Greetings, beer lovers! Happy Friday, and once again (though it’s been a while), ‘tis chingchongchinaman as your semi-friendly virtual neighborhood guest FNBB blogger, with esquimaux taking a well-earned Friday evening off from FNBB duties. Since tomorrow is Canada Day (eh), 3CM the loser is recycling the subject of the annual Canadian Brewing Awards, for 2023 (well, duh). You can access the link at this link. First, though, the ‘Best in Show’ and ‘Brewery of the Year’ hono(u)rs go to:
Best of Show: Dwarf Sour Cherry, Blindman Brewing (Alberta)
Brewery of the Year: Muddy York Brewing Company (Toronto, Ontario)
Sours fans here (you know who you are) should be quite pleased with the ‘Best of Show’ selection from our Canadian friends this year. Getting on to the list of Gold / Silver / Bronze winners, plus Honorable Mentions, in all 59 (!) categories:
Category
Award | Beer | Brewery | Province
1. European Style Lager (Pilsner)
Gold | Turntable Lager | Trolley 5 Brewpub | Alberta
Silver | Neverending | Small Gods Brewing Co. | British Columbia
Bronze | Operation Feed Pilsner | Long Bay Brewery | New Brunswick
2. European Style Amber to Dark Lager
Gold | Arctic Lake Czech Dark Lager | A-FRAME Brewing Company | British Columbia
Silver | Copper | Brauerei Fahr Inc. | Alberta
Bronze | Miners Valley Brewing | Alberta
Honorable Mention | The Professor Amber Lager | Fernie Brewing Company | British Columbia
3. Bock - Traditional German Style
Gold | Lazy Dog | Paris Brewing and Malting | Ontario
Silver | Journey To Mars | Paniza Brewing | Ontario
Bronze | Graveyard of the Pacific | Sooke Oceanside Brewery | British Columbia
4. Kellerbier/Zwickelbier
Gold | Lagerkoller Vienna Lager | Camp Beer Co. | British Columbia
Silver | Potts Pils | Moon Under Water Brewery | British Columbia
Bronze | Lipslide Lager | Riot Brewing Co. | British Columbia
Honorable Mention | Helios | Hoyne Brewing Company | British Columbia
5. German Kolsch Style
Gold | Cosmic Kolsch | Monkey 9 Brewing Pub Corp. | British Columbia
Silver | My Best Friend's Girl | The Establishment Brewing Company | Alberta
Bronze | Front Porch | Calabogie Brewing | Ontario
Honorable Mention | Cutbanks Kolsch | CrossRoads Brewing and Distillery | British Columbia
6. Wheat Beer - Belgian Style (Wit)
Gold | Botanik | Microbrasserie 4 Origines | Quebec
Silver | Witty Belgian | Torque Brewing | Manitoba
Bronze | Charles Henri White | Brasserie Les 2 Frères | Quebec
7. Wheat Beer - German Style (Weiss)
Gold | Haberdasher Hefeweizen | Muddy York Brewing Co. | Ontario
Silver | Oie Blanche | Microbrasserie des Beaux Prés | Quebec
Bronze | Beautiful Aurelia | Foundry Brewing Inc. | Ontario
8. Baltic Porter
Gold | Year 4 Baltic Porter | Medicine Hat Brewing Company | Alberta
Silver | Two Rivers Baltic Porter | Tatamagouche Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
Bronze | Faithful Guide | The Establishment Brewing Company | Alberta
9. Belgian-Style Dubbel Or Quadrupel
Gold | Friar Belgian Quad | Dog Mountain Brewing | British Columbia
Silver | Canotiers Aux Pieds Gelés | Microbrasserie La Souche | Quebec
Bronze | Nocturne Belgian-style Quadrupel | Twin City Brewing Company | British Columbia
10. Belgian-Style Tripel
Gold | 33 Acres of Euphoria | 33 Acres Brewing Company | British Columbia
Silver | Tripel | Meuse Brewing Company | Ontario
Bronze | Belgian Tripel | Pile O' Bones Brewing | Saskatchewan
11. Belgian Style Abbey Ale/Pale Ale
Gold | Flacatoune | MicroBrasserie Charlevoix | Quebec
