Brewed In Canada - 10 Year Anniversary

I was going through my beer library the other night looking for some notes on a brewery who was in operation during the early 1900's, and like I've done so many times since I've emmersed myself into the beer community I reached for Allen Winn Sneath's Brewed In Canada: The Untold Story of Canada's 350-Year-Old Brewing Industry.

I found the part I was looking for, read the piece, then, like so many other times, I flipped through the book stopping to read bits and pieces that I actually hadn't intended to. It's a fascinating book and was the first to capture the history of Canadian brewing in great detail.

Towards the end of the book there is a timeline that lists major news/events (like brewery openings, closings etc.) and I noticed it ended at 2001. I turned to the front of the book and realized that it was published in 2001 as well, which was 10 years ago.

I decided to contact Sneath about the books 10 year anniversary only to learn that he doesn't follow the industry anymore. We chatted for a little bit about the book and he commented on the fact that the 432 page tome "needed to be written," and "it was the only one of its kind when it was released."

I had always wondered if there would ever be a revised edition, a new book with updates on the industry and maybe a comprehensive index. However, in speaking with Sneath, there are no plans for an updated version.

Exclusive Teaser - The Oxford Companion To Beer

A beautiful cover for a beautiful book

The Oxford Companion To Beer, edited by Garrett Oliver, the author of The Brewmaster's Table, is slated to be released in October, but here is a small teaser just for Great Canadian Beer Blog readers.

The book is being billed as the most comprehensive reference book on beer ever published, and with 868 pages packed with over 1,100 entries by 160 different beer industry authoritarians from across the world, it should deliver. The contributors include - brewers, journalists, scientists, restauranteurs, importers, home brewers, distributors and much more, and their contributions to The Oxford Companion To Beer cover everything that has to do with our favourite beverage. 

Our own Josh Rubin, the Toronto Star beer columnist, contributed to this book, helping cover the Canadian content. "It’s pretty cool to be involved in a project like this, and I was honoured to be asked," said Rubin. "I contributed five entries to the Oxford Companion to Beer, including the Canada national entry, a few company profiles, and some technical entries."

Most people I know in the industry (brewers, sales reps, writers, etc.) tell me that The Brewmaster's Table, which was released in 2003, is their beer bible, something they refer to over and over again, but from what I've seen from Oxford, in terms of the preview I've been provided with, this book will surely be an instant favourite.

That being said, the book won't only be for industry people. Sections on homebrewing, the history of the English pub, style definitions and brewing terms, traditional drinking habits in various countries, biographical accounts of worldly brewing pioneers and more, will be of great interest to beer enthusiasts' the world over.

Rubin agrees. "This is a book I’d be buying even if I weren’t involved in it – there are some amazing people who have contributed to it, and Garrett’s an incredibly knowledgeable guy. I can’t wait to see the finished product. As a newspaper guy, I’m used to seeing my stuff appear in the paper the next day, or online right way, so this suspense is killing me!"


Keep an eye out here for more information as the release date draws closer. In the meantime, please enjoy the following teaser pages.
“Reprinted with permission from The Oxford Companion to Beer edited by Garrett Oliver published by Oxford University Press, Inc. © 2011 Oxford University Press”.

“Reprinted with permission from The Oxford Companion to Beer edited by Garrett Oliver published by Oxford University Press, Inc. © 2011 Oxford University Press”.

Cheers! A History of Beer in Canada

Nick Pashley, a hell of a nice guy who wrote what is possibly my favourite book of all time, Notes on a Beermat: Drinking and Why Its Necessary, has informed me that he has a new book hitting store shelves throughout Canada today.

Cheers! A History of Beer in Canada, which was published by HarperCollins Canada, will be retailing for $19.99 and is now available coast-to-coast at select Wal-Marts, Costcos, Chapters/Indgio's, McNally Robinson's, University bookstores and many, many more. Click here for more locations, which have been nicely divided by province.

Go get your copy now! Buy the book as a gift for a buddy! I haven't seen the book yet, but I know it will be a page turner full of interesting information that will undoubtedly be combined with Pahsley's enjoyable, and very readable wit.



