A year or so ago, I was feeling rather hopeful about the state of craft beer in western Canada’s pub chains (as evidenced by this post). I was particularly bullish on Hudson’s Canadian Tap House, who had just initiated “Beer Across Canada”, a selection of 13 bottled beer from craft brewers across the country. At the time the operators told me they hoped to expand their craft offerings by shifting some of their taps away from the big boys. Coupled with the opening of Local Pub and a smattering of new offerings at some of the other chains, things seemed on the upswing.
A year later, I am more uncertain about where things are heading. Case in point: Hudson’s. The taps devoted to craft have yet to materialize and the Beer Across Canada seems more like a token add-on than a serious effort at promoting Canadian craft beer. Their latest news is the release of a third house beer – Timberhead Pilsner. I popped in recently to give the beer a try. Why? I couldn’t help myself.
The house beer trend is a difficult subject for me. In theory I like the idea of offering a beer only available in your pub. It adds a local flair and can signal a commitment to good beer. In practice most house beer are tame and rather boring, making them nothing more than a cheap pint that steals sales from decent beer. I pontificate about this more articulately in this post (where I also predict the growth of house beer). Fool that I am, I do make a point of trying each new house beer I hear about. Such are the travails of a beer writer.
The promotion for Timberhead was not encouraging: “beer as cool and refreshing as the arctic ice flows (sic)”. You know it can’t be good when the marketing guy couldn’t be bothered to find out that they are ice “floes”, not “flows”. The server didn’t help by saying as I ordered it, “maybe I should give you a sample first in case you don’t like it”.
But then here’s the thing. The beer wasn’t half bad. It is a dark golden lager with only a thin wisp of white head. The aroma has a soft graininess with an accent of honey. No hops found in the aroma at all. The flavour starts with a grainy malt, some light wheat character and a sweet honey. The middle sharpens with a huskiness. The finish has a moderate bitterness that builds during the linger. It is clearly a noble hop with its grassy and rounded character, but fairly generic beyond that. I found myself quite enjoying the linger, in particular how it grew as the glass emptied.
As a traditional pilsner it is a bit subdued – there is just not quite enough bitterness to deserve the title pilsner. It is more like a pale lager with added hops than a pilsner. However, this is no Lethbridge Pils. There are hops in there, which make the beer flavourful enough to stand out against other house beer I have tried. This is the first house beer I have sampled that actually has the nerve to put some real IBUs into it. It is better than Original Joe’s Haus Frau, although I fully suspect both are made by Big Rock.
The appearance of Timberhead makes the house beer picture quite complicated. On one hand this is a very encouraging development – a house beer with flavour. Maybe things have opened up enough that a chain operator can feel safe offering a moderately bitter beer to its patrons. On the other hand, we continue to see traditional styles dummified and pub owners still refuse to open up tap lines to craft brewers. If they wanted a pilsner, Hudson’s could have, instead of another cheap house beer, opened a tap to Steam Whistle, Paddock Wood Czech Mate or even Edmonton’s Yellowhead Lager (which I know is not a pilsner, but you get my point).
Taps are the holy grail of pub accounts. Bottles in pubs get lost simply because they are more expensive per millilitre. I even opt for draught when all other things are equal. So house beer are good in that they strip a tap line away from one of the big boys, but they are also a missed opportunity in that they don’t open up a line for real craft beer. I wouldn’t grumble about it so much if house beer generally tasted better.
So, I don’t know what to think. Is Timberhead a step forward or half-a-step backward? I can’t tell.
February 13, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Speaking of Big Rock, I came across some of their “Brewmaster” series here in Vancouver- a dunkelwizen. I was seriously unimpressed. Big Rock is the only Albertan beer we seem to able to get out here, and it’s giving Alberta a bad name. Help us Beermeister Foster!!!
February 13, 2012 at 9:02 PM
Alas, Joel, the problem is that it is easier for BC breweries to enter the Alberta market than for Alberta breweries to get into BC. The BC liquor board can be quite hard to crack if you are not a local producer. It is one of the features of Alberta’s privatized system (which has both serious pros and cons). Big Rock is the only player big enough prepared to jump through the hoops.
However, if you start a consumer campaign – focussing, say on Alley Kat or Wild Rose (the biggest and oldest of the craft brewers), maybe the pressure might make them take a shot at it.
