The 'Cottage' Beer

I was up at the cottage this weekend (not mine) and was sitting down by the water on the dock with a can of Steam Whistle in my hand, and started to think about the 'cottage' beer. I gave it some thought but it wasn't until I passed the neighbour a bottle of Amsterdam Nut Brown Ale did I really start thinking about it. A brown ale at the cottage seemed a little out of place, especially since we were down at the water's edge, there was no food in sight and drinking was on the agenda for the day.

Everyone has their favourite 'cottage' beer or camping beer...I think. When I'm at home or visiting someone else's chateau, I usually have a mix pack of bottled craft beer under my arm when greeted at the door, yet when I'm up at the cottage Steam Whistle is the beer for me (along with beers from Muskoka Cottage Brewery).

Before the cans came out I would trudge through the rough down hill terrain that we call a walk way, with a suitcase pack of the green bottles on my shoulder. I welcome the cans. Easy to transport, nice clean taste, earthy aroma's, easy to drink and a journey back to the days I was just getting into the craft beer movement. It's also practical to purchase as other people that aren't into big IPA's, brown ale's or Belgian beauties can enjoy them too.

There is something about the cottage and sitting about a campfire or hanging out on the deck that calls for an easy drinking beer in can format. I'll admit it, I was never big on cans, always preferring to drink straight from the bottle, but it's different at the cottage. Normally I drink from the proper glassware, but again, at the cottage the tulips, flutes, and pint glasses are non-existent and the beer flows straight from the can.

So what is your cottage or camping beer? Cans or bottles?

Old picture of Steam Whistle bottle perched on a Muskoka chair facing the sun. How I wish I were there right now.