Edmonton International BeerFest
If you are a beer lover, chances are you have heard stories about your favorite beverage. What you may not know is that some of the stories that you have been hearing are falsehoods, not facts. The next time you reach into your refrigerator to grab a brewski, there you should be able to tell the difference between the facts and fiction.
1. Temperature Can Skunk the Beer
Many brewski drinkers believe that if the temperature of the liquid fluctuates, it will have a negative effect on the taste. This is not true. When the beverage is brewed, the breweries fill the bottles and cans with a cold ale. It usually stays cold when it is delivered to the store. There are many stores who will put the product on the store floor until it is purchased. Finally, when you get your drinks home, you put it in the refrigerator. Through all of these temperature changes, the beverage won’t lose its taste. One thing that will skunk the brewski is sunlight. This is why many breweries use brown bottles. Clear bottles and green bottles allow the contents to be exposed to light and making them taste like skunk. This is why many breweries don’t use these color bottles.
2. Bottles Are Better Than Cans
There are many people who think that bottled brewskies are better than cans. Part of the reason for this myth is that most craft beers are usually in a bottle. What you may not know is that craft beers brewers are using cans more often. Some people say that canned brewskis have a metallic taste. While this was true years ago, breweries now use a chemical liner in the can. This will prevent the contents from tasting like metal. The truth is that cans are better. They are lighter which saves on shipping costs which is why cans are cheaper than bottles. Cans are also more recyclable. In addition, cans are often sold at sporting events and establishments where glass bottles are not allowed. Finally, cans are not transparent, therefore, the contents cannot be exposed to the sunlight which can have a negative effect on the taste.
3. Dark Beers Are Stronger and More Bitter
All dark brewskis are not stronger and more bitter than light ones. While some dark beers are, there are some dark beers that are just dark in color as a result of the malt that is used and it won’t affect the taste. When it comes to the strength of your favorite brand, color has nothing to do with it. Stronger beers will have more sugar in the initial wort. This can occur in both dark and light beers and it all depends on how it is fermented.
4. Beer Needs To Be Served Ice Cold
There are many people who won’t drink a brewski unless it is ice cold because they believe that it should be. The truth is that this beverage can be cold, but if it is too cold, it can mask the flavor. There is a certain formula that you should follow based on the type that you are drinking.
- American Larger: Serving temperature- 34 degrees
- Stout: Serving temperature- 55 degrees also known a cellar temperature
- Craft Beers: Serving temperature 40 to 55 degrees
5. A Beer’s Foam Is Your Enemy
Most people believe that a perfectly poured brewski won’t have any foam at the top. These people hate the thought of sifting through the foam to get to the actual drink. This is actually a myth. A good glass of suds will have a finger and a half of head on the top. This foam will actually trap the flavor and the aroma of the beverage in the glass. While some head is good, too much is bad. If you have too much head in your glass, it will release too much carbonation, resulting in a flat drink. The foam in a brewski is just 25 percent beer. If your glass is half foam, you won’t be getting as much brewski as you are paying for.
6. Wine Is More Complex Than Most Beers
Most brewski drinkers have at least one friend who says they won’t drink a few beers because it is too simple. This is not true. Brewskis has over 700 different flavor profiles while wine has only half that amount. Therefore, a brewski is more complex than wine.
7. ”Beers Before Liquor, Never Been Sicker”
There is a drinking saying that many people abide by. It says, “Beers before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beers, in the clear.” This saying is right and it is wrong. There are no components in liquor and a few beers that make it better to drink one first. However, if you are at home sipping on a few beers, you will get a small buzz. When you get to the bar and you start drinking shots, you get drunk after the fact. If you are at home drinking shots, you will be drunk when you get to the bar and you are more likely to sip your brewski.
If you love to have a few cold beers on a night out, you should know the facts and the fiction regarding your favorite alcoholic beverage.
Our annual BeerFest in Edmonton offers some of the best selections from the micro brewing community. Tickets for the 2018 International Beerfest are on sale now! Buy tickets today before the event sells out!
https://matadornetwork.com/nights/10-of-the-worlds-best-beer-festivals-in-may/
Canadians love their beer. In 2014, they consumed over 22 million hectoliters of beer, 84% of which was Canadian. It’s also worth a mention that 56% of beer-drinking Canadians prefer lagers and 34% prefer ales. Here are some other facts that distinguish the brewing industry in Canada.
High-Quality Barley Is Canadian Breweries’ Competitive Edge.
Barley is an important ingredient in beer-making. Fortunately for Canadian brewers, barley is one of Canada’s most important grain crops.
Since 1948, the “Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute” has supported the development and evaluation of new malting barley varieties. The country has, as a result, maintained a leadership role in barley research and production over the years.
Breweries in other countries appreciate Canadian barley’s level of quality and availability. Consequently, Canada-based breweries have been able to obtain licensing agreements with leading U.S. and offshore breweries to manufacture the foreign companies’ brands in the country.
Canada Is a Country of a Few Brewing Giants and Hundreds of Microbrewers.
