Beer often needs back story. It is after all just water, grain, water, a weed and yeast. So you have to add more to the story... right?

Hops and Robbers is their flagship beer and is touted as an "extra delicious IPA." It is something of a hybrid between the English and American IPA styles, meaning that it has some of the light, biscuit malt character of an English style IPA and draws on the American style for its hopping, with some notes of tropical fruit and citrus. It's a casual but high-quality introduction to the style for people who are not used to India Pale Ale. Designed by Paul Dickey, it has his typical hallmarks of refinement and gentility. It's what beer nerds refer to as a gateway beer. The impressive thing is that the beer will be launching in Ontario next week and across Western Canada over the next several weeks. This is made possible by the fact that it will be brewed in more than one location by more than one brewery. Cans of Hops and Robbers are being produced at the Wellington Brewery in Guelph, while bottles of the IPA will be produced in Saskatchewan by Paddock Wood.

Just to catch you up that is a two province, two style ale that's being contract brewed (twice) which is casual and yet was designed. I am sure it will be swell and I hope to hunt some out. But I don't know what any of that does for me. And, to layer further, the associated website says this: "[w]e are local and we are little, our beer reflects grass roots small batch brewing." Doesn't all that all not strike you as a little more story than is necessary? I hope the beer is good, well priced and has a long profitable run. The fact that a stranger can buy a bottle in Moosejaw, Saskatchewan simultaneously to my opportunity to buy a can here in Easlakia? Not adding so much.