Cheers! A History of Beer in Canada
By Nicholas Pashley
HarperCollins Canada $19.99

The author of Notes on a Beermat: Drinking and Why It’s Necessary is back. Nick Pashley brings his wit to bear on beer’s illustrious history in Canada, from Prohibition (and who thought that was a good idea?) to the beer that turned Quebec City drinkers blue and actually killed sixteen of them in 1966. Where else this season will you find a book that includes Prince Charles, Paris Hilton, Ron Keefe, and Rocco Perri, the great Hamilton bootlegger of the 1920s (you may be able to find him today encased in cement at the bottom of Burlington Bay)?

Because you can’t drink Canadian beer without leaving the comforts of home, Nick went out to drink beer across this very big country, from St. John’s to Victoria, Winnipeg to Whitehorse, using twelve airplanes, five trains, two Greyhound buses, and a catamaran. His tireless quest for local beer is recorded for posterity in this amusing and fact-packed new book. Cheers is now available in fine bookstores (and probably one or two mediocre ones as well) across Canada.

Watch for news of a live event at Bar Volo this fall. Otherwise, Nick can usually be found in fine pubs, bars, taverns, and taprooms somewhere near you.

The beerbistro Cookbook

Just thinking about the recipes and beer recommendations contained in the colourful pages of this book, is enough to ignite my salivary glands. Like Pavlo's dogs, everytime I hear the word beerbistro I start to water at the mouth. I have yet to see a copy, but I can imagine writers Stephen Beaumont and Brian Morin have done a magnificent job of bringing the beerbistro culinary culture into the home of beer aficionado's and food lovers alike.

Morin the Chef/Owner of beerbistro, and Beaumont the beer writer and Beerbistro partner, have put together The beerbistro Cookbook , which is currently available for pre-ordering on Amazon.com, before the official April 10th release date. Word is that some pre-ordered books are being delivered as early as yesterday. There are also copies available at beerbistro, and Beaumont mentioned on Bar Towel that the highly talented duo may do some sort of book signing next week.

Here is Amazon's description of the book, which was published by Key Porter Books here in Toronto.

In beerbistro Cookbook , writer Stephen Beaumont and chef Brian Morin show how you can take your beer to a whole new culinary level. Covering everything from getting to know your ales and lagers to appetizers, mains, cheese, beer cocktails, and even beer pastry, first-timers and foodies will find something to whet their appetites and wet their whistles. Informative sidebars provide tips and hints on everything from how to pour beer to what glassware to pour it into. True-to-life photos will take you behind the scenes to see exactly how these mouth-watering dishes are made. They will make you hungry for more. Recipes include: Blonde Ale Vegetable Pakoras, Grilled Porter, Pulled Pork Quesadillas, Curried Butternut Squash and Ale Hummus, Drunken Portobello Mushroom Sandwich, The Ultimate Frites, Apple Ale Back Ribs, Navajo Spice Rubbed Oatmeal Stout Chicken, Maudite Onion Confit, Beer Butter Tarts, Beeramisu, Stout Macadamia Nut Brownies, and Beerscream.

I think this new book will look great joining the other Beaumont collections in my ever growing beer library. Get out and grab a copy today!

Canadian Readers - Your Help is Needed

I received an e-mail the other day from a gentleman who is currently putting together a book focusing on the history of beer and beer drinking in Canada; and he is looking for some help.  

Ian Coutts, a Toronto based writer and editor, has received the green light from a publisher in Vancouver to get this Draft of History project started.  "This book is going to be an illustrated history, which is why I am writing to you. I have found many old historical black and white pictures and lots of old advertisements, and  I have been busy with a photographer shooting one of the largest collections of breweriana in Canada. But what I don't have is many photos taken over the last few decades of bars and, more importantly, people drinking beer in bars.  I take it your readers are dedicated beer drinkers, so they might well have a visual record of their beer-related exploits over the years."

