Once a year or so, my editors at Planet S Magazine like me to offer a “what’s new in beer” kind of column – a piece that identifies future trends and things to look for. As I sat down at… Continue Reading →
I was in Calgary briefly this weekend for a work commitment. Just one night, which meant I couldn’t arrange much. But I did decide to make the trip to Wild Rose’s Tap Room since I knew I could get a… Continue Reading →
My latest Planet S column takes a look at so-called “regional brands”, their history and how that rich tradition has been usurped by the big corporate brewers for marketing purposes. You can read the column here. Because it is written… Continue Reading →
I am in Toronto for a conference related to my day job (usually the only way I get out of town). I flew in Tuesday and the conference didn’t start until Wednesday, meaning I had a few hours of classic… Continue Reading →
A couple weeks back, word leaked out of a new brewery opening in Calgary. Tool Shed Brewing is hoping to launch this summer. After hearing about its impending launch, I decided to get in touch with the owners. A couple… Continue Reading →
Further to a recent post updating matters around the Alberta government’s review of beer mark-up policy (found here), yesterday I received a press release from a new interlocutor. This increases the number of distinct positions being advocated to four, which… Continue Reading →
Last fall I reported on how the Alberta government was reviewing Alberta’s beer mark-up policy. In short, they were re-examining the lower rates for beer made by small producers in Alberta and for beer imported into Alberta from mid-sized breweries… Continue Reading →
Clearly Tap Takeovers are the new thing in Alberta these days. A couple of years ago, such a thing wasn’t heard of – a single brewery temporarily seizing a portion of an establishment’s tap lines (well except for the corporate… Continue Reading →
In yesterday’s Globe and Mail, there was a puff piece extolling the latest in the corporate brewers’ manoeuvrings (read the article here). Labatt (AB-Inbev), makers of the Alexander Keith’s line of faux-craft beer, this spring is launching two new Keith’s… Continue Reading →
Okay, today I was going to write about something else – likely my latest Vue Weekly column – but an announcement from Labatt Canada has me so frustrated I have to vent it, lest I trash my upcoming Family Day… Continue Reading →