Silver | Burnabarian | Dageraad Brewing | British Columbia
Bronze | Two Pillars Pale | Two Pillars Brewery | Alberta
12. Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale
Gold | Solid Gold | Bent Stick Brewing | Alberta
Silver | Two Pillars Dark Strong | Two Pillars Brewery | Alberta
Bronze | Formidicus | Shacklands Brewing Co. | Ontario
13. French and Belgian Style Saison
Gold | Cheval D'or | Grimross Brewing Corp. | New Brunswick
Silver | Dégrisette | Noire et Blanche Inc | Quebec
Bronze | A Fictitious Anomaly | Irrational Brewing Company | Alberta
14. Belgian-Style Brett Beer
Gold | 10th Anniversary Brett Saison | Parallel 49 Brewing | British Columbia
Silver | Tagwerk Brett Triple | Paris Brewing and Malting | Ontario
Bronze | Into the Wild | O'Creek Brewing Co | New Brunswick
15. German-Style Sour Ale
Gold | Slings and Arrows | Indie Alehouse | Ontario
Silver | Obscura Berliner-Style Weisse w/ Plum | Twin City Brewing Company | British Columbia
Bronze | Girl, Hold My Earrings | Lunn's Mill Beer Company Ltd | Nova Scotia
16. Belgian-Style Sour Ale
Gold | Rouge des Appalaches | Frampton Brasse | Quebec
Silver | Pretty Please | Trailway Brewing | New Brunswick
Bronze | Barrel Aged Lambic Style Ale | Propeller Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
17. Porter
Gold | Bellhop Porter | Abandoned Rail Brewing Company | British Columbia
Silver | St. Aiden's Porter | Ucluelet Brewing Company | British Columbia
Bronze | Black Door | Hampton Brewing Company | New Brunswick
Honorable Mention | "Owl Train" Vanilla Porter | Locality Brewing | British Columbia
18. Brown Ale
Gold | Traditional Ale | Big Rock Brewery | Alberta
Silver | Tall Timber | Mt. Begbie Brewing Company Ltd. | British Columbia
Bronze | Georgetown Brown |Canmore Brewing Company Ltd | Alberta
Honorable Mention | Il Rosso | Birra Fanelli | Quebec
19. Irish And Scotch Ales
Gold | Ridgewalk Red Ale | Fernie Brewing Company | British Columbia
Silver | Red Vinyl | Secret Cove Brewing | Newfoundland & Labrador
Bronze | Beer 101 Strong | Niagara College | Ontario
20. English Style Pale Ale
Gold | Square Nail Pale Ale | Publican House Brewery | Ontario
Silver | Golden Grover | Foghorn Brewing Company | New Brunswick
Bronze | Goddess Golden Ale | Persephone Brewing Company | British Columbia
21. English Bitters
Gold | Long Game | Corsaire Microbrasserie | Quebec
Silver | Soggy Otter Brown Ale | Fisher Peak Brewing Company | British Columbia
Bronze |London | Microbrasserie Bilboquet | Quebec
Honorable Mention | R&D - English Ale | Section 6 Brewing Company |Manitoba
22. Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Gold | Chocolate Milk Stout | Wellington Brewery|Ontario
Silver | Cereal Milk Chocolate Stout |North Point Brewing Company | British Columbia
Bronze | Walkerville Easy Stout | Walkerville Brewery | Ontario
23. Oatmeal Stout
Gold | Spectrum Stout | Meta Brewing Corp. | Alberta
Silver | Oatmeal Stout | Silversmith Brewing Company | Ontario
Bronze Crooked Nose Stout | Cameron's Brewing | Ontario
Honorable Mention | Boat Traffic | Lone Oak Brewing Company | Prince Edward Island
24. Dry Stout
Gold | Finnegans Irish stout | Hoyne Brewing Company | British Columbia
Silver | Woodhouse Stout Beer | Junction Craft Beverage Company | Ontario
Bronze |Black River Stout | Couchiching Craft Brewing Co. | Ontario
25. Imperial Stout
Gold | L’Impérial Stout | La Forge du Malt | Quebec
Silver | Commander 2019 Reserve | Dead Frog Brewery | British Columbia