So this is where you, the dedicated reader and beer lover come into play.  Coutts is reaching out to individuals interested in submitting some of their beery photographs over the years.  Photographs of individuals having a couple of pints in a pub, playing a game in a pub, smoking in a pub and so on.  You get it, any picture that bares significant pub-drinking culture.

What do you get if you submit a photograph that Coutts chooses to use in the book?  Well, there is no money involved, but you will get a free copy of the finished book and you will also receive full photo credits.  

To submit a photograph, send me an e-mail (greatcanadianpubs@gmail.com) with your information: Name, phone number, address and a good description of the photograph.  Name the individuals in the photograph (if known), state the year the picture was taken and name the pub that the picture was taken in.  Throw in any other information that might be helpful.  

You can also send you photographs to Coutts directly by e-mailing him at ircoutts@yahoo.ca. Should Coutts want to use your photograph, he would send you a permission letter which would need to be signed, thus allowing him to use it.

Judging from the many e-mails I receive weekly from individuals from coast to coast, I think the readers of this blog will pull through, which will help a local author create something we can all be proud off.

FYI - The book is due for publication in 2010.

**Photo above - Tomas Morana pouring a pint at Volo's 4th annual Cask Festival.

A Beer Book Bargain

While I was browsing through the aisles of the World's Biggest Bookstore today during my lunch break, I came across the discount section and noticed Allen Winn Sneath's 2001 book:Brewed in Canada: The Untold Story of Canada's 300 Year Old Brewing Industry.

It is currently on sale for the low price of $4.99, down from $25. A friggin steal. The book may be a little dated, but any individual with a love of the brewing history in this country will find the information more than rewarding.

Get Christmas gift for the beer lover in your family.

Cheers!

*Picture from Chapters/Indigo website.

Notes on a Beermat Reading at Volo

I posted a small review of Nicholas Pashley's revised Notes on a Beermat: Drinking and Why It's Necessary book back on November 2nd, and I mentioned that there would be a reading held at Volo in November. Well, pardon me, I was wrong. The reading will now take place on Sunday December 7th at 2pm at Volo.

Pashley will be reading certain sections from his book while sharing stories about his journeys in and out of pubs during many years of travel. He will also share stories about how he's come to appreciate craft beer, more importantly, cask conditioned beer. Pashley will be selling copies to those interested and individuals will be given the opportunity to have theirs signed personally.

There will be a number of casks available to help mark the occasion, as Durham’s Blakk Kat Stout, Great Lakes Green Tea Ale and Great Lakes Sage And Spruce Winter Wit have all been confirmed.

This should be a real treat as Pashley is a very clever, quick witted man with a dry sense of humour and he will undoubtedly entertain all those who attend. The cask conditioned beers won't hurt either.

So come out to Volo and help support a local author, a local pub patron and a local supporter of craft beer. You won't leave disappointed.

There will be no admission charge, but the reading starts promptly at 2:00.

Notes on a Beermat: Drinking and Why It's Necessary

Notes on a Beermat: Drinking and Why It’s Necessary

Author Nicholas Pashley’s original work of art was first published by Polar Bear Press back in 2001, but it wasn’t until July of 2006 that I discovered it in the dusty stacks of the Halifax public library. I ended up reading it, then checking it out again and again until I finally obtained not one, but two copies that Christmas. Signed by Pashley himself no less.

Since that time, I’ve moved to Toronto, met Pashley, and shared numerous pints and stories with the humorous, quick witted and delightful chap. The man is a firm believer in quality pubs and craft beer, and meshes the two great things together in his book, while throwing in the odd sarcastic snipe or sharp joke.

In keeping in touch with Pashley, I learned that a revised edition of Notes on a Beermat: Drinking and Why It’s Necessary was recently thrust upon us, just in time for our Christmas wish list. Armed with a fancy new cover that includes a new layout, graphics and new stories about some of our favourite pubs here in Toronto; 2008’s Notes on a Beermat scores another coup. Author Bill Bryson’s original foreword appears again and sets the tone for the entire story.