Good luck.
Jason
February 13, 2012 at 1:35 PM
I agree with the not impressed with the latest Dunkelweizen. No distint weizen yeast characteristics in the beer. Did they even use a weizen strain? I think I am going to say no…
February 13, 2012 at 2:52 PM
You want bitter (the good kind) beer on tap, Jason? How about Tree’s Hophead IPA, at The Public House. I was a bit shocked upon seeing that tap-handle there at first, but settled down enough to enjoy a few pints of it this past Saturday afternoon. ‘Nuff said.
February 13, 2012 at 9:07 PM
Indeed, a surprising selection for a chain pub. Good on them! However, it is not a house beer, and my point was that most house brands are bland. I don’t want to diminish the significance of Hophead being on tap in Alberta – that is cool, but there is no house brand as hoppy as that.
However, you give me a reason to head back to Local – if only it weren’t so damned out of the way of anything…
February 14, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Ok, fair enough on the ‘house’ beer relevance point. But I wasn’t referring to the Local Public Eatery (which, at way down in South Common, is most definitely too far out of my way), but rather the new “The Public House” at 108 street and Jasper Ave, which is a spin-off of the Pint Public House around the corner. Hence my Seinfeld-esque rant in your Metropolis post’s comments…
February 14, 2012 at 3:45 PM
Sorry, Brady. My mistake. Well, that makes it even more interesting that Hophead is on tap. I will have to find a way to pop into that place and check it out.
Cheers.
February 13, 2012 at 9:00 PM
I find the whole “house beer” thing a little bewildering – the styles and beers are mostly tame/lame, and the servers don’t push them at all. It all reeks of a token gesture so they can say, “see, we told you craft beer doesn’t sell in Canada.”
On a related note, I just finished looking at the Big Rock website (not even sure why), and it makes all of their beers sound like craft nirvana, yet most all of them are in the tame/lame category. There is just no excuse for these types of lame efforts from breweries in this day and age, and there is no way they should be getting away with it, everyone should be calling BS on them. Pseudo craft is psuedo craft, Big Rock is just as guilty as Minhas, maybe even moreso.
I am currently on a road trip in the US, and while I am going to good pubs, it is incredible how they go out of their way to push/promote local offerings, the overall quality is of a much higher standard (though there are a few duds), and there is a wide array of styles available.
I know everyone says how things are differnt in the US because they have the population density. We passed through Sioux Falls, South Dakota a couple days ago, the city is not much bigger than Regina, and is kinda in the middle of nowhere. Yet it has possibly the best beer store I have ever been to, it is part of a gas station/convenience store that also had an impressive selection of homebrew supplies (puts any LHBS in Canada to shame). Then went to a very small local pub downtown and was blown away by tap selection, they even had verticals available of some bottles (GI Bourbon County Stout for example). The place was packed and everyone was ordering good beer. Now I compare this to my last experience at Earl’s in Regina – nobody is drinking the craptacular Big Rock contract brewed “house beers” except for my wife who was completely underwhelmed, most patrons are ordering Bud Light or Keiths, and when I order Paddock Wood 606, I had to show the bartender where the tap was (are you kidding me?), and it ended up being undrinkable because the tap line was so dirty/stale.
February 14, 2012 at 7:21 AM
“It is one of the features of Alberta’s privatized system (which has both serious pros and cons). Big Rock is the only player big enough prepared to jump through the hoops.”
Curious what the cons are and sorry Minhas isn’t a con but a problem. Serious pros and minor problems is probably a better way of stating your sentence.
February 14, 2012 at 9:02 AM
Hoser, I meant exactly what I said. In my opinion Alberta’s privatized system has some significant downsides – for small brewers, for consumers and for those working in the industry. I respect that you don’t share my perspective on this, which is fair. I have articulated some of my concerns in the past and don’t want to go into details in a comment section. Maybe I will take some time in the near future and do up a full post on my view, which I suspect would spark a hearty and healthy debate. Cheers!
February 14, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Looking forward your post on this and please when you do post point to a better and freer and easier system in North American as an example as I have my doubts you will find one.
February 14, 2012 at 10:45 AM
I guess that depends on your perspective of what “free” and “easy” is…
February 14, 2012 at 6:12 PM
Yes, I would like to know why such a free and easy system has tons of imports, but not much of a true local scene. If you are only known as a place that brings in beer from other places, then maybe your place isn’t so great.
