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BEER!!


ollie

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  • 4 weeks later...
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the budget seems to plan on easing regulations for craft breweries, including allowing for additional ingredients while still being able to label the product as beer..... ho hum?

Removing Red Tape for the Beer Industry

The brewing industry is an important contributor to the Canadian economy, representing more than $14 billion in economic activity or 0.9 per cent of total gross domestic product. The production, distribution and sale of beer together account for 163,200 Canadian jobs, or 1 out of every 100.

Creativity and innovation in the development of products are critical to success in this industry. Large and micro brewers alike are always looking to develop unique products that respond to consumers’ evolving tastes . To be successful in doing so, they require a modern regulatory environment that can keep pace with innovation.

Canada’s compositional standard for beer outlines the specific requirements that must be met for a product to be labelled, packaged, sold or advertised as beer. Brewers have raised concerns with the existing standard and the barriers it can create for product innovation.

For example, the Pump House Brewing Company experienced delays in launching its new “Blueberry Ale†when it was determined that existing labelling standards for beer and ale would not permit both names on the label. Similar regulatory impediments delayed the launch of Rickard’s “Cardigan Seasonal Spiced Lager†Under the beer standard, the addition of a spice, in this case nutmeg, meant that there was a question as to whether the product could still be considered beer. This led to delays and additional costs. The Government will modernize the compositional standard for beer to enable the industry to take full advantage of innovation and market developments.

The Government will also develop a plan to modernize compositional standards for other foods and beverage.

http://www.budget.gc.ca/2014/docs/plan/pdf/budget2014-eng.pdf

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Ho hum is right. Nothing of substance there in my opinion considering the examples given show nothing was stopped/banned from being sold, only delayed pending approval that standards were met.

Look at many seasonals that contain spices such as nutmeg, for example - they are usually labeled as "flavoured beer", which in my opinion is correct. Fruit flavoured beers also get that label I believe. But I read a craft beer article awhile back that asserted labeling it "flavoured" hurt sales and didn't help in drawing newcomers to the brand.

[color:purple]Obviously it's the "flavoured" label and not the actual flavour hurting sales.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Can someone please tell me how Steamwhistle is a craft brewery?

 

 

It's not, in my opinion anyway. But I've often wondered the same thing. The same goes for Sleemans be advertised as craft beer, I've never got that. My favourite beer currently is Mad Tom IPA (and Double Mad Tom FWIW) and I wouldn't call Muskoka brewery "craft", but fu.ck, they brew tasty solid ales.

 

To be honest, I think of the 'craft' label simply as a marketing scheme now, or some sort of hipster thick framed glasses with no lens type sh!t. In other words, to be ignored, or at best taken with a grain of organic kosher pink sea salt.

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From what I gather, independent smaller batch breweries are considered craft/micro. I don't think the label "craft" is there yet as a scheme to the extent as we see in the music scene with the now faux "indie" label, at least across the board. Steam Whistle is a microbrew though since it's independently owned and produces and ships its product out of The Roundhouse exclusively. I agree that some so-called craft breweries can be accused of being only "craft" by name, such as Mill Street and Amsterdam. The flgaship Mill Street Brew Pub in the Distillery District, until recently, didn't even brew beer there, FFS. Muskoka, Great Lakes, Nickel Brook, Double Trouble are all pretty much Ontario-centric, with the latter two great companies being really small. I'm with you Esau regarding Mad Tom being awesome. Amsterdam's Boneshaker is another of my fav IPAs (it probably has the best logo and name too).

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I've tried Red Racer a few times. Thought it was pretty tasty (tough to beat that price), unfortunately the LCBO near my place is always out of stock. I seem to see it on the shelves early in the month only, not sure if that's due to popularity or lack thereof in this area.

 

Picked up a couple cans of Dinner Jacket O'Red IPA from Arch Brewing Company not too long ago, a bit too sweet for my taste, but a good Ontario brew over-all I guess. I've been kinda lazy in my experimenting lately though, and been happily settled in my standards - Mad Tom, Boneshaker and Tank House (fall back brew when no Toms or Shakers are available).

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I don't really drink Tankhouse too much anymore, but I still like it, and it's usually easier to find in pubs on draught than the smaller labels for a "craft" option. Some APAs I drink over Tankhouse are Devil's Pale Ale 666 and Crazy Canuck, both from Great Lakes.  

 

I've had my eye on Dinner Jacket and I'll give it a try soon. I prefer IPAs now, and even though I love Mad Tom, I think Muskoka's best all-round beer is their Cream Ale since it mixes in a bit of hop to the ale taste.

 

Giving Boneshaker a run for its money in the coolest label department is Nickel Brook's Headstock. Gotta love it's psychedelic can with a pic of Stevie Ray Vaughan on the back!

 

 

DSCHScan-e1339136701246-682x1024.jpg

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I like the Cream Ale, but I barrel through it way too fast, much the same as I do any less hoppy beer. I bought a 12 of 50 a few weeks back and it was like drinking water (sad to say). Still enjoyed it, but wished I had bought Toms. I'm on the fence with Headstock, I've bought it on occasion, but usually when I visit my friend Jon and we'll buy 6-8 random beers each and taste test, so it's usually been consumed after I've already had a half dozen other strong brews. Great label though. 

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