"An American Success Story"

  

D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. is America's oldest brewery and after a recent trip   to Nashville, TN I feel compelled to write about their particular brand of refreshment. Yuengling is family owned and has been since its first keg was brewed in 1829. Strongly committed to tradition, Yuengling packages a wide variety of popular Ales, Porters and Lagers. Yuengling is brewed in Pottsville, Pennsylvania and their flagship beer, Traditional Lager, can be ordered in Pennsylvania and bordering states by simply ordering a "lager." This is certainly a mark of the breweries popularity but also the loyalty of their beer drinkers. A lot has happened throughout the brewery's 189 year lifespan and if you are curious about all of the fun facts please click here.

Yuengling is not sold in Canada so if you are interested in trying any number of their brews you will have to hop (pun intended) over the border. If you do get a chance to try it, I suggest the Traditional Lager. It's a crisp and classic lager that has truly stood the test of time. There aren't many beer companies that have lasted as long and still retain such a loyal and diverse fan-base. Not only is the Traditional Lager delicious, it is served in an attractive green glass bottle. Their unique packaging sets them apart from other brown bottle distributors, throws back to a simpler time and allows whoever is enjoying their beer a chance to stand out in a crowd.

"Hey bartender! Hey man look a here! A draw one, draw two, draw three, four glasses of beer," Hey Bartender, The Blues Brothers

Fun Fact: In 2011 Yuengling was tied with Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) for the largest American-owned brewery! 

Yuengling Traditional Lager
Class: Lager
Brewer: D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc.
Alcohol Content: 4.4%

Light Blue on the Field, Blue Light in our Hearts!

In honour of my very competitive co-ed soccer teams’ advancement to this summer’s playoffs, I would like to take this opportunity to write about a certain beverage that remains close to our hearts, despite its’ current lack of “mainstream” popularity. Our team, Light Blue has chosen, cleverly if I may, Blue Light as our post-game beverage for celebrating wins, grieving losses and complaining about less than favourable calls.

"Big bottle, big mouth, big party, good times,"
The People Under the Stairs

I have written about the history of Labatt’s brewery in my post about 50 (you can check it out here) so I will just stick to the tasting notes about Blue Light. “Created in 1983, this premium, pilsner-style lager has a slightly sweet taste and a fruity, hop aroma. It's fresh, crisp and brewed to the highest quality standards.” http://www.labattus.com/bluelight/. Now, you may be scoffing at that description but Blue Light is actually one of my favourite light beers. It’s easy to drink, affordable and makes the perfect companion to any social gathering.

 

 

While I play on a soccer team with a diverse group of people, we all share a devotion to Blue Light. For us, it stands for teamwork, solidarity, friendship and hard work. To enjoy a Blue Light may seem like something minor, but it means a lot to me. So this post goes out to Light Blue! Cheers to another great season, looking forward to at least a few more with you!

 

Fun Fact: Blue Light’s big brother Labatt’s Blue is the world’s best selling Canadian brew!

 

Blue Light

Class: Lager

Brewer: Labatt

Quality: Premium

Alcohol: 4%

At the Hundredth Meridian

"Me debunk an american myth?

And take my life in my hands?

Where the great plains begin

At the hundredth meridian," The Hip

As Gord Downie (The Tragically Hip) explains, the hundredth meridian is where the great plains begin. At least,that's how Canadian's like to think of the line of longitude. Passing through Nunavut and Manitoba, the hundredth meridian separates Western Canada from Eastern Canada. Mill St. Brewery has added another beer to their repertoire this year that pays tribute to this divide called "100th Meridian".