There are many beer books in circulation that focus on the business end of running or starting a brewery, and many on how to accentuate your food by adding beer to the table; but Pashley’s entertaining tales about pub life cater to anyone who enjoys supping a pint in the company and joy of others.

Creative chapter titles range from the Impossible Dream: Looking for the Perfect Pub, to Who Owns Your Pub, to one of my favourites in Play That Funky Music Barkeep. Chapter by chapter you’ll develop an appreciation for Pashley’s writing, in fact, he’ll make you feel as though your right there beside him tucked away in a cozy pub living in his passion. And that was his intended goal. When he shares his story about the famous Blue Jay pub crawl he iniaited many years ago, you’ll picture yourself as one of his drinking mates and cheer him on along the way.

For those of us situated in the Big Smoke, Pashley has included new stories on Volo’s Cask Days, going as far as naming Volo owner Ralph Morana the King of Cask for Toronto. Cass Enright and his Bar Towel website also get some page space as Pashley describes his views on the site. For those residing elsewhere in Canada, Pashley spins tales about trips to the west coast, the east coast and anywhere and everywhere in between.

This new and re-vised copy is everything the first one was and more, and it’s highly recommended that you add it to your own beer library. And why wouldn’t you? At $16.95it’s a bargain.

Keep an eye out here for further information about a reading that Pashley will perform sometime in November at Volo.

*Side note*
Mr. Pashley is one person I can look to if pointing blame at getting me involved in the beer writing business. Shortly after reading his original book for the third time, I decided to start a pub journal during my travels through Canada’s eastern provinces. And when I moved back to Ontario I started this blog.

The English Pub: Michael Jackson

The English Pub: A Unique Social Phenomenon

This is not a new book. In fact it's very old.

I was walking down Queen Street East when I stumbled into a small, un-organized, used book shop with a name I can't begin to remember and I came across this fabulous read by the late Michael Jackson. I have always wanted to purchase this book but it has been incredibly hard to find and expensive, if going the on-line route. You can buy a copy for $129.31 on Amazon.com!

Well I was luckier than that. I only paid $15 and twenty minutes later I was sitting in my favourite chair flipping the colourful pages with a Brakspear 'Double Drop' Bitter by my side.

This was Jackson's first of many books and was published in 1976 at the time when the UK pub business was stagnant and just years after Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) was organized. The 170 pages contain beautifully written material on everything from the history of the pub, to pub signs to pub games and all the good stuff in between. Jackson wrote from the heart, which is both aspiring and inspirational to a pub loving person such as myself. I jumped chapter to chapter, turning pages and admiring the photographs of some of Jackson beloved pubs.

Jackson wrote about how the pub has influenced British culture in both the large metropolitan cities and the country-side villages. Each place craving out a niche that is unique in their own right. He paints a picture of their importance in British society as he quotes, "In the country especially, the pub is an organic part of the community," and he discusses how other countries have their cafes, dark bars and seedy booze shacks, but the English own the pubs. "When England presents itself to the world at large, the images usually include a pub," Jackson states in the last chapter , The Living Local: Social Changes in the Pub.

However, with the success and popularity of the storied English pub, has come imitators the world over, along with fake Irish pubs. These fake pubs have brought with them full food menu's and place an importance on the gastronomic nature of their being. This pleases a many of pub patrons in today's society and I enjoy gastropubs myself; however, I, as well as Jackson, appreciate that the availability of food should not blemish the drinking.

"Pub is a three-letter word that serves so many purposes"

The world's most famous beer author ends the English Pub with words that should be forever etched in stone and words that I strongly believe in - "Those who love the institution will continue to investigate it. Because no two pubs are the same, the search can never reach a conclusion. Therein lies its joy."

It has been just over a year since Jackson passed away from a heart attack after battling Parkinson's disease for many years, and reading The English Pub for the first time I felt I developed a better understanding of the man who opened the doors for serious beer writers across the world. And to that I raise my glass.

* I also found an original copy of Jackson's Beers of the World in near perfect condition at the same store - $10.

