Canadian...eeh.

On my recent trip to Vancouver BC, I had the opportunities to sample couple of beers from the Great White North other than the usual Molson’s or Labbat’s. The first one is a national brand and the other one is a local brew from the Gransville Island, BC. I know Canada is our NAFTA partner and next door neighbor but there are actually folks here in the US who think Canada is the 51st state with a maple leaf state flag.

The Ontario based Sleeman is the third largest brewery in Canada. There are sixteen flavours of beer from the Sleeman beer factory. I am sure if it is my taste bud after enlightened by some BC Buds, my bottle of Sleeman’s Honey Brown Lager tasted like Yuengling. The copper colored lager lacks the hint of honey as it promised but the maltiness provided a smooth finished. The after taste seems weak but yet acceptable since it is a light-hopped lager. Last words, I won’t drink it’s Cream Ale, Honey Brown, Silver Creek, Clear (Michelob’s One), Original Dark, Premium Light (Coors Light), Steam (No comparison to Anchor’s), and Amber again unless it is free. Pardon me, I preferred Sleezy Sherm’s Oktoberfest anytime to Canadian’s generic beer….eeh.

I vouched not to leave Vancouver before checking out its local brew. While waiting for my flight back to the Big Apple, I spotted the Granville Island’s English Bay Pale Ale on the tap at the airport bar. Bad news first, I will pick Dog Fish Pale Ale not because of its “East Coastness” but the brew simply lacked of that big bad West Coast flavor, hop. I actually expected the aroma to be more hoppy than it is or I am just being naïve to compare this to Sierra Nevada. On the bright side, what more to ask when this caramel colored pale ale flavoured with nice sweetness of malt with a hint of dried fig. Plus, my pint only cost me five loonies and change along with the 7% GPS which totaled exactly 6.00 CND. The bartender slammed me another one while I was watching the dud next to me ready to order his next round of adjunct lager, Molson Canadian.

Cheers!