The organic amber lager features prairie malt, Bravo and Cascade hops and is brewed in the tradtional North American fashion. I tried this beer for the first time at the Brazenhead Pub in Toronto's Liberty Village. While I like hoppy beers, amber varieties don't tend to be my first choice. That being said, Mill St.'s 100th Meridian may be my summer go to. There truly isn't a better way to honour the great prairies than creating a beer made with ingredients that have been grown organically and with love right here in North America. 100th Meridian is a shout out to Canadian and American farmers who have spent their lives tillin', plantin' and harvestin'. And let's face it, if Gord Downie sings about something, it's probably really important. I reccommend trying a 100th Meridian the next time you're relaxing on the back deck, gazing at the rows of Canada Eastern Amber Durum or Canada Prairie Red Spring growing by the acre in your backyard. Or, if you're like me...whenever! Cheers!

100th Meridian
Class: Amber Lager
Brewer: Mill St.
Quality: Craft
Alcohol Content:

Beau's For the Bro's

Making my triumphant return to blogging, I've decided to treat myself with another of my favourtie beers. Beau's Lug-Tread Lagered Ale is made at Beau's Brewery in Vankleek Hill, ON (Close to Ottawa). Beau's tagline is "All Natural Brewing Company". Is there anything more vintage than "all natural"?

I was first introduced to Beau's by a close family friend who often shares new beer discoveries with my on Friday nights after work. I fell in love at first sip. There was something about the branding that seemed familiar (especially for a Perth County gal like myself).

Their committment to using local spring water, and 100% organic malt and hops make Beau's beer something special. They use only the freshest ingredients but prefer their beer aged. Honestly, I really enjoy Beau's Lug-Tread. I have tried a couple of their seasonal brews, which are also great, but I keep coming back to the Lug-Tread. Sold in old-school 600mL bottles make it the perfect beer for sharing.

"I like it in a mug, in a bottle,
in a cup, I like it with a shot,
mmm...That hits the spot,"
Lee Brice

Another great thing about Beau's is their Canadian-ness. They are proud to be Canadian and are sure to let the beer community know it. (One of their current beers is an ode to Canadian comedy legend Tom Green). After all of the Canada Day celebrations this week I think it's safe to say that a patriotic beer would be a great addition to anyone's patio party this upcoming weekend!


Their website has a ton of information for anyone looking to learn more, and I suggest you visit it. They even have a mixtape feature which plays music that goes perfect with seasonal beer.

Fun Fact: Beau's All Natural Brewing Company has paired with Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson to create MaddAddamites NooBroo in honour of the Peelee Island Bird Observatory!

Beau's Lug-Tread

Class: Lagered Ale

Brewer: Beau's All Natural Brewing Company

Quality: Domestic Craft Brew

Alcohol Content: 5.2%

Smokey and the Banquet

"Support your local wildlife. Do your part around here.
Save water and drink beer,"Chris Young

Order and it shall be served. First introduced by Adolph Coors (who had to be at least a little bit narcissistic) Coors Banquet has been brewed, ironically, in Golden, Colorado since 1873.  Coors is nicknamed "The Banquet Beer" because during the late 1800's miners throwing celebratory banquets would serve Coors. It was a natural selection due to its stellar craftsmanship. For a long time, Coors was only served in the American West, which made it that more valuable. It developed a cult following- often inspiring people to drive across the country and bring it back to the East Coast to share with friends and family. Presidents, movie starts and average Joe beer drinkers all loved Coors.

Banquet finally became available in Ontario in 2013. Beer lovers rejoiced as they were finally able to purchase bottles and their signature yellow cans without having to cross the border. I was pretty excited myself. It was always a special treat to head to the states and find Banquet on the shelves of convenience stores and gas station coolers. That special feeling is what allows Banquet to remain relevant despite its' competition. There is a certain status awarded to those who were able to get their hands on Coors Banquet and that remains the case to this day. I highly recommend trying it the next time you visit the Beer Store, its full-flavoured but smooth and makes for the perfect post-work pick-me-up.

Fun Fact: Smokey and the Bandit, starring Burt Reynolds and Sally Field, is about race car driver Bandit's valiant effort to smuggle a truck full of beer from Texas to Atlanta. The beer stowed away in the back of his truck? Coors Banquet! (This fun fact should up your cool factor at any bar this weekend.)