Sociable! The Elbow Bender's Guide to Maritime Pubs

There are days when I miss the East Coast more than anything in this world. It is an amazing place to live and I'll always remember the year I spent in Halifax. So, when I received an email from a reader in Nova Scotia, who informed me that a new pub guide had just been released by a local bluenoser, I had to obtain a copy. Thankfully Bob Connon, the proud author, shipped me an autographed copy early last week and after a hectic weekend at the Toronto Festival of Beer I finally had a chance to thoroughly skim through it last night.

Sociable! The Elbow Bender's Guide to Maritime Pubs takes readers on a virtual journey through the three maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia) and explores the best pubs and breweries that each province accommodates. Connon, a musician who plays traditional Irish music every Sunday at Paddy's Brew pub in Wolfville, NS, visited 45 exceptional pubs and took extensive notes to paint a glowing picture of what each pub offers. The book is full of beautiful colour photographs, with many profiles showing both the exterior and interior of the pub. Connon interviewed owners, brewers, managers and other customers to get the full story behind each pub and his writing brings the atmosphere of each one into your hands.

Connon confesses that he is by no means a beer connoisseur and that the pubs selected weren't chosen based strictly on their beer line-up; however, he believes that the key ingredient to a successful pub is the serving of fresh, quality beers, ahead of food, music, scenery, history and ambiance. To Connon, a great pub is a combination of all the above mentioned ingredients, but it starts with the beer. He reminds us that a pub is more than about the pint glass in your hand, is a place to get away and relax in the confines of a social atmosphere.

This maritime pub guide will come in handy for any serious pub/beer lover who is planning a trip to any of the three provinces, as Connon provides in-depth descriptions of each pub, which includes the location, beers available, if there is public transportation available, wheelchair access, hours, entertainment options and much more. The guide would also benefit any maritimer looking to explore what their own province has to offer and may provide some surprise day trips along the way as Connon has laid out a map, complete with an index and dotted with pub locations.

Connon has also profiled the booming micro breweries like Propeller and Garrison's in Nova Scotia and Pumphouse and Picaroons in New Brunswick. Brew pubs are also highlighted with profiles on the Granite, Rogue's Roost, Paddy's, the Rare Bird Pub and Rudders in Nova Scotia; the Gahan House in PEI; and the Pumphouse brew pub in New Brunswick. Alexander Keith's, Oland, Sleeman and Moosehead also get a brief mention. A maritime beer book wouldn't be the same if Keith's wasn't profiled, craft beer or not, it's a large part of Nova Scotia history.

There is much more in the pub guide as well. Everything from what constitutes a 'real' pub to describing 'real' ale and the guide even includes a glossary of terms associated with beer styles. The maritimes are full of many English and Irish style pubs as the first wave of immigrants predominately came from England, Ireland and Scotland, and pubs were some of the first buildings erected. You'll see that this history has continued in the three provinces beautifully profiled in Connon's guide. This is a great book that I highly endorse and recommend for my pub loving brethren out there reading. It even has a great write up on my favourite pub - The Henry House, along with Rogue's Roost, The Knot Pub and the Red Shoe in Cape Breton.

"Sociable! The Elbow Bender's Guide to Maritime Pubs is something every serious beer drinking, pub goer should have on their bookshelf. Beautifully illustrated and carefully written, Sociable! is the ultimate reminder of why pubs have such a special standing in society."

How can you get your copy? If you live in the maritimes, just visit your local Chapters retail store or for those out of province, you can order your copy online by visiting the Chapters/Indigo here. The book retails for $19.95, but order online today and pay only $15.16 (plus s&h).

January Magazine Wrap Up

On a recent trip to the World’s Biggest Bookstore, I noticed the abundance of beer magazines now filling the shelves. Back in October Alan over at A Good Beer Blog posted a similar story where he reviewed the contents of each mag, which generated a lot of feedback.

With the recent re-launch of TAPS: Canada’s Beer Magazine there are now six to choose from with content from around the world.

