Great Canadian Beer Guide

Albert Stray is librarian and manager of the Streetsville Public
Library.

In the summer of 1993, Stephen Beaumont undertook the task of reviewing
and rating some 300 Canadian lagers, bocks, stouts, and ales. This guide
gives the reader the benefit of that research, the history of our two
big breweries (Labatt and Molson) and more than 80 operating
micro-breweries and brew pubs, and a methodology for “beer tasting.”

Each listing of a brewery, micro-brewery, or brew pub includes name,
address, phone and fax numbers, key personalities, brewing data, and the
names of the brews on offer. Tour information is followed by brief
history of the business and labels. Each brew is rated on a star scale
of one to four, with one being “standard but imaginative” and four
being “a classic in every regard.” In Ontario, only the Niagara
Falls Brewing Company rated consistently high. Beaumont regards it as
“the most innovative and experimental brewery in Canada.”

The guide also provides a wealth of information on a variety of
questions: Why do so many of the national brands taste the same? What is
the difference between an ale and a lager? What is the attraction of BOP
(brewing-on-premises)? What makes a beer light? Who defines what we
drink—the consumer or the advertiser? After reading this book,
you’ll agree with the author that “beer is a noble and complex
beverage.”