Bronze | Liquid Lullaby | Town Square Brewing Co. | Alberta
26. English Style India Pale Ale
Gold | Canoe Chase IPA Smugglers | Trail Caskworks | British Columbia
Silver | English IPA | Sons of Kent Brewing Company | Ontario
Bronze | India Pale Ale | Propeller Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
27. North American Style Lager
Gold | Daycation | Troubled Monk | Alberta
Silver | Shindig | Cowbell Brewing Co. | Ontario
Bronze | Bierra Angela | Microbrasserie Trois Lacs | Quebec
28. North American Style Premium Lager
Gold | Get Lucky Lager | Born Brewing Co. | Alberta
Silver |Revelstoke Lager | Mt. Begbie Brewing Company Ltd. | British Columbia
Bronze | Bossman Lager |70 Acre Brew Co. |Alberta
29. North American Style Amber/Dark Lager
Gold | Dancing In the Dark Lager | Powell Street Craft Brewery |British Columbia
Silver | Red | Old Flame Brewing Company | Ontario
Bronze |Toller Red | Burnside Brewing Co | Nova Scotia
30. Light (Calorie-Reduced) Lager
Gold |Death Wave Light Lager | Sea Change Brewing Co | Alberta
Silver |Lug Lite |Beau's Brewery |Ontario
Bronze |Lions Gate Light | Steamworks Brewing Co | British Columbia
31. Cream Ale
Gold | 8 Secondes | Novum Boreas | New Brunswick
Silver | Classic | Burdock Brewery | Ontario
Bronze | Apres | Tatamagouche Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
32. North American Style Amber/Red Ale
Gold |Georgie's Best Dry Hopped ESB | Bomber Brewing | British Columbia
Silver | Rousse de Chelsea | Microbrasserie Chelsea & Co | Quebec
Bronze | Right Some Red |Nine Locks Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
33. North American Style Blonde or Golden Ale
Gold | James Blonde 00709 | Secret Cove Brewing | Newfoundland & Labrador
Silver | Birra Fanelli Blonde | Birra Fanelli | Quebec
Bronze | Dandelion's Blonde | Cold Garden Beverage Company | Alberta
34. American-Style Black Ale
Gold | Black IPA | Pile O' Bones Brewing | Saskatchewan
Silver | Dark Adaptation Black IPA | Annex Ale Project | Alberta
Bronze | Quasar Black IPA | Rouge River Brewery | Ontario
35. North American Style Pale Ale
Gold | Hammer Pants | Eighty-Eight Brewing Company | Alberta
Silver | Four Winds Pale Ale | Four Winds Brewing Co. | British Columbia
Bronze | Mount Pleasant Pale Ale | Granite Brewery | Ontario
36. Wheat Beer - North American Style
Gold | Celestial Canadian Wheat Ale | Meta Brewing Corp. | Alberta
Silver | Jerkface 9000 | Parallel 49 Brewing | British Columbia
Bronze | Hay City | Olds College Brewery | Alberta
37. American Style India Pale Ale
Gold | Big Chute | Quayle's Brewery | Ontario
Silver | Sunshine Rain | Cabin Brewing Company | Alberta
Bronze | Greg | Four Winds Brewing Co. |British Columbia
38. New England Style India Pale Ale
Gold | Beast! | Kahnawake Brewing Company | Quebec
Silver | Life's Story- NEIPA | Red Tape Brewery | Ontario
Bronze | Juice Box | Sons of Kent Brewing Company | Ontario
39. Session India Pale Ale
Gold | East Coast Style Pale Ale | Sawback Brewing Co. | Alberta
Silver | Waves | Kilter Brewing Co. | Manitoba
Bronze | Jam Session | Microbrasserie Trois Lacs | Quebec
40. American Style Imperial India Pale Ale
Gold | Party Time!! 10th Anniversary DIPA | Powell Street Craft Brewery | British Columbia
Silver | 6th Birthday DIPA | Canmore Brewing Company Ltd | Alberta
Bronze | The Great Auk | Secret Cove Brewing | Newfoundland & Labrador
41. American Belgo-Style Ale
Gold | Lupulus | MicroBrasserie Charlevoix | Quebec
Silver | Orange Tie Wrap | Microbrasserie Chelsea & Co | Quebec
