. So much so that it becomes a principle of our national existence as this article reminds us:
The poll, broken down into demographic categories, asked 3,114 Canadians coast to coast to coast to list in order of importance the 101 symbols people feel best represent Canada. Not surprisingly, the Maple Leaf was No. 1, hockey No. 2, the flag three. Locally, the answers reflected those findings. However, there were some different findings. "Beer," said Gerry Paris, of Windsor, who was walking downtown wearing a new Maple Leaf flag T-shirt purchased for $6. "I like Canadian beer.... I consider myself patriotic."
Never mind that the three largest national brewers - Labatt, Molson and Sleemans - are now Brazilio-Belgian, American and Japanese respectively or that (as is the case everywhere I suppose) what is most proudly consumed tastes pretty much like every other macro lager on the planet. Doesn't matter. We love our beer and are defined by it in a way that can sometimes seem a bit like an American's association with the work of the founding fathers. But note what Larry is drinking on this maple-esque day of days.
So wherever you are today, like Larry, hoist a macro-lager in honour of our national obsession with macro-lagers and wear some read and white, wouldja?
Comments
The Beer Nut - July 1, 2008 5:39 pm
I know a country with a very similar attitude to its crappy beer from foreign-owned macrobreweries.
Happy Canada Day!
Alan - July 1, 2008 8:47 pm
I partially have to eat my words as I found myself in a multi-generational scene at the woodland lake cottage of a friend, a family who had a deed to their land that was acquired off the First Nation that originally owned the area. A archtypical Canadian scene. The WWII navy vet to my side had a Southern Tier IPA and enjoyed it greatly. Another person pulled out a kreik while another called Guinness his old standby. Sure there were coolers, too, and buck a beer brew as well but plenty of open minds for great ale.
Ed Carson - July 1, 2008 8:59 pm
I'm sorry,but I seemed to have missed the memo. When did it stop being Dominion Day?
Alan - July 1, 2008 9:27 pm
1897.
Ethan - July 2, 2008 12:23 am
Back Atcha!
I spent the morning of Canada Day in Toronto (strangely empty, I have to say), including lunch at the Beer Bistro. Scrumptious. I did not, however, have a Canadian beer with my burger- I opted for a funky Bam Biere from Jolly Pumpkin.
However, Canada Day eve certainly helped me get my Canada on. A fantastic cask ESB at C'est What?, a number of Blues, and another cask ale at Volo; all 'local'
Oddly enough, I'm going to be celebrating the 4th of July in Canada, too.
Alan - July 2, 2008 8:49 am
Fantastic. I'd say you are secretly sorry for the whole 1775 to 1814 thing, right?
If you mean Labatt Blue, didn't that Toronto factory (the only word for it) shut some time ago - were would that be from?
I had beer from New York, New Hampshire and New Jersey on Canada Day to celebrate the home colonies of all my fellow Loyalist refugee Kingstonians.
Ethan - July 2, 2008 11:47 am
To be honest, in many respects, I'd rather be Canadian. My mom still carries her CA passport, (even though she's lived in the US since age 9, she's 60-something now), and I live in a border town... so I guess that's as close as I'm likely to come.
That said, I have been known to opine that you all should finish the job and get that lady off your stamps and coinage. :) I'd like to see a portrait of Wayne Gretzky on your biggest bill.
Blue = Labatt Blue, naturally. Buffalo is home of the US HQ, and we're their best market outside of CA: Labatt actually beats Bud in the area! I actually prefer Molson for that style of beer, but hey: the Phoenix Concert Theatre apparently saved all the Canadian for the band and none for me. I'm not sure where Blue is made now, I meant local to be interpreted loosely.
When I go to a place like C'est What? and think of all the beers I can't get here, it makes me sad. OTOH, another dandy excuse to drive west. er, then north... then easterly.
Alan - July 2, 2008 12:36 pm
The reverse works for me with the BLue Tusk in Syracuse. I suppose that is what makes our respective lives on each side of our shared border more rich than living in the heartland of a nation. I used to live on PEI, which is a seven hours drive to Houton ME...which is itself not much to write home about. This is better.
And I have the same experience when I drive north-east to go south to Canton NY when I am travelling up that way...
Boak - July 2, 2008 6:26 pm
There were some Canada day celebrations in London, too - I think mostly sponsored by the Canadian tourist board. I noticed one set of Canadians drinking Sleemans and overheard another couple discussing how great Canadian beer was.