For American stories you can choose either All About Beer, Draft or Beer which are all based out of the US and each are different in their own right. The granddaddy of the US publications, All About Beer, has been my greatest resource while learning about the industry. Good content, classy photos and respectable and reputable contributors continue to uphold the quality of the magazine. The year old Draft continues to release terrific issues. This month’s issue caught my attention s it revolves around beer and food pairings, something I enjoy doing. It also profiles four amazing US gastro pubs. Beer magazine is geared towards a young crowd and is more interested in parties, sports and gadgets then they are with good beer articles. Beer Advocate also releases a great magazine, but it's only available through paid subscription.

Beers of the World is based out of the UK and reports on beer news from – you guessed it, around the world. This issue featured a good article on Toronto (which I have already mentioned last week), the Well’s and Young’s breweries, female Belgian brewers and the history of horses in the beer industry. Beers of the World is a very good magazine for those interested in learning more about beer on the other side of the pond.

There are only two magazines for all of Canada: TAPS and Chill. Chill is a magazine that the Beer Store puts out and is free at certain Beer Store locations or for purchase at select bookstores. The content is terrible and rarely has any relevant beer material; well, other that what Roger Mittag has to say. This issue features stories on Christmas, movies, charitable celebrities and the Toronto Raptors. There are actually no beer stories at all. Touché!

TAPS, as I have mentioned before, was recently re-launched and features good Ontario content with articles on Mill Street, the Canadian Brewing Awards, cooking with Ontario beer and beer event wrap ups. TAPS is a quarterly magazine so the next issue won’t be available until April, but they offer free podcasts if you visit their website.

So there you have it. Six beer magazines available right now with some good quality stories that should keep you preoccupied throughout the chilly month of January. Caution though – you’ll want to consume many beers during your reading period.

Three Sheets to the Wind: One Mans Journey for the Meaning of Beer: Pete Brown

I enjoyed reading Pete Brown's "Man Walks into a Pub" so much that I had to read his follow up book "Three Sheets to the Wind," but I had a difficult time finding it in Canada. Luckily, Chapters stocked up just before Christmas and I grabbed one of only three on the shelf.

I reviewed "Man Walks into a Pub" back on September 17th and found it packed full of useful information and written with Brown's witty British humour. "Three Sheets to the Wind" was no different. It was done in a totally different manner then the first book as it has more to do with travel and less to do with pubs.

Brown decided after attending a beer conference with a friend that he should set out to explore other beer loving countries and that's exactly what he did. Germany, Japan, Czech Republic, Australia, United States, Barcelona, Ireland and London where some of the places Brown visited. He went to the beer gardens, grand beer festivals, small pubs and breweries. He visited over 400 pubs during his year of travels and came to appreciate each and every one.

It wouldn't be a real 'Brown' book if he didn't delve into the pub atmosphere. One thing he pointed out that I had never thought of before was bouncers at the front door of pubs. When does a pub lose it's status of a pub and gain bar status? This would be the first step in my opinion, when you have bouncers letting you in for a pint.

Brown also drinks in Denmark with another beer writer/historian who is quoted as saying, "In Denmark the pub is an extra living room, like you have in England. If someone doesn't come in for three days you're wondering where he is. Is he sick? Danish pub life is very close to Cheers. Everyone knows your name. You want to be the first one in the pub, because everyone buys you a drink when they arrive." Nicely put. I think you can confidently say that some Ontario pubs have gained that level of hospitality and good for them, these are the ones that survive.

The book was great and very hard to put down. As for Brown - What a dream job. Take a year off, tour the world, taste hundreds of different styles of beer and write about your experiences. I am lucky if I get out of the city for a weekend to visit a new pub or experience a brewery tour. It was released 2006 so it's not the newest book on the block, but definitely worth your money.

Beers of the World: Toronto Profile

Beers of the World, a bi-monthly beer magazine based out of the UK, recently released their February issue with an interesting story on Toronto's beer culture written by local beer enthusiast Robert Hughley.

I am a fan of the magazine even though it usually contains information on beers, pubs, breweries and people from places I have never heard of or can even pronounce. Yet it is filled with beautifully prepared articles that easily capture my attention and keep me informed on beer events from around the world.

