Happy Canada day to all you Canuck crafters and friends to our great Nation all over the world. In the immortal words of Stompin’ Tom “We’re shouting Hooray up Canada way”. * Ok, maybe not exactly a Griffin winner ** but it does rhyme, and when his boot is stompin’ time on that sheet of plywood, well I guess you had to be there.
I’ve been to every province and territory of Canada. Coast to coast to coast. Island hopping from Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine to Vancouver Island, and all pints in between. It’s hard to pick favourites but I will say two of my favourite cities are Sawdust City and Dominion City. And when these two breweries do a collab it’s well worth noting (and sampling).***
Glorious and Free seemed to be the perfect Canada Day quaff for a Cranky Old Canadian. Although there was a bit of a misunderstanding when I picked up this beer and they made me to pay for it. Here’s hoping it’s glorious at least.
Here’s some more classic poetry for you. They brew it, I review it, let’s get to it.
A pour as golden as the wheat fields of Saskatchewan and as hazy as the fog rollin’ in off the Cape Breton coast. A head as bright white as the Whistler West Cirque or a Newfoundland iceberg and as foamy as the base of Niagara Falls. The aroma is juicy and hoppy but sweet as well. First taste is citrus tropical (mango?) with hoppy bitters from start to finish, with a juicy rather than bitter aftertaste. A unique sequence that works well because it is well balanced. A full mouthfeel. Not boozy, it was relatively smooth despite the bitters. I couldn’t resist putting it to the big swig test, and it passed with red and white flag flying colours.
Maybe not free, but certainly glorious.
*Editor’s Comment: The Stompin’ Tom Connors song “Canada Day, Up Canada Way” was from the 1988 album Fiddle & Song.
**Editor’s Comment: The Griffin Poetry Prize is Canadian endeavour founded by Scott Griffin, and at $130,000 is the world’s most generous award for a single collection of poetry.
***Editor’s Comment: This Trans-Canada brewery collaboration is unique, conceived and launched by Dominion City and engaging craft brewers right across Canada. The brewers participating are using 100% Canadian ingredients and donating a portion of the proceeds to local and regional charities. There are over 35 breweries from coast to coast participating in the initiative and over 20 groups supplying Canadian ingredients. They are even offering the recipe to home brewers who may want to brew their own batch “in solidarity”.
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