In 2014, 520 licensed breweries were operating in the country. Interestingly, over half of these breweries operate in Ontario and Québec.
Two of all the breweries, Labatt Breweries of Canada and Molson Breweries, target the whole country. Then there are six regional breweries located in different territories and hundreds of microbreweries targeting local markets.
The Canadian Brewery Industry Is Highly Innovative.
The Canadian brewing industry is vibrant and advanced. Significant developments from Canada have included new yeast strains that are more alcohol-tolerant and others that produce low-calorie beer. New products have included seasonal beers, low-carbohydrate beers, and low-alcohol beer.
Canadian companies also pioneered the brilliant brewing techniques of continuous malting and continuous brewing. There also have been trials on new package formats and efforts to enhance the preservation properties of plastic to match those of glass bottles. Other notable contributions are the innovations around temperature-sensitive thermochromatic ink and high-tech insulator to help monitor beer temperatures.
The Canadian Brewing Industry Is a Pioneer Advocate for Responsible Consumption of Alcohol.
Canadian breweries were among the first brewers to address the issue of responsible drinking. The companies initiated and continued to fund programs that fight misuse.
The Canadian Beer Industry Holds an Impressive Environmental Record.
Canadian brewers have over the years utilized environmental-friendly policies in their brewing plant operations and control of packaging. Amazingly, an average 99% of Canadian beer bottles are returned. Other breweries such as Steam Whistle Brewing Company have very elaborate green initiatives.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com
Steam Whistle Brewing is an independently owned microbrewery in Toronto, Ontario. Steam Whistle was founded by the “Three Fired Guys.” The present owners are “The Good Beer Folks.”
“The Three Fired Guys” refers to three guys who got fired after the micro they worked for changed owners. “The Good Beer Folks” is a group of private investors most of whom are employees, family, and friends.
Steam Whistle is renowned for its beloved Canada’s Premium Pilsner. The company’s founders made a conscious decision to brew only one kind of beer. The choice has enabled the company to focus all of its energy in brewing one Premium, proudly Canadian beer.
Steam Whistle is also a fantastic story of entrepreneurship with a big heart. The company is green, literally and figuratively. The brewery has even won many environmental awards. To help save the planet, the company has numerous green initiatives that include:
1. Green bottles are really green. The bottles can potentially be re-used for up to 45 times- the industry’s standard is 15 times. Their painted logo saves trees and eliminates the need for ink, varnish and glue. And every element from their packaging line is also recycled.
2. Reliance on all natural products. Incredibly, Steam Whistle uses only four ingredients that are all-natural and GMO-free. The ingredients are pure spring water, malted barley, hops, and yeast.
3. Since 2007, Steam Whistle Brewing has been using clean, renewable power.
4. Since 2006, the brewery has been using biodiesel in their delivery trucks.
5. The company’s building is also very environmental friendly.
6. Waste diversion program- Among other ways of diverting waste, their “spent grain” is used by Wellington County farmers as animal feed.
A story on Steam Whistle Brewing can’t be complete without a mention of the brewery’s green vintage vehicles. The company’s vintage vehicle fleet makes a spectacular sight. Each of the green delivery vehicles has a personality and a name. There are names such as Chuckles, Grumpy, The Party Bus, Lumpy, Betty, Shakey, and The Scout.
Edmonton’s International BeerFest endeavors to bring you all the good beer news and tales. We also honor amazing brewers who work hard to give beer lovers fantastic beer flavors. We also love talking about International Beer Fests that bring together good brewers and beer enthusiasts.
Photo credit: Steam Whistle
One aspect that is well known about Canadians is that they just love their beer. Canadian beer can be said to be pride of a nation. As a matter of fact, most events taking place in the region feature a variety of local brews. This will apply to both formal as well as informal. The social drink is not just another chilled drink but a symbol of the culture of the people. A beer brand that existed in the days of our grandparents still remains popular to this day. Talk about passing on of the drinking culture.
In line with keeping up the rich beer history, large as well as microbreweries regularly hold beer festivals. At the event, a person is able to sample what Canada has to offer. Whether you love your ice beer, fancy your cream ale, or simply cannot resist craft beer, then this is an event for you. Brewing beers is no longer a tightly kept trade secret as it was in the yesteryears. The modern brewer allows his customers sample the latest brews as well as have a tour of the brewery. This experience allows beer drinkers share their thoughts about their favorite drink. It also leads to people appreciating the big role the beer industry plays in the economy.
Friendships and strong social bonds are always established during the beer festivals or a tour of a brewing plant. This is even becoming a common pastime for many people. It is also viewed as a way of appreciating the local brewing sector that has been growing tremendously. Local brands are generally well received in the market. This is attributed to the provincial regulations which encourage local brewing. So next time you are sipping your cold Budweiser, Molson dry, Coors light, Labatt blue, pale lager, or any other beer brand, you may well appreciate the rich culture, strong friendship, as well as robust economy that is made possible thanks to the beer industry.