Bronze | Obscure Monk | Shacklands Brewing Co. | Ontario
42. American-style Brett Beer
Gold | Blood Cut IPA | Low Life Barrel House | Manitoba
Silver | Sour Porter | Snake Lake Brewing Company | Alberta
Bronze | Wilder Brett IPA | Propeller Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
43. American-style Sour Ale
Gold | Gingering Mouther - Ginger Lime Gose | Analog Brewing Company | Alberta
Silver |Atomic Jam | Electric Bicycle | British Columbia
Bronze | Unicycle Sour IPA w/ El Dorado | Twin City Brewing Company | British Columbia
44. Honey/Maple/Alternative Sugar Lager or Ale
Gold | Sugar Shack | Shacklands Brewing Co. | Ontario
Silver | Cotton Candy | Boardwalk Brewing | British Columbia
Bronze | MacKroken Sarrasin | Microbrasserie Bilboquet | Quebec
45. Fruit Beer Or Field Beer
Gold | Dwarf Sour Cherry | Blindman Brewing| Alberta
Silver | Opuntia Mirage Irrational Brewing Company | Alberta
Bronze | Raspberry Sour | Île Sauvage Brewing Co. | British Columbia
46. Gluten Free Beer
Gold | Grey Fox Quick Witted | Grey Fox Brewing | British Columbia
Silver | Helix Sour Framboise |Microbrasserie Nouvelle-France | Quebec
Bronze | Gluten Free Lager | Port Rexton Brewing Co. Ltd. | Newfoundland & Labrador
47. Session Ale
Gold | Promised Land | Small Gods Brewing Co. | British Columbia
Silver | Public House Mild Porter | Snake Lake Brewing Company | Alberta
Bronze |La Maison | Four Winds Brewing Co. | British Columbia
Honorable Mention | Liquid Sunshine | Boomstick Brewing Co. | Newfoundland & Labrador
48. Experimental Beer
Gold | White Stout | Microbrasserie Chelsea & Co | Quebec
Silver | Sorceress Sour | New Level Brewing | Alberta
Bronze | Bottlecap Cherry Cola Sour | Twin City Brewing Company | British Columbia
Honorable Mention | Cold Snap | Troubled Monk | Alberta
49. Herb and Spice Beer
Gold | El Valle Salado Salted Lime Lager | La Cerveceria Astilleros | British Columbia
Silver | Cup Lake Lemon Earl Grey Sour | A-FRAME Brewing Company | British Columbia
Bronze | Fuego | Cabin Brewing Company | Alberta
Honorable Mention | Thread the Needle Witbier | Whitetooth Brewing | British Columbia
50. Smoked Beer
Gold | Jail Fire Rauchbier | Muddy York Brewing Co. | Ontario
Silver | Smokin' Fire Smoked Red Ale | Dark Woods Brewing | Alberta
Bronze | Knock on Wood Smoked Brown Ale | Steadfast Brewing Co. | Ontario
51. Barley Wine-Style Ale
Gold | Perepllut Barley Wine | Blindman Brewing | Alberta
Silver | Batch 200 Estate Barleywine | Barnside Brewing Co. | British Columbia
Bronze | Ol' Fog Burner | Garrison Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
52. Wood And Barrel-Aged Beer
Gold | Aki No Seishin ('Autumn Spirit')- Imperial Version | Ippon Beers / Bières Ippon | Quebec
Silver | Four Barrels | Stockyards Brewing | Ontario
Bronze | Stout Imperial Russe | Frampton Brasse | Quebec
53. Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Gold | Event Horizon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout | Trailway Brewing | New Brunswick
Silver | Mammoth | Sons of Kent Brewing Company | Ontario
Bronze | Chapter 4 | Cabin Brewing Company | Alberta
Honorable Mention | Tempest | Tatamagouche Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
54. Wood and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Gold | Raspberry Honey Golden Sour | Snake Lake Brewing Company | Alberta
Silver | Bière de Coupage | 2 Crows Brewing Co. | Nova Scotia
Bronze | Hollywood Misty | Avant Garde Artisans Brasseurs | Quebec