Coors Banquet

Class: Pale Lager

Brewer: COORS

Quality: Imported

Alcohol Content: 5%



50: Say Hello to a New Old Friend



"Well I've tried 'em all and it might sound queer,
but my favourite drug is a nice cold beer,"
 Asylum Street Spankers

Labatt’s brewery was founded in London, Ontario in 1847 by John Kinder Labatt. Now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev (makers of Bud Light, etc.) Labatt’s is Canada’s largest brewer of that sweet golden nectar. Labatt 50 is a beer created with a lot of sentiment. It was first produced in 1950 to represent the 50 year old partnership between Labatt grandsons Hugh and John. Interestingly, 50 was the first light-tasting ale introduced in Canada. Even more interesting, even shocking, is that 50 was Canada’s best selling beer until 1979. 50 dropped in sales due to the increase in popularity of Lagers, which is a trend that seems to be on its’ way out considering the popularity of craft brewed India Pale Ales. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that 50 is making its’ way back into the mainstream, while it may be light, it doesn’t taste like a light beer. It still gives beer lovers that hoppy kick while being refreshing and easy to drink. Regardless, 50 has certainly proved itself as a quality product. Here's an article that I found pretty entertaining and informative about the history of 50.

If you are interested in conspiracy theories and crazy histories I suggest reading about the kidnapping of John Sackville Labatt (one of John Labatt’s nine children). It’s an intriguing story and it will be the perfect complement to that cold bottle of 50. 

 

Fun Fact: For a time, Call the Office in London, ON was the biggest seller of Labatt’s 50.

50
Class: Pale Ale
Brewer: Labatt
Quality: Premium
Alcohol Content: 5%

Black Label:Gold Medal

A good friend of mine swears by Black Label. And after asking some of my family’s friends about it, I learned that to drink Black Label is truly an acquired taste. Many of them are brought back to their youth. That’s been the running theme of this blog so far, drinking beer that brings you back to those memories. A close family friend was reminded of unwinding after a long week doing chores in the barn when it was brought out on Christmas Eve this year. It was kind of cool to hear him reminiscing about this beer that he hadn’t seen in over 20 years.

 

"I'm just a cold beer drinker,
check out the callus on my
pop-top finger," Luke Bryan

 

Back to Black Label, the beer is made by Carling which is a European company. Carling was originally popular throughout Britain and the British Empire, however, it was purchased by Torontonian E.P. Taylor and grew to be the world’s largest brewing company for a time. Black Label quickly became the first beer to be brewed in a mass international scale. I found this fact to be pretty remarkable considering the fact that I didn’t even know Black Label existed until last year.

 

 

 

To sum up, Black Label, despite its reputation, has won a variety of beer competitions including the Grand Gold Award in 2008 from Monde Selection. So, next time you are out give Black Label a try and experience something new (and, in a way, old).

 

Fun Fact: The Carling website will list restaurants and bars that carry their products for those interested in drinking Black Label.

Carling Black Label
Class: Pale Lager
Brewer: Molson
Quality: Discount
Alcohol Content: 5%

Green Diesel: The Pride of Western Canada

Old Style Pilsner has been brewed, in its current state, in Western Canada by Molson since 1926. Primarily brewed in Vancouver and Edmonton, the beer is traditionally associated with mullet-bearing, party starting dudes. If you haven't experienced the magic of the Canadian mockumentary FUBAR (what are you waiting for?), then you probably don't understand the cultural significance of the Pilly Pop. For many Western Canadians, Pilsner is the first beer they ever drink. While Pil is able to cross lines of age, wealth and taste, it's popularity stems from the recreation of that fateful night when they tried Pislner for the first time and their eyes were opened to a whole new, sud-soaked world. Nostalgia is important to the brewery as well. The label pays tribute to the past while emphasizing things that make Western Canada unique.
 