February 15, 2012 at 12:30 AM
Guys please instead of shooting down an opinion that doesn’t agree with yours please post or write about a more ideal system in existence elsewhere in Canada that allows more growth of a local scene and encourages the imports that both you in the past have run to the store to buy or write about.
Yes the Alberta system is not perfect besides protectionism that stifles one or both of the above all I am sure both of you will be hard pressed to point a better place to be a beer geek in Canada than Alberta or by default and board to board transfers Saskatchewan (also an easy board to work with). My bitch with the system is not clamping down on inducements.
As to Minhas mentioned below Big Rock is what drives the tax levels if Minhas are in fact past 400,000 hectolitres they aren’t getting a further tax break and they have to pay the .98 for every litre they brew. With the local brewery they are just pulling at Albertan’s heart strings in hopes of seeming more local. Thankfully most respected liquor stores [DELETED by Beerguy] don’t buy their products. Recently All About Beer contacted me about Minhas in regards fact checking to Canadian themed beer piece and the editorial staff was set straight.
February 15, 2012 at 8:55 AM
Sure, I have bought imports in the past, but a beer scene should not primarily be reliant upon them. I would much rather have a strong vibrant local scene like Montreal, Vancouver or even Toronto as opposed to the import-centric scene in Alberta.
Not only does beer taste best closest to the source, but you build and foster much stronger relationships in a beer scene that revolves around local producers. These are the things I value most about beer.
Of course world class imports have their place, they can help set the bar or raise the standards of local breweries.
You may personally feel the Alberta system is superior, and yes they do in fact have the best retail selection in the country. However, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I just passed through Sioux Falls, SD last week, and the selection at the gas station convenience store puts Alberta to shame, yet I don’t hear anyone raving about Sioux Falls being a beer mecca.
February 14, 2012 at 7:05 PM
Doesn’t really belong in this thread, but wanted to pass on the link – http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/david-menzies/minhas-brewery_b_1270464.html?ref=canada-business
February 14, 2012 at 7:49 PM
Yeah, interesting piece. Actually it spawned a gig for me with Alberta Venture which will appear next month. I will link to it when it is out.
The Menzies article is actually fairly inaccurate, but does hit at a couple of issues around Alberta liquor tax policy that are worth noting.
As I say I will keep onbeer readers posted when the Alberta Venture piece comes out.
February 15, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Answer to Mark’s post.
Lets see Montreal, not one of those breweries is in the SAQ (even Unibroue sightings are rare) so no government store penetration or distribution. They have to deliver and collect their own bottles at a huge expense. Well stocked grocery stores are rare and inducements and bribery are rampant. Vancouver the BC board is slightly better than the SAQ and allows a new brewery two spots on BCLD shelves right away and more based on sales, the rest is based on the breweries sales and growth. Ontario I wouldn’t be using that as example at all. Rolling a presentation 6 months in advance in hopes of getting a slot or a one time buy this system is the worst in Canada and worse hurts the rest of Canada. Bribery and cronyism is at an all time high in this province and only four distributors even have the rights to slot kegs in the LCBO. Also please tell me why a lame brewery like Trafalgar gets on every seasonal buy of the LCBO; we all know the answer here.
In Alberta a brewery can go in the Connect Logistics system right away doesn’t have to about costing deliveries and bottle pick up but if they want to save on warehousing charges can bypass the warehousing system and deliver themselves with as many listings as they want. It is up to the brewery to produce good beer to gain market share and any protectionism will taint that. Our system is if a beer is good it will last in our market if it is bad it won’t, what is wrong with that. Last thing I want is to have to do is pick the best of the worst when I go to beer store. God I would start homebrewing again.
Mark every year in your Beer Advocate year end poll post you post Half Pints as the best brewery in Canada. A six hour drive from Regina so hardly your local but kudos for supporting a Canadian brewery. The local scene in Alberta is growing we are spread out population of 3.5 that is behind the times but with the forward thinking of Alley Kat and Wild Rose we will catch up but any moves towards protectionism are going to stifle that and the only one that is going to win is the government coffers. Heck our system has even allowed for the growth of other Canadian breweries such as your provincial craft brewery Paddock Wood. My fear is protectionism is short term gain that will even set growth on a slower curve.