55. Flavoured Stout/Porter
Gold | Chocolate Milk Peanut Butter | Imperial City Brew House | Ontario
Silver | Akurojin-no-hi | Ippon Beers / Bières Ippon | Quebec
Bronze | Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Raspberries | Field House Brewing Co. | British Columbia
Honorable Mention | Bountii | Kilter Brewing Co. | Manitoba
56. No to Low Alcohol Beer
Gold | Hazy Pale Ale | Collective Arts Brewing | Ontario
Silver | Harmon's Harvest Ale | Harmon's Craft Brewing | Ontario
Bronze | IPA Sans Alcool Coureur Des Bois | Microbrasserie Le Coureur des Bois | Quebec
Honorable Mention | Street Legal Nitro Stout | Central City Brewers and Distillers | British Columbia
57. Low Alcohol Beer
Gold | P'tite Tranquille | MicroBrasserie Charlevoix | Quebec
Silver | Noble | Lone Oak Brewing Company | Prince Edward Island
Bronze |Lake Of Bays Near Shore 90 Calorie Hazy Pale Ale | Lake Of Bays Brewing Co. | Ontario
58. Specialty IPA
Gold | Binge Watch | Village Brewery | Alberta
Silver | Cryptical Evasion Rye IPA | Endeavour Brewing Company Ltd | Alberta
Bronze | Cold IPA | Ace Brewing Co. | British Columbia
59. Historic/Regional Beers
Gold | Grodziskie |Thornbury Craft Co. | Ontario
Silver | Garden City Fieldberry | Whistle Buoy Brewing Co. | British Columbia
Bronze | Spruce Beer | Garrison Brewing Company | Nova Scotia
Honorable Mention | Figo Italian Pilsner | Henderson Brewing Co. | Ontario
Breaking down the prize-winners by province (with last year’s numbers for comparison):
Alberta = 40 (number in 2022 = 31)
British Columbia = 51 (number in 2022 = 64)
Manitoba = 5 (number in 2022 = 4)
New Brunswick = 8 (number in 2022 = 4)
Newfoundland and Labrador = 5 (number in 2022 = 2)
Nova Scotia = 12 (number in 2022 = 10)
Ontario = 39 (number in 2022 = 48)
Prince Edward Island = 2 (number in 2022 = 3)
Quebec = 27 (number in 2022 = 27)
Saskatchewan = 2 (number in 2022 = 1)
In keeping with last year’s data sort, it’s no surprise that the “big four” (AB, BC,ON, QC) still dominate, by dint of overall population. However, it’s nice to see a slight redistribution towards MB, NB, NF, NS, and SK ever so slightly, albeit with the slight drop for PE. Assuming rigorously blind testing with no pre-bias towards any single brand, province, or other such factor, then the judges presumably did their taste testing and judging as fairly as possible.
So this makes for another 191 craft beers that self the loser will never have the chance to try ;) . To compound 3CM’s loserness for this evening, tonight’s featured beer isn’t Canadian, although the name of the brewery is at least nominally tied to the idea of a competition. As you can see from the picture, the featured beer chez 3CM is a Victory Brewing Company Prima Pils Pilsner, a purchase during a tiny bit of spare time in Philly a while back. This has a slightly bitter taste that is the mark of a true Pilsner and not the mellowed-out American pilsner. The one catch was that my purchase of the Prima Pils got me a free glass (obviously shown in the picture), which I then had to get back safely home w/o breaking. Fortunately, mission accomplished, although no doubt at some point down the line, either kitteh or I will unintentionally break it :) .
With that, time to turn the floor over to you folks. What are you imbibing tonight? Anyone brewing their own? Virtual bonus points, of course, if you’ve ever sampled any of these brews, or even heard of any of these brews — that is, if you’re not Canadian ;) .