"All we need is a ten and fiver
A car and key and a sober driver
B double, E double R U N beer run,"
Todd Snider

 

Saskatchewan Champagne, as it is lovingly referred to by Roughriders fan (they are a large sponsor of the team) appeals to a variety of beer drinkers because of its colourful label (that features at least three of the famous 'Sner bunnies) and its drinkability. Pilsner is often the only thing people out West have in common with one another. But, that's pretty cool. The fact that Old Style Pilsner was able to survive through prohibition is a testament to Canadian grit and determination.

Like many other Ontarians, FUBAR was the first experience with Pilsner we had. The beer was only available here for three years (from 1992-1995) due to a marketing blunder, the beer just couldn't resonate with Ontario beer drinkers. It was reintroduced to the province in May 2013 and since then it has been picking up momentum, prominently featured at backyard and garage gatherings alike, Vitamin P looks like its going to be around for a long time.

Fun Fact: Old Style Pilsner was originally called Alberta Pride, the name was changed in 1926.

Check out the video about the history of the Old Style label here!




Old Style Pilsner
Class: Discount
Brewer: Molson
Quality: Light Lager
Alcohol Content: 5%

Just Say OV

Let’s start this off with a bang. My current favourite beer to drink is Old Vienna (or OV, for those in know). A huge seller at my hometown’s busiest watering hole (and where I bartend), OV is a lager with a lot of character-just like those who choose to drink it. It’s described as a “mainstream lager with moderate hop character and slightly sweet, fruity, refreshing aroma and taste," (The Beer Store).

"You don't care about what I think,
I think I'll just stay here and have
a drink," Merle Haggard.

OV has been enjoyed in hockey dressing rooms since the early 1970’s. It was originally bottled by City Brewing, the rights and recipe were purchased by Koch Beverage Company (Wapakoneta, Ohio) and then sold to Carling O’Keefe after their demise in 70’s. During this time, OV was marketed as a mainstream premium lager sold at a higher price point. Now, OV is brewed by Molson and sold across Canada and select US markets close to the border. It is brewed as a premium beer but sold a lower price point.

“Just say OV” is not only the tagline for the brand, it connotes a way of life. OV beer drinkers are laidback and loyal, forming a community of beer lovers who find beauty in the simple things in life, check out @OVBeer if you don't believe me.

I was introduced to OV by “the regulars” who drink where I bartend at Bentley's in Stratford, ON. They were adamant that OV, despite its reputation as a cheap beer, is incredibly drinkable. I’ve been hooked ever since, impatiently awaiting my first pint on Friday nights.

 Fun Fact: OV was sold in 7oz bottles called “OV Splits” throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s.  

 

OV

Class: Pale Lager

Brewer: Molson

Quality: Premium

Alcohol Content: 5%

Why Blog About Retro Suds?

Over the past year I have noticed a trend in the marketing, selling, brewing and consuming of beer. People are getting back to their roots: craft breweries are popping up and gaining serious momentum, labeling and packaging is giving props to earlier editions and sales reps are taking a more personal approach to market their products. As a bartender and server I am excited about returning to the simple spirit of the malty beverage: bringing people together to celebrate, collaborate and communicate. The surge in retro beer is proof that everything new is not always better. There is a serious demand for capturing something vintage in bottles, cans and kegs.


"Every now and then you just get

 a little thirsty," Hank Williams Jr.

 

Whether beer makers, marketers and consumers are trying to be nostalgic or intrigue a new generation of potential beer lovers, this blog is my attempt to understand why old beer is cool again. Each week I will try an "old-school" brew and write about my experience, where it was served and who introduced me to the beer itself. My goal is to pay homage to beer drinkers who came before us and pave the way for those who have yet to enjoy it. I look forward to tasting my way through the upcoming weeks and sharing my sudsy experiences with you.


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