Thanks for your comment! They’re redone the shelves at Sherbrooke? I’ll have to take a look, as I haven’t been in a while. And, organized by category rather than region and brand? Interesting. That’ll definitely help people check out new beer, as they can see: Oh, this brand is in the same category as this brand that I’m fond of, maybe I’ll try it. Very cool.

Hoppy New Year!!

I would also put in full credit to Sherbrooke as its stock just continues to impress. They have even redone their shelves to start to stock by category, so if you like a particular style, there are likely some there you have not tried yet.

Expect to spend some quality time in the walk in cooler though, it is worth the gander.

Don

Thanks for adding even more to the conversation. I wasn’t even aware of any micros from the mountains. I’ll have to see if I can get my hands on some of them.

By the way, if anyone is interested or was wondering, I have found out that Amber’s beers are available at Sherbrooke Liquor Store. I probably should have assumed that from the beginning. They have the largest selection of beer of any store in the province. If it’s brewed, odds are good that they stock it.

Lively discussion about perky hoppy ales. The Pacific NW IPA definitely has been the standard of the strongly hopped ales from our continent of late. Portland Oregon and its string of micros and a number of US micros that I have sampled are all along that track. My latest samples are Snake Dog IPA from Flying Dog Brewery (Denver, CO), Tankhouse Ale from Mill Street (Toronto ON), Brooklyn IPA (NY,NY) and Amber Pale Ale (Edm, AB). Good to see Amber doing another local shot at Pale Ales, albeit not as hoppy as the “real” IPAs.

Pete, good call on that nationally promoted brand that uses that reference IPA in vain. Shame, shame on the lack of hops and flavour from our brewing friends in Dartmouth, NS. It has probably turned off a lot of folks who likely think these other IPAs are really bitter and not their cup of tea. Those who really like it, like the good stuff a lot!!!

ON, BC, QC and NS are all producing lovely micros including some good IPAs and bitter beers. Alley Kat and Amber are making a go of it here in town, and Grizzly Paw (Canmore) and Jasper are producing some good varieties in the mountains. I chatted with folks from Grizzly who said that they might start bottling their IPA in Kelowna with their other two brands that they currently bottle. It would be good to see another micro home grown IPA product on the market in Alberta. It would be good to see this whole industry grow here in AB.

Until then, supporting the micros!!

Don

Bitter, heavily hopped beer is an acquired taste certainly, but aren’t many of life’s great tastes acquired?

As for New Asian Village, I’ve never been. It’s another place that I drive past all the time, and always hear good things about, but never actually go inside. I’ll have to change that sometime soon, if only for the extensive beer selection.

I didn’t mind the Full Moon I had there, but it is a very bitter beer to begin with so I went in with eyes and palate wide open.

If there other recommendations of good places supporting micros on tap, please let me know.

I’ve actually never been to Original Joe’s, I must admit. I’ve heard many good things, and driven by it dozens of times, but never gone inside. Glad to hear that they’re supporting local microbrews, as well as other Canadian microbrews (I seem to remember Steam Whistle being pretty good, but I’ve only had it once).

You’re right about Boston Pizza, but they do, at least, have Grasshopper (and Traditional, I think) in bottles. That counts for something, I suppose.