February 15, 2012 at 2:45 PM
Yes, Alberta seems to have a retail system that makes importing and listing fairly easy. No one is arguing that. I am saying there is more to a beer scene.
As for me choosing Half Pints as the best brewery in Canada; I go with a brewery more widely known that is also quite dear to me and is still just a short 5.5 hours down the road. In gerneal, I treat year end lists as “fun” and don’t put too much thought or stock into them.
February 15, 2012 at 4:57 PM
And I am saying Alberta’s scene is growing maybe not a the rate as some of neighbours to the south but it is growing. There is no easier province in Canada for a provincial brewery to enter and gain market share if they brew good product please don’t stifle it with unrealistic goals and rules. The current is not perfect but it is far from the flawed systems that exist elsewhere in Canada and for the matter when talking to global entities the rest of North America.
February 16, 2012 at 6:39 AM
I remember reading this somewhere, so correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t one of the reasons Alberta’s craft scene blows is the fact that the minimum capacity for a license for a brewery is several thousand hL’s a year, or a 10hL system, or both?
February 16, 2012 at 9:37 AM
Chase, you are correct. Here are the minimum production rules to receiving a brewery license in Alberta:
a) 5,000 hectolitres minimum annual production capacity;
b) all beer must be manufactured on site;
c) fermentation, maturation, and storage tanks with a minimum of 10 hectolitres capacity each;
d) there must be a weekly minimum of 50 hectolitres overall fermentation, maturation and storage capacity; and
e) there must be space available to add additional tanks to achieve overall annual capacity.
I don’t have the space here to offer a comparison to other provinces, etc. (I hope to do something longer in the next couple weeks), but it is a fairly challenging bar to meet for a small start-up.
February 16, 2012 at 11:50 AM
So your beef is with start up of a brewery which really has nothing to do with the rest of the system. Please point your ire of your argument towards that don’t condemn the whole system when your problem is start up of a new brewery only.
This is a small problem and seeing how the AGLC worked with Drummond and Wild Rose to raise lowest tax breaks to twenty thousand hectolitres a couple years ago, I believe if someone was to lobby them in regards to a start up brewery they would work on lowering the bar here.
I also find it hard to believe this is strictly enforced as the grundies Wild Rose,Wild Wood, Jasper and Banff ferment or fermented in were smaller than 10 hecs. I also find it hard to believe Banff, Jasper and Wild Wood work or worked to that 50 hectolitre number posted as a minimum as well.
February 16, 2012 at 2:33 PM
Hoser, I think you need to cool your jets a bit. You seem to be responding to every single point people are saying, and as a result are oversimplifying their points – mine in particular. In my reply I was simply providing some facts to Chase’s comment. Nothing more.
I can see you are impatient with the discussion and are looking for a more fleshed out articulation of what my position is (which has both positive and negative views, by the way). I am sorry that I have not had sufficient time to write my position out – life takes priority. I do hope to get to that soon. However, I won’t allow myself to get dragged into a debate around specifics if that debate will be misinterpreted as the entirety of my position.
Trust me. I am pretty sure you won’t agree with my position (which is fair) but I can assure you it will be thought out and considered.
Cheers!
February 16, 2012 at 6:40 PM
I didn’t hash out what I was trying to say being so early in the morning, but it is a theoretical capacity anyways, isn’t it? There are a few packaging breweries that are easily under 5000hL/year, but ‘could’ brew more if they could sell it. And brewpubs are a whole other matter anyways, capacity wise, so that is beside the point (at least I was talking about packaging breweries even though I didn’t really make that clear).
February 17, 2012 at 1:04 AM
Brewpubs have completely different rules compared to breweries, including vastly different minimum capacity, but also whether the beer can only be sold on site vs. distributed to liquor stores. The minimum capacity rule is more of a theoretical issue to keep out “nanobreweries”, as Alley Kat and Wild Rose have only been able to start meeting that so-called minimum capacity in the past few years, and I’m pretty sure Yellowhead doesn’t come anywhere close at this point in time.
February 23, 2012 at 3:47 PM
I typically order the house beers because they tend to be on sale when I am at Hudsons – I like them both, and they are both made by Big Rock (from what I was informed) as is OJ’s Haus Frau.