I was surprised to see Hughley's article on Toronto in the magazine but it was a nice surprise and about time the beer culture in this city started to gain some recognition.

The article centres around some of Toronto's best known beer destinations as Hughley nicely introduces those that are unfamiliar with the city to some of our favourite spots. Volo, C'est What, Granite Brewery, Mill Street, Victory Cafe, Allen's and more are featured in short, yet descriptive paragraphs. He talks briefly about Steam Whistle and Beerbistro while mentioning certain seasonal beer's produced by Great Lakes, Wellington, Black Oak, Macleans and King.

It's nice to see those names mentioned in a magazine that is available world wide: hence the name of the magazine. Good work Mr.Hughley, I enjoyed that read and enjoyed the last paragraph, "Toronto has a rich and developing beer culture that will grandly reward those who are willing to come and explore in detail the exceptional establishments serving up finely crafted microbrewery beers throughout the city."

And that's exactly what I am doing with this blog.

Ontario Craft Brewers Book: By Bill Perrie

Canada's self proclaimed pub guy, Bill Perrie, wrote this colourful book about some members of the Ontario Craft Brewers Association back in 2006 which was his fifth book in less than 10 years on pubs and beer.

To create this book, Perrie had to visit many smaller breweries situated throughout the vast province of Ontario to speak with the brew-masters, sales representatives and owners - who sometimes wear all three hats. From visiting Walkerville Brewery in Windsor to Heritage Brewery in Carleton Place, Perrie covers his tracks in documenting the story of some great up and coming breweries.

The book is the only one of its kind for the province with the exception of Stephen Beaumont's book The Great Canadian Beer Guide (2001). Where they differ though is through the wonderful photos that accompany each brewery. The book is very colourful with pictures jumping off the page and they peak your curiosity to see the brewery up close and personal to learn more. Perrie also includes many pictures of brewery owners, adding a personal touch to the book as readers get the opportunity to impromptly meet the person responsible for brewing the beer they drink.

The book was written to promote, or boost Ontario Craft Brewers, so naturally it sings praises for their beer and for their initiatives, and Perrie succeeds in doing so. I enjoy Perrie's writing style as it reflects my own. He writes like if he were talking to you personally - a conversational tone if you will. There is a brief description of each beer the brewery offers along with a blank page for tasting notes. Perrie has told me before that he left this section blank because he would rather the consumer enjoy the beer their own way and not be told how to enjoy it.

Fellow beer writer Alan over at A Good Beer Blog, rated the book back in August of 2006 and even though we may not agree in our reviews, he did made a good point. "This book will provide something of a snapshot of the craft brewing industry in Ontario in the mid-00's of the 21st century."

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I used it many times as a reference when I moved back to Ontario when heading out to visit breweries. It would have been nice to see some more members of the OCB profiled like Denison's or Black Oak, but that could be for another time.....

Book Review: Man Walks into a Pub

Like I have mentioned before, I am new to this, and in order to pass myself off as a somewhat knowledgeable beer/pub guy, I have had to read some books to better educate myself.

I have read quite a few beer related books over the years, but I have just recently completed a fabulous read in Pete Brown's "Man Walks into a Pub: A Sociable History of Beer Drinking".

Brown is based in London, England where the pub culture is well established and well known. He is an advertising executive who works on key accounts for Stella Artois and Heineken but doesn't try selling the reader on them. *He did succeed brilliantly in making me want a good hand pulled bitter though*.

He takes you on a fun ride throughout the history of English drinking laws which at times are as laughably, if not worse than past Canadian laws regarding public houses and beer. He talks in great detail about the social aspects of pub life and how they have helped shape Britain as a nation.

What I found most interesting was the way Brown broke down the differences between inns, public houses, saloons and taverns providing a novice like me information that is hard to come by. I found his writing easily read and enjoyable and his charming English wit made it entertaining to read about beer's history.

It was an interesting read that any serious beer/pub lover would enjoy and I highly recommend it. I look forward to purchasing his latest book, 'Three Sheets to the Wind'.